It's Hard to See the Pain under the Mask

Prologue*

      I walk down the halls and every can tell. I’m wearing the same pink and white polka-dotted dress I had on yesterday. Instead I just wore a jacket with it this time trying to fool people. The jacket is to cover my bruises. Some day’s I don’t want to be here. I just want it to be over. Life isn’t supposed to be this hard. If God loves me so then why does he constantly put me through so much pain and suffering? Yeah, a question that remains unanswered at my expenses.

“Mariah!”

      I heard the voice ringing from behind me and I took off running in the hallway. I dodged teachers telling me to slow down and stop running but I ignore them. My back begins to tingle as the person running after me is getting closer. I quickly took a short-cut through an A.P. French class and into the “H” hallway where all freshmen were and ran into the bathroom into the 9th stall. Its my safe place.

     After I heard the late bell I thought it was safe and came out. I was wrong. The girl that was chasing me and a few of friends circled me mean mugging me. The girl who chased me came up in my face and began to yell, “Bitch the next time I call yo dirty ass I expects you to answer me!” Before I could get a word or nod out I fell to my knees. Someone had had kicked me in the back of my knee and that’s when it started, the blows to my face and kicks in my stomach. I started to cough up blood but they still didn’t stop.

     I felt my eye-lids close and then I heard someone come into the bathroom. Quickly the girls beating me up left. “Are you okay?” The girl asked. “I’m fine.” I said trying to pick myself up and ignoring the pain. “I’m fine.” She helped me up and the sleeve to my jacket had been torn off. She saw the scars. “Don’t tell. It’s a secret,” I said. Before she could speak another word I had ran out the bathroom leaving her with a questioned look on her face.