The Bully
Remy waited in anticipation with clenched fists as the form teacher gave out the Primary 2 final exam paper in class that day. It didn't help that he sat right behind in class for it means an extra few minutes of agony. The cheers from surrounding classmates didn't help. There were the odd few who embraced their papers with an odd tear or two. How would poor Remy do you wonder.
Mrs Ng approached the rear of the class with a subtle grin, just enough to reveal her front two pearly whites, that were kind of larger than usual. Remy immediately placed the paper face down, with a glint of hope. He closed his eyes and tried to peek thru from in between his lashes. As slowly as his tiny hands permits, he flipped the top right stapled portion...just enough to reveal the digit 9.
In one onerous breath, he revealed the front portion of the paper in its full glory. 89 marks! Remy heaved a sigh of relief as he pondered about the reward that his seamstress mother had promised. Remy badly wanted a Nintendo game set that most of his friends had but he knew his mother could well not afford it. New clothes bored him to death. He suddenly remembered that Transformers toy advertised on television but he knew that his mother would not part $49 on a toy for he still had 3 younger brothers and decided he shall not be selfish.
As Remy waited for the school bus to take him home, he has yet to decide on what he shall ask his mother for. The bus wasn't as punctual as always that day. Maybe it was the euphoria getting to him, eager to show his paper to his mother. In his muse, Remy was drowned with his schoolmates sharing amongst themselves their plans for the upcoming holidays.
There were a few well to do ones that will set afoot in faraway countries like Europe and America. Some however did not have such luxury but they were going to Malaysia nevertheless. Still, a holiday is just but a dream to poor Remy. Remy sat on the stone pavement by the road as he stared at the upper Primary students, racing their Tamiya cars in the huge drain just outside the school gate.
Finally, Remy knew what he wanted. A do-it-yourself, battery operated Tamiya car. A couple of his classmates already have those. They didn't cost much. That's it Remy thought. A Tamiya car it is! "White in colour, with neon stickers on the sides", Remy visualized himself racing his car away to victory against his mates.
That same evening, his mother brought him down to the HDB shop to get him his present. After deliberating for a good 15 minutes under the giant Tamiya toy shelf section, Remy decided on the 'Emperor' model featuring a white base with stunning stickers and slick wheels!
"You pass your exams huh boy?" the shop uncle asked him. "Yes Uncle. I did! I scored pretty well. An overall grade of 'A'!", Remy answered in sheer delight. The kind hearted uncle threw in some car accessories such as extra wheels and a modified motor. "What is this Uncle? How much will these extras cost?", Remy quizzed, looking puzzled with a sense of glee in the tone of his voice.
"Nah. Just take it. This is present from Uncle. You will surely win your other friends if you use this motor!", the shop Uncle whole heartedly replied. "Enjoy your new toy ok? Tell me if you win those boys at school!", he continued but Remy was already halfway jolting out of the shop.
Being the bright kid that he is, Remy assembled the car in just under 10 minutes and he could not wait to bring it to school the next day. So delighted was Remy that he slept with the car by his side, fearing his pesky younger brothers would destroy it as how they did his other toys.
Remy's car became an instant hit. Soon, word got around that Remy's Emperor was THE car to beat in all of Opera Estate Primary School. Countless boys, from the lower and upper primary wanted to race with Remy. They all lost of course. By miles! Within the space of a week, Remy made plenty new found friends, not because of the car entirely, but his cheery disposition, coupled with his amiable character and humble nature won the hearts of his peers.
On the last school day before the end of year holidays, Remy raced with one of the Primary 5 boys in the big drain. Remy won as usual, leaving the boy with a gust of detest lingering in his mouth. "Hey I got to go. My bus is coming soon. Nice racing with you!", Remy shouted while carrying his bag in one hand and car in another as his little legs ran toward the bus bay.
The bus was late yet again. "Oh what a bother!", Remy thought. Of all days to be late, it had to be the final day of school. Remy sat down on the stone seat, perspiring profusely, and looking messy and sticky like how all young boys should. In the distance, he saw the Primary 5 boy walking toward him with one of his friend Remy assumed.
"This is the boy?", his friend quipped. "Hey you! Let me see your car. I heard your car is pretty fast!", the boy demanded. Innocently, Remy took his car out from his bag to show the boy. In one swift movement, the boy snatched his car and rammed it hard against the road surface into smithereens!
Shocked, Remy stood up and shouted as loud as he could, "Hey why did you do that!?" Remy squatted to pick up the pieces and the two boys caved in on him, beating him to a pulp. Remy tried hard to defend himself and his car from suffering further damage but the older boys were just too big and overpowering.
The other boys and girls just stood rooted, fearing that they would also get beaten up should they attempt to help poor Remy. After about a minute or so of repulsive torment, the boys stopped and walked away, huffing, puffing, and laughing at their 'victory'.
Remy wiped the blood from the side of his mouth against his shirt sleeve, with heavy sobs in between. Remy picked up the remnants of his car while scouring the surrounding area for little bolts and pieces which he may have missed. There were a few students there who helped Remy pick up the pieces but they kept numb.
One of the girl's offered him her pink handkerchief to wipe the blood off his mouth. Reluctantly, Remy took it and stained it a deep red. "Sorry about this", Remy whispered in between sobs as he realised that half the handkerchief was already painted with his blood. "It's ok", came her sweet curtsy reply. "You can have it", she continued. "Don't worry", she comforted Remy as she brushed the dust off his shoulders. "Those bullies will get it one day", she assertively comforted Remy.
On the bus ride home, Remy thought hard about what that girl said. Remy frowned deeply and gritted his teeth as he repeated after her, "Those bullies will have it one of these days". "Just wait and see", Remy thought to himself. "Just wait and see", Remy heaved, clenching the blood-soaked handkerchief.
