THE FIRST TIME someone’s shoes showed up in the toilet, people in class thought it was an accident, or at the least a one-off. Like there had been a vendetta, some score to settle or some shit like that. It was a targeted crime, they said. And it was in truth. Bianca hadn’t let me look at her textbook with her even though the teacher told her to share and let me follow along. She was such a bitch about it, holding the textbook exactly like you would for yourself, barely nudging it so I could follow along as well. Later, when we were all getting ready for the pool in gym class, her white shoes looked so fucking stupid in her cubby while we all got changed. We get it, they’re spotless and crispy and you’re better than us. I just hung back when everyone filed away to the pool and flushed the damn things down the toilet. Obviously, they wouldn’t disappear, I just wanted them to get a proper drenching. Bitch. Serves her right.
Anyway, I hadn’t thought much of it. She’d probably cry and everyone would wonder who did it, but failing to find any clues, that would be that, they’d drop the issue.
Bianca caused such a scene though. It was incomprehensible to her that someone could be mean to her, and like, I get it. No one had probably done anything like that to her before, she was such a sweetheart, with a gaggle of pale girlies
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Sadi Muktadir is a writer from Toronto who makes a living as an Editor. His stories are about identity, violence, urban issues and other things. His debut novel, LAND OF NO REGRETS, was published by HarperCollins Canada and Hanover Square Press in May 2024. He can be found on X @sadi_muktadir, and on Instagram @sadi_muktadir.