I've Become Rich And I Want Revenge

02. The price of Justice

Leon stared at the principal, sitting in her chair. 

The woman with black hair tied in a tight bun on top of her head just stared back at him.

Then she said:

"How long has this been going on, exactly?"

It was the first sentence the woman had said after Leon had told her everything, absolutely everything that passed through Dean's and the other students' hands.

"Since the first day of the school year."

Principal Parker interlaced the fingers of her hands and supported her own chin, leaning forward.

"You've been going through this since the beginning of the year, and you've only decided to tell me now? At the end of term?"

Leon swallowed.

"I..."

The truth was that the boy had always thought he deserved such insults. He always thought he deserved to be treated like dirt, and he never considered the idea that perhaps justice could prevail.

The other students despised him for being the only poor student, but would the principal of the school, who had congratulated him so much when he arrived, have the same thought?

"So, let me get this straight." The principal tilted her head. "All the students treat you like that? Without exception?"

"Yes. I mean, only one girl didn't treat me like that. But she didn't know what was going on."

"How could she not?"

"She saw some of the students' taunts, but she never saw the real violence. She never saw me being beaten up, or robbed, or humiliated in a terrible way. Except for today."

"She defended you?"

Trembling, Leon finally stared at the principal when he said:

"No. She sided with the aggressor. Not only that, but I found out that she was the lover of the guy who hit me today."

Silence.

Leon spoke in a slightly louder tone, letting the anger at Brittany's betrayal embolden him:

"I tried to be strong for her. I tried to fight back for her, because I thought she deserved a strong man, not a weak one. Then I knew that she had already chosen a strong guy, and it wasn't me."

Saying it out loud practically destroyed him. Anger and sadness built up inside him.

Then Principal Parker spoke up:

"Well, Dean really is a boy of fiber. He's excellent at sports, he brought home two medals for us in previous years."

Leon raised his eyebrows:

"Yes, Mrs. Parker, but he's a bully. A bully. He humiliated me publicly for a long time."

"And you couldn't have just fought back? If you've put yourself through that for almost three years, of course he'd get used to the idea of seeing you as a target."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this."

"You can't believe it? Yes, you are. I'm sorry, dear Leon, but there's nothing I can do for you or to appease this situation."

The boy stood up immediately, completely indignant.

"How can you not? You're the principal of the school, if there's anyone who can do anything, it's you! You're the only one who can, really."

Completely oblivious to the student's reaction, the woman just crosses her arms and moves lazily in her chair.

"I'm sorry. Dean is one of our most esteemed students, as I just said.'

"But-"

"In addition to the medals, his father, a man of integrity and high standing, helps us out every month with an exorbitant amount of money." She points to the living room window, noticing something outside. "Have you seen our new statue? Magnificent, isn't it? It would never have been there if it hadn't been for that... generous donation."

The boy couldn't say anything. He was speechless.

As if to further prove her point, the principal opened a thick black binder. Names and photos appeared, probably a strict record of the students.

"Not only Dean, but other students at our school are highly prestigious, you see. Our school has foundations, history and weight in society. Only the most intelligent can come here." She glared at him and gave him a viperous smile: "And the richest."

Leon stared at the principal in disbelief as the weight of injustice and reality overwhelmed him. He expected support, understanding, but all he got was indifference.

"So that's it? Since I don't have a big name or any money to donate to you, I have to submit to this tyranny? Is that what you want me to accept, to do?"

"What I want you to understand is that there's really nothing I can do, even if I wanted to."

Pure rage coursed through the student's blood.

"You don't understand, Principal Parker. He's a bully, an aggressor. This needs to be stopped. It's not a question of money, it's a question of morals! Of common sense!"

The principal let out a dry laugh.

"Leon, Leon... you need to understand how the world works. People like Dean play an important role in society. They're born leaders, winners, and that's how the world sees them. I can't risk our school's reputation because of a problem between two students."

Leon felt a mixture of disbelief and despair. 

"So what am I supposed to do? Keep getting beaten up, keep being humiliated?"

The principal stood up, indifferent to Leon's anguish.

"If you can't beat them, join them. Life is full of adversity, my dear. Learn to deal with it."

It was as if the small flame of hope that still resided inside Leon's heart, the tiny thought that perhaps his attackers would be punished, went out like the flame of a candle in the middle of a storm.

In absolute silence, he left the principal's office, not bothering to appear arrogant or angry as he slammed the door.

Leon would go home. And he would tell his father that no matter how proud he was of his son studying at that school, he wouldn't do it anymore. 

As he walked quickly down the corridor, Leon accidentally bumped into a girl.

"Sorry," he said hastily, not noticing who it was.

Until it was too late.

It was Brittany, glaring at him angrily.

Without thinking, Leon said:

"I'm sorry, I thought all the sluts at school had already left."

She slapped him.