Lily's hand was sore. Her college degree didn't seem to be worth all this work. But as she wrote, she remembered verses from her bible. 

    "Colossians 3.23," she recited aloud, "'Work willingly at whatever you do as though you were working for the Lord rather than people.'"

    She smiled and felt loads better. God is pleased with me, she thought.

    She pushed her long, black hair out of almond-shaped, brown eyes and added to her outline for her speech that she was giving the next day.

    She sighed happily as she finished the paper and leaned back in her chair. She checked the clock which read 12:16. Her dorm mate, Robin, would be entering their comfy dorm in a few minutes. Robin had been out at a college party that lasted till midnight. She had asked Lily to accompany her, saying that it was going to be wild, but Lily, knowing that she had work to do, 

politely refused. 

    She got up and picked up her desk, placing her finished paper in a folder and filing the rest of her work. She walked over to her small bed covered in scarlet sheets and fell on top of it. She hadn't even changed from her clothes, but she truly didn't care.

    The door to their dorm burst open and Robin strutted into the room, her long, red hair hanging messily around her shoulders. She pushed her dark-red glasses up higher on her nose.

    "Hel-l-l-lo!" she sang, crashing down on her bed. "Wow! That party was amazing! You really should've gone, Lily."

    Lily smiled and sat up in her bed, "Really?" she asked. "Sorry, but I have a very important speech tomorrow. It would have been foolish to go to a party whenever I had so much work to do."

    But her work wasn't the only reason that she hadn't gone to the party. There was a guy in their class, Alek Pine, who was always bullying her. Every time she and Robin passed him on campus he would make a face and say something to his pals. Other times he would call Lily mean names or just say something rude. One time she had been texting while walking and she had accidentally bumped into him. "Hey, watch where you're going," he had retorted, laughing. "Or are your eyes to narrow to see from them?"

    Lily had hated once he had said that, and no matter how hard she tried to avoid even seeing him, he always seemed to find her and make her look stupid. That was why she didn't go to the party, because she was a hundred percent sure that Alek, one of the most popular boys in the school, would be there.

    "I know the real reason why you didn't come," Robin said, as if having 

read her mind. "Because of Alek. He was there, but he seemed too caught up with his gang and all the girls surrounding him. He probably wouldn't have even noticed you."

    Lily shrugged and Robin continued, "You know, if he is really getting on your nerves, then we can tell the college board, or come up with some clever insults of our own."

    "No," Lily answered, then added, "'Do not repay evil for evil. Don't retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.' First John, chapter three, verse nine."

    Robin was silent, then said, "That was a bible verse, wasn't it?"

    Lily nodded as her friend sighed, "Well, whatever you want. I'm just saying that if you want him to back off, then you have to show him."

    Robin, still dressed in her clothes, took of her glasses and rolled over on her bed and pulled her sheets around her.

    Lily knew that her reciting bible verses made Robin feel uncomfortable. But it definitely made her feel better. 

   But how was she supposed to bless Alek, when all he did was annoy her. She closed her eyes and made a silent prayer to God, asking him to give her strength in her situation.

    Then, she pulled her sheets over her and feel asleep.

    The next day was full of excitement, mostly for Lily, who was giving her speech that day. Robin gave her positive advice as they walked toward their class.

    "Remember," she said as they opened the doors, "only think about how 

awesome you are and how you are going to nail this speech so bad."

    "But Alek is going to be watching," Lily said. 

    "Don't worry about him. If you see him making a face then look over to me and I will give you a better, more uplifting one."

    Lily beamed at her friend and they hugged. She gulped and started for the platform as Robin headed toward the seats.

    One long and impressive speech later, Lily and Robin sat outside, eating their celebratory tacos.

    "You did amazing, girl," Robin congratulated and Lily turned red.

    "It was nothing," she said, then burst out laughing. "Are you kidding! I rocked it!"

    "Yeah you did!" Robin said, starting to laugh as well.

    But Lily immediately stopped laughing as she noticed a large group of people coming toward the taco shop. The group consisted of some guys, but mostly girls, but they all seemed to be following one figure: Alek.

    The handsome jock had wavy dark-brown hair and bright, blue eyes. He lead his group into the shop and Lily thanked God that he didn't notice her.

    "We should go," she said after the entire group had vanished into the taco shop.

    "Whoa, calm down, girl," Robin said, setting a hand on her shoulder. "You need to stay and show that you aren't afraid of him, or what he says."

    Lily didn't feel like that was such a good idea. She could possibly stand up to Alek alone, but she felt less confident when his group of admirers were swarming him.

    She shook her head and got up, placing the rest of her taco lunch in a  

take-out box. Robin stared resolutely at her with one eyebrow raised. Lily made a pleading face as Alek's group started to spill back out of the taco shop. Robin finally got up, but instead of going with Lily, she turned and started straight for the shop, which Alek was still in.

    Lily stood frozen in place as Alek exited the shop and Robin strode straight up to him and yelled, "You should be ashamed of yourself!" then she turned to the crowd of people. "This man is a bully who doesn't care how anyone feels! he hurt my friend and continues to pick on her and bully her!"

    Robin pointed toward Lily and she felt like disappearing. All eyes were on her and Alek's face split into a smile.

    "Can't she tell us that I am a bully herself?' he asked Robin, smirking. "But, then again, she probably only became friends with you so that you would do the talking for her."