Two

"Tears come from the heart and not from the brain."

- Leonardo Da Vinci

I race down the rainy, wet street towards the bus stop. My sneakers splash in the puddles, getting my jeans slightly wet. It starts sprinkling a little bit; I throw on my hood, and run faster. I know I should have said goodbye to my mother, but my seventeen year old hormones are kicking in, and I wasn't in the mood.

I stop at the bench by the bus stop sign. The bus pulls up a few minutes later. I put my wet shoes on the stairs to the inside, keeping my head down. I flick my hood off my head once I find my seat. I pull out 'Elements' again. The loud voices of the other kids on the bus hurts my ears. I put in some earbuds from my backpack, and play the 'Elements' audio book from my phone while I read.

After about fifteen minutes, I feel the bus jerk to a stop. I pull out one earbud.

"All students for Bell View High, this is your stop," says the scratchy voice of the bus driver. I put my earbud back in, slip my book back in my backpack, and start for the door.

"Wait, scum," says a muffled voice as I step from the last stair. I take the earbud out again. I look up to see the ugliest, frilliest, pinkest dress I have ever seen. Sadie Simmonds. The richest girl in town. "You gotta pay your fee."

"Outta the way, Sadie," I mumble, trying to push past her.

"No," she says, offended. "Where's your money?" She pauses.

"Oh, that's right. You're too poor to have any. My bad." She steps out of the way, so I can walk away.

She holds out one of her pink and purple high heels out to trip me. Before I know it, I am in the gutter, with my pants wet, my hands and some of my face scraped, and people laughing and snickering above me.

I jump up, running away as fast as I can, tears streaming down my cheeks. I run out to the locked door, wiping the tears from my face, waiting desperately for the door to unlock.

The bell rings, making my ears ring. I burst through the door right as the main secretary, Mrs. Garci opens it. She has a look of bewilderment on her face as I speed past her.

I run to the main office to see the nurse. I almost knock over the principal, Mrs. Brown. I look up a few inches at the elderly face of Mrs. Brown. She has her grey and brown hair pulled up into a tight bun.

"Oh!" she squeaks, brushing her shirt as if I had splattered dirt all over it. "Hello, Eleanor."

"Hello," I say, wiping more tears from my face. There is a long, awkward pause.

"Um," I hesitate. "I need to see--"

"The nurse?" the principal finishes. "I saw the scrapes on your face and hands."

"Yes," I mumble as my face flushes.

"Go ahead," she says, but she wags her index finger. "But don't be late for class. You're a good student, Jones. Don't ruin that."

I walk somewhat quickly into the nurse's office down the hall near Mrs. Brown's. I knock on the door lightly, and hear a faint, "Come in!" from Miss Smith, the nurse.

I open the door slowly. No one had come in yet, or maybe they had, and I just didn't know it. I smile weakly at the kind, young, plump face of Miss Smith. "How can I help you, Eleanor?" she asks kindly.

"I-- uh-- I took a fall," I stutter. Miss Smith's face molds into a concerned expression as she looks at mine. "I see," she says, taking my hands and inspecting them closely.

She sighs. "Just a few scrapes. I'll get you some cream and band-aids, and you're good to go. I'll hurry, though, so you aren't late for class."

A few minutes later, I walk out of Miss Smith's tiny office with band-aids scattered over my face and hands, with cream underneath.

I quickly walk to my homeroom, English. Children from kindergarten to twelfth graders snicker as I walk past. If I could, I'd throw my hood on, and wouldn't take it off until the bell rang at the end of the day, but the school has a policy about hats and hoods.

When I finally reach my classroom, as soon as I sit down, the bell rings. People are snickering about both Sadie's story of tripping me, and because of my band-aids. I glare at Sadie, hoping she'd see me, but she is too busy talking to our peers. I guess it's good that she didn't see me, because it would only entertain her more.

Mr. Simone, our English teacher, walks in a few moments later.

"Alright, alright," he says plainly. "Time for the pledge. Everyone?" I stand, placing my right hand on my heart, facing the flag with it's thirteen stripes and fifty stars.

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

We all sit again, and wait for the announcements to begin. Finally, I hear the voice of Mrs. Brown.

"Good morning, students," she says dully. "Today is looking rainy, so, kindergarteners, watch out for lightning!" She laughs cruelly. She sighs. "And everyone else���" She pauses, then continues. She's probably reading the announcement paper with all announcements for everyone. "Seventh graders, your Roman Empire reports are due tomorrow. Ninth graders, your five page essays for science are due in two weeks, and second graders, you have a substitute in spelling today. That is all."

There's a click, and Mr. Simone clears his throat. "Well then, now that that is over and done with--" There's another click, and Mrs. Brown's voice is back on the intercom.

"One more thing, students," she sighs. "Yesterday afternoon, your janitor found a key chain with a pink pom pom on it and… What… Yes… Okay… Right away… And a phone case with heart stickers on it. If either of these belongings are your property, report to the office immediately. That is all."

Mr. Simone sighs again. "Now we can begin." He writes some words on the board. I am hardly paying attention until I hear my name.

"Eleanor?"

"Hm?" I ask, taking my hand off from my aching chin. Mr. Simone sighs.

"Sadie?" he asks, turning away. I look over at Sadie. Next to her sits my first friend. Ever. Jeremy Cummings. Jeremy and I were best friends when we were little. But now, everything is weird since his parents got divorced. He doesn't talk anymore. We talk to each other if we have to, but other than that, not at all.

"Chrysanthemum," she says, standing up. "C-h-r-i-s-a-n-t-h-i-m-o-m. Chrysanthemum."

"Not quite," Mr. Simone replies. "Would you like to try again, Eleanor?"

"Yes!" I gasp. I know this one. "Chrysanthemum," I begin. "C-h-r-y-s-a-n-t-h-e-m-u-m. Chrysanthemum."

"Correct!" Mr. Simone says excitedly. "Everyone, give a round of applause to Eleanor."

I smile, but it fades quickly. The only one clapping is Mr. Simone. Everyone else is trying to hold in their laughs. I sigh. Why did I even get my hopes up?

After school lets out, it is still raining. I throw on my hood again, listening to music. I run to the bus, almost missing it. The bus is super crowded this afternoon.

I squeeze through the other kids to find a seat in the back. I find a six-inch spot next to the window. I groan, and stand instead. I hold on to the bars by the seats, keeping my head down, twisting the tips of my hair.

Once we get to the bus stop, I hop off the bus quickly, trying not to get pushed or laughed at anymore. There are other kids walking home from school on my street who are laughing, though. I guess I just should expect it anywhere.

I walk up the stairs to my house, and see small red dots on the concrete. I kneel down to take a closer look. The red spots are wet. I put my finger onto one, and put it to my mouth. It tastes like. No. It… can't be.

But it is. I can't do anything about it.

Blood.