The Penalty
At noon after school, I carried a bag of trash toward the trash bin behind the academic building.
It was an old tin bucket, weathered by years of wind and sun, with a mottled surface and a stubborn ring of grime at the bottom, faintly giving off a sour smell.
This corner of the campus was rarely visited, with only a few tall sycamore trees and scattered dead leaves.
I carefully opened the trash bag and gently emptied the waste paper and fruit peels inside.
Just as I was about to throw the empty bag in, a steady rhythm of footsteps sounded behind me.
The sound was neither fast nor slow, but carried a sense of pressure, as if warning me—someone was watching.
I instinctively turned around; sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows across the person's face.
It was Mia Collins.
She was Henry Jones's childhood friend and the president of the school's student council.
She wore a neat school uniform, her shirt collar fastened with care, and the student council badge on her chest gleamed in the sunlight.
She stood with her arms crossed, a faint, almost imperceptible cold smile at the corner of her mouth, her gaze looking down from above.
"There is still some trash left in the bin," she said, her voice clear but carrying a commanding tone, "According to the rules, that's a 50 fine."
I paused for a moment, then instinctively explained, "I just emptied it; maybe someone else left it earlier."
"I said it is," Mia Collins' voice sharpened suddenly, as if declaring her authority to everyone nearby. "How dare you question the Student Council's rules?"
The wind rustled through the leaves of the sycamore tree, making a soft, whispering sound.
A chill ran down my spine.
At that moment, Henry Jones appeared around the corner of the Academic Building.
He wore a white T-shirt under his school jacket, the collar casually open, hands shoved into his pockets, with his usual easy smile playing at his lips.
Seeing him, I felt like I had grasped a lifeline and hurriedly cast a pleading look his way.
"Mia said there's residue, so there is," Henry Jones glanced at me casually. "Just pay up quickly."
Those words struck me like a bucket of cold water, washing over me from head to toe.
My fingers instinctively clenched the phone in my pocket, knuckles whitening.
"I didn't bring any cash, and I don't have that much money on my phone." I whispered, my voice so low it almost disappeared in the wind.
Without hesitation, Henry Jones reached into my pocket and snatched the phone away.
His movements were skilled and natural, as if this was the most normal thing in the world.
He unlocked with his fingerprint and opened the payment app, his actions smooth and continuous.
"I'll pay for you," he said calmly. "Don't let Mia get into trouble again."
The payment success tone sounded—a crisp "ding," as if announcing the completion of some unfair transaction.
Mia Collins' mouth curved into a smug smile, as if saying, ‘See, no one can stop me from doing what I want.'
"50 is too little," she said suddenly, a sly gleam flashing in her eyes. "Since you have a bad attitude, the fine is raised to 500."
Also, you're in charge of cleaning the bathroom this afternoon.
I stared at her in disbelief. "You're abusing your power!"
"I am the Student Council President," Mia Collins said, raising an eyebrow with undeniable arrogance. "What I say is the rule."
She grabbed Henry Jones and turned away, their backs stretching long in the sunlight.
The leaves of the sycamore tree gently swayed above them, as if silently witnessing this unfair verdict.
I stood there, my palms slick with cold sweat.
The sour smell from the trash bin seemed even stronger, mixing with the thick heat of the summer afternoon and making me feel suffocated.
I wanted to argue back, to run after them and reason it out, but my legs felt as heavy as if filled with lead.
The quiet around me made me feel even more isolated and helpless, as if the whole world was against me.
Laughter from classmates came from a distance, a carefree joy that sharply contrasted with how I was feeling.
I looked down and saw my shadow stretched long and far, as if about to be swallowed by endless grievance and anger.
I took a deep breath and told myself—this can't just end like this.
But when I looked up toward the Academic Building and saw those two figures walking away, growing smaller in the distance, the fighting spirit inside me seemed to be snuffed out.
This was only the beginning. I had a vague feeling that a bigger storm was waiting for me ahead.
The afternoon sunlight filtered through the classroom window, casting dappled shadows on the floor.
I sat by the window, holding a book in my hands, eyes fixed on the words, but couldn't absorb a single one.
What had happened at noon replayed like a movie in my mind again and again.
"Sarah Xavier, do you dare to defy the Student Council's orders?" Mia Collins' voice still seemed to echo by my ear.
I sighed softly, closed my book, and gazed out the window.
On the playground, a few students were playing basketball, their cheers rising and falling across the court.
How I wished I could be like them—carefree and untroubled by these baffling problems.
But the calm didn't last long.
The classroom door was slammed open, making a sharp, jarring noise.
Mia Collins entered with two girls, their footsteps sounding unusually loud in the quiet classroom.
"Sarah Xavier, do you dare to defy the Student Council's orders?" Mia Collins stood with her hands on her hips, her gaze sharp, as if she wanted to tear me apart.
I put down my book and looked her straight in the eye. "That's not something I'm supposed to do."
"Not supposed to do it?" The girl standing to Mia Collins's left sneered, "Who do you think you are? Some poor country bumpkin—lucky you even got into this school."
"Exactly," another girl backed her up. "If you go against President Collins, you're in for it."
My fingers gripped the pages tightly, my knuckles white.
Holding back my anger, I said, "You can't just attack someone personally like that."
"So what if we attacked you?" Mia Collins stepped forward and suddenly pushed me.
Her strength was strong, and I stumbled back a few steps, nearly falling.
Just then, homeroom Teacher Lee walked into the classroom.
I grabbed onto this chance and hurriedly stood up. "Teacher Lee, Mia Collins abused her authority to fine me and made me clean the bathroom. They also insulted me."
Mia immediately put on a hurt expression, her voice softening. "Teacher Lee, I was just following the Student Council's rules. Sarah Xavier refusing to cooperate is one thing, but now she's falsely blaming me."
Teacher Lee frowned, looking at me and then at Mia Collins.
His gaze shifted between us, as if he was weighing something.
Finally, he sighed and said, "Sarah Xavier, Mia Collins is the Student Council President; she must be acting for the good of the school."
You should go clean the bathroom and stop causing trouble.
Those words hit me like a hammer, pounding on my heart.
I couldn't believe the teacher would say that, especially when I was the one being bullied.
With no choice, I picked up the cleaning tools and reluctantly walked to the bathroom.
The bathroom was filled with a sharp, pungent smell; the floor was slippery, and spiderwebs clung to the corners.
I'd barely started wiping when I couldn't hold back a gag.
The mop felt like it weighed a ton, every movement taking a huge amount of effort.
Just then, Mia Collins and the others happened to walk by.
Seeing me so miserable, they burst into laughter, their voices harsh and piercing in the empty bathroom.
"Oh, looks like you're pregnant," Mia Collins' sharp, grating voice said, "Don't even know who the father is, huh."
The words felt like a sharp blade, piercing deep into my chest.
Tears instantly blurred my vision, and I couldn't hold back anymore. I crouched down and cried out loud.
When Mia Collins and the others saw me crying, their laughter grew even more ruthless.
Their laughter was like needles stabbing into my eardrums, sending sharp waves of pain.
I don't know how long passed before they finally left.
The bathroom grew quiet again, with only my sobs and the sound of dripping water.
I wiped away my tears, stood up, and kept cleaning.
My fingers had become stiff from prolonged exposure to cold water, but I told myself I had to keep going.
Because I knew this was only the beginning, and the real challenges were still waiting for me.
The next morning, I arrived at school earlier than usual.
The campus was quiet, with only a few early risers jogging on the playground.
The fresh air carried a faint scent of flowers, lifting my spirits.
But thinking about everything I was about to face, my heart sank again.
When I walked into the classroom, only a few scattered students were there.
I had just put down my backpack when I heard Henry Jones and Mia Collins' voices.
They were standing in the middle of the classroom, casually chatting with a few classmates.
Henry deliberately raised his voice, as if afraid no one would hear: "Sarah Xavier's living expenses all come from me, and she's still not satisfied."
Mia added fuel to the fire with a deliberately contemptuous tone: "Exactly, she relies on Henry for everything, yet dares to go against me—truly ungrateful."
The other students all turned to look at me—some curious, some sympathetic, and some openly mocking.
My fingers gripped the backpack strap tightly, knuckles turning white.
I couldn't hold back anymore. I stood up and walked over to them. "Henry Jones, what nonsense are you talking about?"
Your tuition and living expenses are funded by my family. Have you forgotten?
Henry's expression flickered slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.
He sneered coldly, "Don't slander me. When have I ever depended on your family's support?"
"Exactly," Mia Collins immediately chimed in, "Sarah Xavier, don't even think about slandering Henry. Trying to climb up by associating with rich families doesn't work like that."
"I'm not slandering him!" I reached into Henry's pocket. "My brother's business card is still in your pocket. He gave it to you before so you could contact him if you needed help. That's the proof!"
Henry Jones reacted quickly, swiftly covering his pocket and pulling out the business card.
A flicker of panic flashed in his eyes, but it was soon replaced by cold indifference.
"What business card? I don't know anything about it!" he said, tearing the card into pieces and tossing them onto the ground.
The paper scraps fluttered in the air like white snowflakes, slowly drifting down.
I watched the scattered fragments on the floor, anger and resentment swirling inside me, almost overwhelming me.
"How could you do this!" my voice trembled, yet I still tried to stay calm.
"What's wrong with me? You're just making things up." Henry Jones finished speaking, grabbed Mia Collins, and walked away, leaving me standing there alone, catching the strange looks from my classmates.
The classroom was unbearably quiet, with only the sound of my heartbeat echoing in my ears.
I slowly crouched down, trying to pick up the fragments, but they had been crushed beyond repair.
Just like our relationship; once broken, it can never return to what it was.
After class, I was about to head to the library when Mia Collins blocked my path in the hallway.
She seemed as if she had been waiting here for me all along, a victorious smile on her face.
"Sarah Xavier, you slandered Henry Jones in front of the classmates yesterday. You have to apologize to us today." Mia Collins crossed her arms, her tone firm and unquestionable.
"I didn't slander him. Why should I apologize?" I looked her straight in the eye, refusing to back down.
Seeing that I wouldn't compromise, the smile on Mia's face vanished instantly.
Suddenly, she reached out and pushed me hard, catching me completely off guard.
I staggered back a few steps, my back slamming heavily against the wall with a dull thud.
The pain made me angry too, and I stepped forward, trying to push her away.
In the chaos, my finger accidentally caught Mia Collins's necklace. I heard a sharp 'snap,' then the necklace broke and fell to the ground, making a clear, crisp sound.
Henry Jones happened to be passing by, saw what happened, and immediately rushed over to shield Mia. "Sarah Xavier, how dare you lay a hand on Mia and break her necklace!"
Before he finished speaking, a sharp slap landed on my face.
The burning pain spread instantly. I covered my face, tears flowing uncontrollably.
"What's so special about this necklace?" I said, choking up. "Have you forgotten the necklace you gave me before?"
You saved up for a long time to buy it, saying it was to commemorate the first time we met. How can you treat me like this now?
Henry Jones's eyes flickered, as if he suddenly remembered something.
But he quickly returned to his cold expression. "That's all in the past. Right now, Mia is the most important."
Just then, a familiar voice called out, "Henry, how dare you hit my sister?"
I looked up and saw my brother, Cameron Xavier.
The Principal was following behind him, and both their faces were dark and threatening.
Sunlight streamed in from the end of the corridor, casting a golden halo around them, making them look like messengers of justice.
Cameron Xavier hurried over and gently touched my face with concern. "Sarah, are you okay?"
I shook my head and buried my face in his chest, finally unable to hold back my tears.
My tears soaked his shirt; I could feel the rise and fall of his chest and his steady heartbeat, which made me feel an unprecedented sense of safety.
Cameron gently patted my back, trying to calm me down.
After a moment, he raised his head, looked at the Principal and Henry Jones, and said coldly, "Principal, is this how your school manages students? The Student Council President is abusing his power, and a student even resorted to violence. You owe me an explanation!"
The corridor was eerily quiet; every passing student stopped in their tracks, watching us with curiosity.
Henry Jones's face went pale, his eyes filled with panic.
Mia Collins clung tightly to Henry Jones's arm, her lips trembling slightly.
It was the first time I saw them display such expressions, and an inexplicable rush of relief rose in my chest.
Maybe justice is always late, but it never fails to show up.
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