Memories of our past stuck in my brain ever since last Sunday's encounter with Brett.
He's ade me so happy in the past, in our childhood... but for the past three years?
It had been an utter nightmare.
I was heartbroken. It took me a lot to get over it and mostly thanks to Macy. Ever since Jace spread that rumor Brett started acting weird, but weird turned into mean, and mean into aggressive. And now...
Now it was all over the place.
Friends? That's what I got the last time I was friends with the culprit... almost three years of constant torment. So what if he hadn't directly done anything after that soccer course? That didn't magically erase the past. Nor what happen recently... Me being vanished from the Cafeteria, the pills... and Noel's attempt last Friday. What told me he wasn't a part of it all as well? That he planned it all along with them? After all, Noel and Jade were two of his closest friends and partners in crime. I wasn't sure which of them had hurt me the most indeed...
Well, yes. Brett had.
Nothing could compare to the deep betrayal he put me through... even worst if you added the broken heart.
Friends? Be back to what we were? He missed me?
I wasn't that sure about all that. We weren't just friends that had drifted away over the years and he wanted to retake the relationship. There had been so much pain in our pass. One thing lead to another, a little misunderstanding lead to an argument, and to another, and another, and people joined, and Jade got involved, and Noel felt validated...
No. We weren't just friends that lost contact.
Up until he left for the football course last trimester he'd been a constant in my life, a constant that caused me anxiety and remorse.
Go back to being close?
Was he even honest?
I couldn't make up my mind about it all considering everything and that alone was nerve-wreaking itself.
I didn't trust him anymore. He himself had blowed up his chances and it would be stupid of me to expect anything different after so many suffering so far.
So, no. Being friends again was definitely off the table, no matter how much my aching heart yearned for us to be that close again. It simply wouldn't happen again.
It all really got out of hand, this wasn't just about some messing anymore. Not after the party. This morning I'd crossed paths with Noel and despites throwing my books -a usual- he sent me this knowing smirk and got me shivering. He ain't even utter a word and already got me on the edge. I got this cramping feeling in my chest most of the time in school, half expecting some of them popping out of the blue and doing something. It was turning me into a paranoid and my own sanity was at risk. I was done taking it all wordlessly.
I couldn't take it anymore.
So that's why I was right now in the principal's office, having reported abusive behaviour towards me in the hallways.
It had been one of the most difficult decisions I ever made, hesitating 'til the very last moment, afraid of repercussion... but what else could they do that hadn't done yet? They had humiliated me, insulted me, degradated me in ways I couldn't began to think and all in the school's fiel. Like when Noel stucked me inside that locked last semester. Or when they showered me in lunch at the canteen, or when-
"Thank you for your time, miss White." the princpal voice before me snapped me out my trance and I looked up to face him as he stood from behind his desk, and fixing the front of his suit. "Once more I'm terribly sorry to know about that. This case will be extensively analyzed 'til we get to the bottom. If anyone else bother you, please don't hesitate to come straight to me. We'll take it from here, miss White. Now, shall we call your grandmother-"
"No!" my eyes widened and my mouth dried immediately at the thought. I cleared my throat under his weird glance. "I... I mean she's recovering from a stroke. I don't want to bother her more than its needed."
"Miss White." he sighed leaning against the table in front of me. "This is not anymore something you should keep to yourself. If someone is bothering you we can help you but we need you to let us."
My heartbeat increassed at the image of Granny when she realize what'd been happening. Her eyes wide, her disappointment... her worry. Man, I didn't need her to worry. What if it gave her another stroke? "But-"
"Telling us was a first step, really important, but we need also the help of someone who could watch out for you ore closely, or if you need other kinds of help or support we can not provide."
"Don't tell Granny, please." my eyes welled up and I blinked furiusly, my hands shaking. "She's very delicate right now. I don't want her to suffer."
"Alyson." the use of my first name this time settled a whole new atmosphere. My throat kept closing and at this pace I was sure I'd suffocate any moment from now.
"Please." I choked out. "I'll tell her. Me. If you tell her and made her come or something she'll go crazy. I'll tell her."
He anilyzed me from a couple seconds in which I swallowed, squirming in the chair and fiddling with my hands. If I found the right moment and way to tell her maybe her nerves wouldn't get affected... After an eternity he let out a low breath. "Okay. But tell her today, miss White. So we could take cards in the picture."
"Yes, yes!" both relief and a new found squeezing settled in my chest but his serious look remain.
"And I mean it, if in the mean while someone bothers you in anyway come right away."
"Thank you."
He nodded and told me to go to my next class as he took it all in and decided. It brought a new kind of apprehension to my chest. Had I done the right thing telling on them? A part of me was incredibly relieved, as if passing part of the weight to someone else... someone who would know what to do. But another pat of me didn't stop calling me a snitch.
Damn, if I hadn't tell so far then there must be a good reason for it, right?
Too late to made it to my period I went straight to the locker's room, thinking about using this spare time to change chillfully and just wait there. Good thing was that today it was madly raining outside, so we'd be staying in the gymn. I had a pretty decent shape thanks to the rolling and despites what it might look like, but I still like it better when we stay inside and do chill activities rather than team games outside.
I pass the canteen on my way there, grabbing an apple taking advantage it was empty and then non-challantely made my way towards the lockers room. I like it better now that was lonely. I'm very self conscious about my body thanks to my lack of curbs or any kind of woman shape, so I usually had to wait 'til most of the girls are gone to quickly change before stripping down. I knew it is kinda pathetic but I felt like people were constantly judging me as I change, even tho being aware everyone is minding their own bussiness. I'm still unsure about my body, so an empty locker room presented itself as a golden opportunity, right?
Well, think again.
Halfway through my changing I heard the door opening on my back. Great. But decided to keep on with my deal and not turned to glance at it, suppressing the urge to cover myself again and took off my shirt, goosebumps appearing immediately at the cold air against my skin. Big mistake. I heard steps approaching and before I knew a force shoved me forward, barely giving me time to catch myself on the locker before me.
What the-
"You think this is funny?"
My blood run ice cold before even facing this new comer but my chest clenched all the more when I met her chilling light eyes.
Jade.
And she was livid. I'd never seen her like that.
"N-" but never even managed to complete the word before her hands pushed my shoulders again, shoving me backwards to the lockers with a loud thud and a shudder of white pain climbed from my spine. I shut my eyes with a whine, not having expected that.
What is happening?
"Of course not. You fucking disgusting tramp!"
Through my confusion and anxiety I managed to hear a click and look up in time to see Shannon locking the door. Oh my god. "Tone it down."
"She tell on us!" the blond yelled instead pointing at me so poisonously I could only shrink away hugging the shirt I just took of against my torso for protection. "You! The principal just call us. You fucking tell on us, freak?"
"If you h-hadn't done anything I wouldn't have to t-tell." I stuttered unconsciously and her eyes shone murderously.
"Come again?"
The scared me wanted to coward away, to curled over myself and let the storm pass, but lately I'd been gaining a bit courage, and I'd already done the first step right? So I stood, ignoring the trembling of my knees and the fright that collapsed my lungs from inside... and the fact that I was barely holding the shirt over my front torso, too exposed in front of them.
"I'm done with your treats." I spat back and she looked taken aback for a second, the anger no lessing a bit, of course. "I'm done with you threating me like crap, pushing me away and stepping over. I-I don't know what had I ever done to you but if you can't simply ignore me then, yes, I'll tell on you. Because I'm done!"
I was panting at the end of it, regretting it right away but it was already too late. The words had left my mouth and she had heard it loud and clear. Shannon gasped at my outburst, glaring at me harder as if she couldn't understand how did I dared to speak in such a way to her precious queen bee. Well, I got nothing left to lose, right? So I better stood my ground.
But it was painful.
Especially when seconds stretched and I could almost feel rage and disgust dripping from Jade's pores in agressive waves. Sometimes I just didn't get how did she manage to pull up the cute facade for so long when under it she was a volatil, full of anger girl. It beats me.
"You're done?" she finally spoke, her jaw so clenched I could almost see it about to pop. Her tone so dense I got shivers when I realized the deep mistake I'd made. Jade was a ticking bomb and I just lighted the final match. My eyes darted to the door, but to get there I have no only to pass the blond but also her minion and then unlock it. My heart beated like crazy as she took one step closer. "Poor Alyson, you're done. It always have to have it your way, uh? You supid, selfish whore." a scary chuckled made me really considerate made a run for the door there and then. I didn't know what'd gotten into her but I was afraid to find out. "I knew it. Fuck, I knew something was going on. He denied it but I knew it."
My brows knitted together. "What-" But before I knew it she had covered the remainig distance and with a harsh pulled snatched the shirt off my grasp, leaving me there shirtless and heat pooled in my cheeks as more cold air hit my skin. I squealed in shock and covered myself the best I could, my head spinning. This couldn't be happening. "What are you doing?!"
"So you're done, uh?" she pushed me with her free hand and I lost my feet, somehow ending by Shannon, who used her bigger frame and my startledment to immobilize me. I tried to squirmed away but my restrainer twisted my arm behind my back salvagely, making a blinding pang of pain shot straight to my spine. Tears wetted my lashed and my insides clenched harder when Shannon's reaction was to laugh. "My defense trainer always talks about this hold but never let us practice it. He sais it's too dangerous." the pressure increased and I yelped, sure the articulation would snapped at any second. "We'll see."
"S-stop!"
"That's all you say, isn't it?" Jade sighed in boredom, but her expression was tense in hidden anger. Her smile gave me chills of displeasure all over my nerves as she lifted my shirt with a disgusted wince. "Why would you need this?" she faked a gag and the girl holding me laughed. "It's awful. We'll do everyone a favor if we just..."
Before I could even understand what she intended to she rip the cloth apart.
"No!" I tried to reach it but Shannon kept me in place.
"See, Shans? This is what happens when you buy cheap rags." Jade sent me a nasty, crocked smile and smashed the shirt again.
And again.
And again.
Since it was nothing more than pieces of broken cloth and then threw them to one of the pools by the showers. Next were my gym clothes.
This isn't happening.
I felt daze, I couldn't breath and my whole body was shaking. Why? That was beyond everything she'd ever had done to me. Her bullying'd never gone that far before. It was as if now that she knows herself caught, she didn't find the need to hold back.
"Stop crying already." she huffed amused. "We're just helping you out." blinking through the tears I scowled at her throught tears. What was she talking about? Her sweet smile made me wanna throw up. "Since you're so determinate to be a whore we'll just gave you the chance to show your true colors."
I choked on my own spit.
Oh my God. She was crazy. I had nothing more to wear and my exposed skin screamed at me pleading to be covered. Did she intended me to walk down the halls?
"Shans?"
"Yes?" the brunette answer my tormentor.
"Maybe she ain't gonna need those shorts as well, what do you think?"
My eyes widened in panic and I squirmed against her hold.
"NO!"
"Ah! Bitch!"
Shannon threw me to the floor but when I flipped and pressed my palms to the ground to run towards the door I felt a sharp pain shooting from my stomach like a burning. I whimpered holding it and curled over myself as Jade kicked me again.
She kicked me.
She was actually hurting me physically.
This had never happen before, not like this anyway, and I cried out as her and Shannon harm me more for what it seemed like forever. One of them pulled me up my feet again by my hair and my scalp felt on fire.
I couldn't see anything other than blurred shapes beyond the tears and because their hits. I felt some bruises already forming under my skin and my whole body screamed for mercy. I heard them taunted and mocked me as I was dragged forcefully.
A door opened and the rain sounds became louder while cold wind brushed my exposed skin. They must had opened the back door, the one that leads us to the back yard. A little part of me silently thanked they didn't actually dragged me through the hallways like this for everyone to see.
I'd never been more unimportant or loathed and I don't want anyone to witnessed my humiliation. I was pushed and fell on my knees to the frozen ground. I whimpered lowly. Everything hurts so damn much. My stomach, my head, my heart...
But I heard them laughing and something told they weren't done yet.
Why? What had I ever done to Jade to deserve this cruel punishment?
The pouring rain soaked me full and the cold drops slipped down my exposed skin and were absorbed by my bra and jeans. Badly shaking and sobbing I wrapped my arms around me and lowered my head, wishing I could disappear.
"You get it now, slut?" Jade spat and I flinched, curving more over myself. "You're nothing but a nasty, pitiable little bi-"
"The fuck is this?" she got interrupted by a low inexpressive voice. Oh, no. I know this voice.
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QUESTION: Who is it? Any guess?
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