After All This Time

Harsh Chloe

Dear me,

It was my first day at the new school. I think it went well. I made a friend, at least I think I did. Her name is Brooke, She’s nice to me even though I haven’t really said much to her. She’s a talker and I’m not at all. At lunch I sat at the table with her with a bunch of her friends. I don’t think they like me to be honest, they barely acknowledge that I was there. Most people don’t see me so I don’t blame them, I’m basically invisible. Brooke talked to her friends all the time so I don’t really know why she wanted me to sit at their table. Chloe drove me back home, nothing changed there, she’s still a complete b***h to me and I have no clue why.

I’m sitting in my bedroom reading Harry Potter. I’m so grateful for these books. They’re a little torn because I’ve had them ever since I was little and when you move around a lot it’s hard to keep it safe and untouched but I still have it at least and that’s what counts. My mom bought these books for me when I was little cause I was more into reading than talking to people. Reading gives me the chance to zone out and not think about the real world. When I read Harry Potter or watch the movies, I jump into a whole new world and it makes me so happy.

Suddenly I hear someone walk into my room. It’s Steph. “What are you doing?” She asks in her cute little girls voice as she walks over to me.

“I’m reading.” I say shyly but less shy when I talk to older people. Like I said before, it’s much easier to talk to little things, they just go with whatever you say.

“Do you wanna play with me?” She asks with a cute smile on her face.

“Sure.” I say and close my book and put it on the nightstand. “What do you want to play?” I ask as I look at her.

“Can we play soccer outside?” She asks me. I nod and follow her outside.

Steph and I play around with the ball a little outside. She’s pretty good and I suck of course. I’ve never been into sports or anything like that. Playing with Steph is fun though. We laugh and I fall a lot because I’m so clumsy and Steph laughs at me then. Sometimes she even jumps on me. It doesn’t really hurt cause she’s so light so I don’t mind it. I pretend that it hurts though because it makes her laugh even harder and it’s so cute.

Suddenly Chloe comes outside too as me and Steph are still playing. “Steph come inside, you don’t want to play with this loser who’s ripping apart our family.” Chloe says and takes Steph inside leaving me alone outside. Is that why she hates me so much? Because I’m ripping this family apart? How am I ripping this family apart though? I don’t understand. I grab the ball and put it away and go back inside.

“Can I talk to you?” Chloe asks me. Steph is not with her anymore. I’m kind of scared to talk to Chloe, I don’t know what she’s going to do to me. I just nod my head cause I’m scared to just walk away from her or say no. “Why can’t you just stay in your room and pretend like you don’t exist?” She basically just quoted Harry Potter to me from the Chamber of Secrets when Harry said he’ll stay in his room and pretend to not exist. I can’t help but smile a little at that but immediately regret that smile. “Why are you smiling?”

“I-I.” I stutter.

“Also why can’t you just f*****g talk? Do you have a talking problem or something? She yells.

“Leave me alone.” I say under my breath, I don’t think she understood me.

“What did you say?” She asks moving closer to me.

“Nothing.” I say and just walk upstairs to my room.

Why is Chloe so harsh towards me, I didn’t do anything wrong to her. Maybe I did subconsciously? I lay down in my bed and cry. Every time I’m in a new home it sucks. Why can’t I find a family that will love me for me?

I hear someone coming into my room. I don’t bother looking and just keep crying into my pillow. Life is so unfair, I just want to die.

“Hey.” A voice says softly. It’s Sherley, I recognize her voice. “I heard what Chloe said to you.” Sherley says and that makes me turn around. I look at her with my red eyes. “She’s having a hard time adjusting to you being here. She will come around when she sees that you’re an amazing girl. Steph seems to like you. She just talked to me about how much fun she had with you playing soccer.” She says and smiles. “It’s only been 2 days, Chloe just needs time okay?” She tells me and I nod. If Sherley heard what Chloe said to me, why doesn’t she talk to Chloe about it. Sherley clearly doesn’t agree with Chloe, but she doesn’t talk to her?

Sherley leaves my room and I take my book from the nightstand again and start reading it. I wish I could just be in that world forever. Just forget the life that I have right now.