3

I could feel the pain slowly leaving my knuckles. They were light pink, and smudge with a bit of blood. But that was okay because it felt good to defend myself. Felt good to feel somewhat powered. I looked at the crooked clock that hung just above the cafeteria. Lunch was in 10 minutes, I decided to get in line and grab my food ahead of time. Lunch wasnt my best time of the day. It was the worse. I began to think of all the horrid times I had experienced here all from River. Trash being dumped on me, assault, slammed into a table by his girlfriend. It was scary to think I was still alive from all of the hurt I received. But here I was.

I watched ahead of me and seen four petite girls. Clarissa, Malaya, Scarlett, and Willow. The four girls who hated me more than River ever has. Willow was the Girlfriend. She had blue frosty eyes and beautiful burnette hair. Her other friends all had brown eyes and blond hair. All wearing black leggings and a white criss cross crop top. They matched once every week, childish if you asked me. I scampered into the lunch line but I was too late. They already were right behind me just as a turned to the line and went forward.

"Well look what we have here girls. Addie is it?" She began to speak, Willow was the most harshest person in their little group. She did nothing but tell lies and spill secrets my old friend had told her. Clarissa use to know me and my family, not anymore after what she did to me. "Excuse me Addie but your lice is getting all in the food, and you're spreading it everywhere."

Her friends all giggled. Except Clarissa, today she was silent. Today, over her crop top she had her jacket over it. Black to be exact. Her eyes were darkened, and she had very small light bags under her eyes barely noticable. Unless you were me, I noticed it quickly and she knew I did once she caught me staring.

"The fuck are you staring at bitch?" She growled, her face went from sad and pale to beet red and pissed off. I didnt know what to say, I tried to speak but my mouth wouldnt let me. I stayed silent and turned around. But, it didnt matter. Willow grab my hair and dragged me into the cafeteria just as people began to come in. All eyes on us as she screamed at me and pulled at my hair. Tears threatening to spill. "Everyone I have an announcement about Little Miss Addie. She tried to hide this secret for so long, about a teacher of ours. She had sex with and claimed rape so he would get into trouble after she demanded for money." The cafeteria became silent, then flooded with whispers. Of course they'll believe her. They believe everything she said, Clarissa pulled Willows other hand and whispered to her.

"That's too far Willow, we might be shallow but we all know what really happened." She stated, Clarissa was the first to walk in on what really happened. The rest happened to hear the screams. Willow ripped her hand from Clarissa's grasp and whispered back.

"I dont give two shits." Next thing you know Willow began dumping milk over my head and bashing my head into a nearby table. I could smell the iron from my blood that dripped from the corner of my forehead. I felt numb, I couldnt defend myself because I'm weak. I was tossed around my whole life and blamed for everything, because I was easy to blame. Because I would take the blame and believe it was my fault as well.

I glanced up, seeing Alec watching the scene unfold in front of him. He glanced at Marco who stood to the left of the cafeteria closest to me. Both nodding their head they came rampaging towards me and Willow. "Get your hands off her you crooked nose giraffe neck bitch." Shouted Alec, his face was red as fire and he had clenched his fist at his sides. Willow was frightened, her hands shook as she let go of my hair. But she wasnt going to let go without having the last hit. So, within a matter of seconds my head was slammed into the ground with full force and I was out.

I woke up, Again. This time I wasnt at the nurses office, wasn't home, and most definitely wasn't at the school. The room was black, and was empty. Just a bed I was laying on, a small square brown nightstand with a lamp that had a red nightshade, across the room was a long dresser that was black. I tried to sit up on the bed, but pain rushed around my head forcing me to lay back down before I hurt myself. Sitting in silence bothered me, until I heard faint whispers coming from the other side of the door.

  "You know, I can still hear you" I stated plainly. The door opened quickly and there stood Alec and Marco. What a surprise.

   "You know, if you hang with us we can teach you to defend yourself and become the real you that your hiding. We just need a small favor from you." Marco didn't hesitate, he stared right into my eyes and didn't look away. Marco was the type of badboy who still had respect when ot came to communication. He was the one to always look you in the eyes when your speaking or when he is. He wasn't classy and didnt have an ounce of manors. He just knew how to make someone uncomfortable with his eyes. I didn't feel uncomfortable, I felt oddly happy maybe a bit safe.

"Marco she said no the first time. What makes you think she will say yes now?"

"Because we helped her, and will continue to do so."

I glanced between the two and sighed. Maybe this was a bad idea, but it could help me in multiple ways than I can imagine. So with that I opened my mouth and said what they wanted to hear.

"Exactly what am I gonna be doing?"