"We have got to dispel this myth that bullying is just a rite of passage." -Barack Obama

I walk into the doors of the school still slightly dazed from either the lack of sleep or I'm still suffering from shock from the news from yesterday. Probably both. Ilias walks past me, looking like he's a zombie. No one wanted to come to school today but I said I wanted too, so then Ilias said he's come with me then everyone else joined in. I just wanted to come to school so I could get out of the house for a bit, I didn't expect for everyone to want to come also.

Ilias walks down to the front office to talk to the principle about how he shouldn't yell at a teacher like that again. Ilias said it isn't a big deal; I think otherwise. I start heading to class which I find it sort of weird walking to it alone. A firm grip is placed on my shoulder, automatically making me flinch a little and to stop walking. I don't have to look to know it is as she's the only person (that I know of) that doesn't like me all too much.

I'm led to the girl's bathroom. A hand still firmly placed on my shoulder, a few giggles sounding from behind me. I'm roughly turned around to face Hailey, the two girls from yesterday standing behind her.

"Well, well, I'm surprised you're brave enough to show your face around here again. What really surprises me though is that you dared to walk on school campus with my Ilias, even after what I told you yesterday. Do you know what happens to people who disobey me?" Hailey snarled.

I just stayed still has ever, my chest moving up and down rapidly from my breathing beginning to pick up. She reminds me of when I was with John and Larissa.

"You're just as brave as I thought you were. Sierra, Anna, just look at poor little Isabella here, too afraid to even speak up for herself." The two girls behind her, Sierra and Anna, laugh at her remark.

"How could anyone think you're an actual Romano? If only they could see you now. Girls since Isa here doesn't know how we treat people who disobey me, how about we show her? Maybe then she'll learn to take what I say seriously." Hailey suggested, running my hair through her fingers. In one swift notion she yanked at it, making waves of pain shoot through my scalp.

Her hand leaves my hair, I lose my balance once she does, making me fall to the floor. I keep my eyes fixated on a crack in the bathroom floor.

"Sierra did you bring what I told you to?" Hailey asks. I don't hear an answer, but I do hear the sound of someone rummaging in a bag. As soon as the rummaging stopped Hailey let out a laugh that was scarily close to Larissa's laugh. "You want Ilias's attention fine; I'll help you get it."

"First things first, let's put some makeup on you." Hailey leans down, a lipstick in her hand, and writes something with it on my forehead. "Next we need to rid you of those granny clothes. Afterall, who would give you attention while you're in those things?"

What does she me-

My white sweater is ripped off of me before I can even finish my thought. Underneath it reveals the white tank top I have on. I wrap my arms around myself as I feel the 3 sets of eyes staring at me. I hope they don't see my bruises.

"Now that you're showing a little more skin, we can move on to the next and final step."

I look up just in time to see Hailey taking a big, blue water bottle from Anna. I think I know where this is going. Hailey ever so slowly takes off the lid, taking a big gulp from it. She pulls the bottle away from her lips, wiping the excess water off on her arm. Soon after she doesn't hesitate to pour the remaining water in the bottle on my head.

"There I don't see how you can't get Ilias' attention now. Come on girls, it's time to leave, we can't miss our first class of the day." Hailey gushed out, a sly grin on her face. I give her one last pleading look for help but she just walks on out the bathroom door. I slowly stand up to look at myself in the bathroom mirror.

The yellow bruises on my arms are visible but it's hard to see them in the bad lighting in the bathroom so Hailey and the others probably didn't see them. The words 'attention seeker' written in dark red lipstick across my forehead, I grab a paper towel and wet it before scrubbing of the words.

I slowly unwrap my now shaking and goosebump covered arms from around my torso. My white tank top is now completely see-through from the water. The beige bra I have on, on full display through the shirt. My wet hair now sticking to my face and dropping excess water down my body.

My body shakes from both the cold and the fear of what just happened.

I walk into one of the bathroom stalls, sitting on the toilet seat, once again wrapping my arms around my chest. I'll just wait until at least my tank top is dry then I can go grab my gym clothes. If someone asks where I was, I can just say I was at the nurse's office because I had a headache.

I sit silently, counting in my head to see what number I can get to before my shirt is dry. I hear the bathroom door open, the hinges squeaking ever so slightly as it does. I lift my legs up so that my feet can't be seen.

"Isa, please tell me you're in here, it's been 30 minutes and Ilias is going on a rampage throughout the school trying to find you so if you're in here please come out." I hear the familiar voice of Mia sound throughout the bathroom.

If I don't come out now and find Ilias," then he'll probably end up calling someone from our family. And if that happens-knowing them-it'll probably lead to the school being put on lock down until I'm found.

I slowly unlock the stall door stepping out of the bathroom stall I had intended to spend the next at least 45 minutes in, met with the shocked eyes of Mia.

"Oh my God, Isabella what happened? Are you ok?" Mia breathed out as she rushed over to me, giving me her bright purple jacket that was previously wrapped around her waist. I accept her offering of her jacket without hesitation; ready to hide my exposed upper body. Mia's questions of worry are interrupted as we both hear the sound of the squeaking hinges of the bathroom door. I almost laugh at the sight of my twin brother peeking in through the door with his eyes covered by his hand.

"Mia is she in here, is it safe to look in without my eyes covered?" My brother asked, Mia looks to me silently asking if I want him to see me right now. I don't bother answering her question just going ahead and answering Ilias.

"Yes, Ilias, I'm in here and yes, it is safe to uncover your eyes." I notified my brother my voice coming out meeker than I intended it too. Ilias peeks through his fingers making sure it's completely safe. Our eyes meet and he doesn't even pull his hand completely away from his face before sprinting over to me, almost falling in the process from the still wet bathroom floor.

"What happened to you Isa? Is this where you've been this entire time? Where's your sweater? Why are you all wet? Where's the sweater you were wearing this morning? Why were you-Wait! Don't tell me someone did this to you." Ilias spat out; his eyes showing fury that even Theodore can't match.

I and my father march into the hallways of the middle school. We see a few teenagers walking around the halls, they stop as soon as they notice us. All of them stand in their places, beginning to shake and sweat as if I had the time to deal with them.

We would have been here sooner but first I had to talk Alessandro about how he had to stay at the company since we had a meeting coming. And, of course, dad was there when I got the call about our principessa, so he had to come since there was no way I was talking him out of it.

When we finally made it here, dad wanted to bring in a gun to shoot the damn bastards that bullied his granddaughter. For obvious reasons, however, I absolutely had to talk him out of that one. We came to deal that we'll chop off all of their fingers and then shoot them in the shoulders, hands, and kneecaps.

After school, of course.

I continue to walk down the hallways I've grown familiar with due to all the fights my boys got into when they were in this school. My father walks beside me with his 'I'm ready to kill somebody look' that he taught me to use, and I have passed it down to all of my sons to use.

We finally make it to the door to Mr. Adams office. I don't have enough respect for him to knock so just I walk straight in.

"I thought I had made it very clear to everyone in this building to-" The idiot principle finally see it's me. He stands up right away, fixing his jacket as he does so. "M-Mr. Ro-Romano, nice to see you again. How have you been?" He stammers. I really need to get him fired one of these days. His secretary-what's her name again? Miss Cat, no. Miss Carter, no. Oh, it's Miss Chesser-Miss Chesser, his secretary is standing behind him just rolls her eyes at her boss.

I ignore him-as usual-looking around the room. I see Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock sitting alongside their bratty daughter.

That crazy couple always tries to get me to put Ilias in an arranged marriage with her. I should have just let dad bring the gun into school. First, she's a crazy person who's convinced she needs to marry my youngest son. Second, she's a crazy person with a newfound death wish who has the sheer stupidity to make fun of and bully my daughter.

She looks to me with wide eyes. Almost like she didn't expect me to come. How many brain cells does she lack to think I wouldn't come discuss something that involves one of my children? I heave an aggravated sigh.

My attention turns to a very frightened looking Isabella, my father and Ilias trying to comfort her all while glaring over at the Whitlock trio. I walk over to my family handing Isabella my suit jacket, maybe that will help with the shaking. Isabella looks to me for a second before wrapping my jacket around her body.

"Mr. Romano, Mr. Romano what are you two doing here?" Mr. Whitlock queried. Do they not know that she's my daughter? I thought Ilias said she was introducing herself to people as a Romano.

"Why wouldn't I be here?" I mused, "She's my daughter after all." The entire Whitlock family's eyes widened, and their fake tans became almost nonexistent how much their face's paled.

"Wait, wait! She's what? But we've never heard of you having a daughter before?" Hailey rasped.

"Yes, I do have a daughter, in fact her and Ilias are twins, she was taken from us when they were young." I explained, the guilty pang in my heart coming to the surface.

"This is all beside the point as to why we're all here, I'm here to discuss the punishment for what Miss Whitlock has done to my daughter." I backtracked, looking towards the idiot principle once again.

"Yes, yes, Mr. Romano. I would like to make it know that we have cameras located in the hallways. That being said we have surveillance footage of Miss Hailey Whitlock, Miss Anna Elrod, and Miss Sierra Benjamin all leading Miss Isabella Romano into the girl's restroom but after 18 minutes only the 3 of the 4 girls that went in, exit the bathroom. Miss Isabella Romano not among them. Miss Isabella Romano does not come out of the restroom until Miss Mia Stoll and Ilias enter the bathroom while in their search for Miss Isabella Romano." Miss Chesser communicates to us. She would make a good, competent principal.

"Yes, thank you for that, Miss Chesser, moving on; Mr. Romano seeing as it was your child or rather children that was involved in this incident, how would you like Miss Whitlock to be punished?"

I don't hesitate to answer.

"I think expulsion would be the best thing to do." I state plainly.

"Wait, with all due respect Mr. Romano don't you think that punishment is a little bit too far-" Mrs. Whitlock blurts out worriedly.

"Of course, Mr. Romano. As of today, Miss Hailey Whitlock is expelled from Spring Hill Middle School." Mr. Adams declares. Attempting to shake my hand as if to make it seem like some type of business deal between the us had taken place.

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I'm sorry to announce but chapter 31 will be the last and final chapter to this book. I will try to post it soon but don't hold your breath. Also, I would like to say R.I.P to Queen Elizabeth II, I am still in a bit of shock from her death since I was positive, she was going to outlive us all. And I would like to mention the 21st anniversary of the September 11th, 2001, attacks on the United States of America.