Rita

.

No one wanted to sit next to Rita. Even though the class was small, her classmates preferred to squeeze three people into one desk rather than sit comfortably next to Rita. This was normal, and Rita had grown accustomed to it. Soon the classroom was filled to capacity, and the teacher began the lesson. Just then, Monika, who was late, entered. She stood hesitantly by the door, unsure where to sit. The moment dragged on, and finally, the irritated teacher assigned her a seat next to Rita. Monika looked as if she'd been told to jump into a swamp. She carefully took her seat, making sure, God forbid, not to touch Rita. She sat on the edge of the desk, her notebooks constantly falling to the ground. Rita sighed. She didn't bite, so what was Monika up to? She moved closer and asked a completely innocent question:

"Can I borrow your pen?"

Monika almost fell out of her chair. She looked around the classroom with a terrified gaze, finally settling on Rita.

"Uh..." she stammered, "I-I don't have one."

Her classmates in the back burst out laughing. Monika alternately blushed and paled. Rita just shrugged and went back to taking notes.

After class, Monika quickly packed her things and stormed out of the classroom. Only then did she wait for her friends.

"God, what have I been through," she said, not bothering to whisper, even though Rita was nearby. "I was forced to sit

in a desk with HER. I'm sure I'll be traumatized for life..."

Her classmates giggled again and looked askance at Rita.

"Hey, four-eyed girl, have you had any visions again?" they shouted at her.

Rita decided to ignore them, though she inadvertently adjusted her large glasses. She had a particular vision impairment, so she had to wear large, complicated glasses with unattractive frames that gave her a very mischievous expression.

"If you even try to touch Monika..." Monika's best friend shook her finger at her, then turned to her friends. "We have to protect Monika. Do you know what she did to Adrian from the 2nd grade? He sat next to her during the academy...

He sat there and pinched Rita's thigh. No wonder she beat him. But Adrian from the 2nd grade is the most handsome boy in school, and probably many girls dream of being pinched by him.

" "Hey, friend." A tall girl was approaching Rita.

She wore mustard-like foundation, her worn eyes dripped with mascara and eyeshadow, and excessive smoking was already showing signs of her front teeth. Her friends, who resembled her like twin sisters, followed close behind.

"Friend," the young lady stopped in front of Rita, the cruel smile on her painted face portending nothing good. "Where did you buy that nice dress?"

Rita glanced at her mother's old, plaid dress.

"My mom bought it in Częstochowa.

" "Oh my, they must have some amazing shops there," the young lady laughed,

her "chorus" joining her.

Rita didn't reply. She calmly pulled out the sandwich

and unwrapped it. The girls accepted the pseudo-pitying expressions, but malice was seething within them.

"Oh, did your mom make you this sandwich too?

" "Yeah...

" "And what's it made with?

" "Cheese and ham.

" "Cheese and ham!" the girls repeated, laughing as if it were the best joke.

Finally, the mustard-colored girl calmed down enough to ask another pointless question:

"Could she make me one too? Because, you see, I only eat unhealthy chips and candy bars here at school."

She giggled and walked away without even waiting for Rita's response. "Good thing they're gone," she thought, unwrapping the sandwich and taking her first bite. She thought they'd leave her alone for this break, but no! Some boys appeared from the stairs. They were unusually amused. One of them unceremoniously approached Rita and knocked the sandwich out of her hand. The bread flew over the students' heads and landed butter-side down on the ground. Cheese and ham landed right next to it. And the boys, even more pleased with themselves, continued on their way.

Rita stood rooted to the ground. In front of her lay her sandwich, which was in no way edible. It was a shame, and it was her only second breakfast. She didn't carry any money, and besides, her family couldn't really afford her daughter's pocket money. She preferred saving up for a digital camera rather than spending all her money on food because some idiot had gone crazy and snatched the sandwich from her.

"What's that?" a menacing-looking teacher appeared in front of Rita.

She pointed at the floor, smeared with butter and stained with bread.

"That... that's my sandwich."

"Then pick her up! What kind of idea was it to throw food like that?

" "I didn't throw it," Rita snapped, irritably.

"Who would you say?"

Unfortunately, the girl didn't even know the boys' names. The teacher was very angry with the student's rude behavior and the disrespectful tone in which she addressed the teachers. She ordered her to clean everything up, including mopping the floor. The bell had long since rung when Rita absentmindedly mopped the hallway. She asked herself only one question: "Why?"