Alone
1338 Words
Diana's POV
I woke up the next morning hoping yesterday was just a bad dream. But when I looked at my school uniform hanging on my chair, I knew it was real. I had to go back to that place.
Mom made me breakfast, but I could barely eat. She kept looking at me with worried eyes, but she didn't ask any questions. Dad was reading his newspaper like always, but I could tell he was watching me too.
"Do you want me to drive you to school today?" Mom asked.
"No, it's okay. I'll walk."
I grabbed my backpack and headed for the door. The walk to school felt too short. I wanted to turn around and go home, but I couldn't. I had to face them again.
When I got to school, the first thing I did was look for Trisha. She always waited for me by the front steps or stop by my place most of the times. But she wasn't there.
Maybe she's just running late, I thought. But deep down, I had a bad feeling.
I went to my locker and got my books. Still no Trisha. I pulled out my phone and called her number. It went straight to voicemail. I tried texting her, but the messages wouldn't go through.
"Looking for your little friend?"
I turned around. Ava was standing behind me with her mean smile. She had two other girls with her - Jessica and Mia. They were both smiling too.
"Where is she?" I asked.
"Oh, didn't you hear? Poor Trisha is sick today. Something about a stomach bug." Ava laughed. "Looks like you're all alone."
My heart started beating fast. Trisha had never missed school, not even when she was really sick. Something was wrong.
"You're lying," I said.
"Am I? Why don't you try calling her again? Oh wait, you already did." Ava looked at my phone in my hand. "Still not answering, is she?"
The three girls walked away, laughing. I stood there feeling more alone than ever.
The morning classes were terrible. Kids kept staring at me and whispering. Some of them made gross faces when I walked by. Others just looked away like they were afraid to even see me.
In math class, I sat in the back corner. The teacher, Mrs. Wilson, was nice to me, but I could tell she was nervous too. When she handed back our tests, she put mine on my desk without looking at me.
"Nice job, Diana," she said quietly. But her voice was shaky.
Even the nice teachers were scared of me now.
At lunch time, I didn't go to the cafeteria. I knew it would be even worse in there with all those kids together. Instead, I went to the library and sat in the corner with a book. But I couldn't read. I kept thinking about Trisha and wondering where she was.
I tried calling her again. Still nothing.
The afternoon was just as bad. In science class, my lab partner asked to switch to a different table. The teacher let him do it without asking why. I had to do the whole experiment by myself.
"Freak," someone whispered behind me.
"Monster," said another voice.
I kept my head down and tried to focus on mixing the chemicals. But my hands were shaking so much I almost dropped the test tube.
Finally, the last class of the day was over. All I wanted to do was go home and hide in my room. But as I was walking down the hall, I realized I really needed to use the bathroom.
I looked around. The halls were almost empty now. Most kids had already gone home or were at their lockers. Maybe I could go to the bathroom without anyone bothering me.
I pushed open the door to the girls' bathroom. It seemed empty. I went into one of the stalls and locked the door. For a few seconds, I felt safe in there by myself.
But then I heard the main door open. Footsteps came in. More than one person.
"I know you're in here," Ava's voice said.
My heart stopped. I stayed very quiet, hoping they would leave.
"Come out, come out, little freak." That was Jessica's voice.
I heard them checking the stalls one by one. The doors were banging open. They were getting closer to mine.
"Found you!" Mia said as she opened my stall door.
I tried to push past them, but there were too many. Ava, Jessica, Mia, and two other girls I didn't know. They blocked the way to the main door.
"Your little friend isn't here to save you anymore," Ava said with that terrible smile. "Looks like it's just you and us."
"Please just leave me alone," I said. My voice was tiny and scared.
"Leave you alone? But we're just getting started."
Jessica grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the stall. I tried to get away, but Mia grabbed my other arm. They were stronger than me.
"You think you're so special," Ava said, getting close to my face. "You think you can just come to our school and make everyone scared with your monster tricks."
"I didn't do anything," I said.
"You exist. That's enough."
Then she hit me. Hard across the face. My cheek burned and my eyes started to water.
"That's for yesterday," she said.
Then Jessica hit me in the stomach. I bent over, trying to breathe.
"That's for being a freak," Jessica said.
They pushed me against the wall. My back hit the tiles hard. One of the girls I didn't know pulled my hair. Another one kicked my leg.
"Stop!" I cried. "Please stop!"
But they didn't stop. They kept hitting me and saying terrible things. They called me monster and freak and abomination. They said I didn't belong here. They said everyone would be happier if I just disappeared.
I tried to fight back, but there were too many of them. Every time I tried to push one away, another one would hit me. I felt like I was drowning again, just like yesterday.
My nose started bleeding. My lip was cut. There were bruises forming on my arms where they grabbed me.
"Had enough?" Ava asked.
I was crying now. I couldn't help it. Everything hurt and I was so scared.
"Please," I whispered. "I'll do anything. Just stop."
"Anything?" Ava laughed. "Okay. Here's what you're going to do. You're going to stay away from everyone. You're not going to talk to anyone. You're not going to look at anyone. You're going to be invisible. And if you don't..."
She grabbed my chin and made me look at her.
"We'll do this again. Every day. Until you learn your place."
They finally let me go. I collapsed on the bathroom floor, shaking and crying. They stood over me for a few more seconds, looking proud of what they had done.
"Remember what I said," Ava told me. Then they all left.
I sat on that cold floor for a long time. My whole body hurt. My face was swollen. My uniform was torn and dirty.
But the worst part wasn't the pain. It was knowing that Trisha wasn't coming to help me. It was knowing that I was truly alone now.
Finally, I got up and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked terrible. I couldn't go home like this. Mom and Dad would ask too many questions.
I washed the blood off my face as best I could. I tried to fix my hair. I practiced smiling in the mirror, even though it hurt.
Then I walked home, trying to look normal. Trying to pretend that nothing had happened. Trying to pretend that I wasn't falling apart inside.
But I knew tomorrow would be even worse. And the day after that. And every day until I figured out how to make it stop.
If I even could.
Best title suggestion for the chapter
- Writer
