Forever and Always

Chapter 20 - Stronger

Kayla's POV

Sophia has been giving me a hard time ever since family day. One day we were drawing thank you cards for our parents and family members for coming to talk. I was telling the boy who sits next to me, Drew, about my trip to New York with mommy. "It was awesome. There was so much going on all at one time. My mommy even took me to a recording studio!" I explained excitedly. "She is the best mommy ever."

"Shut up Kayla. Nobody wants to hear about how great your mommy is." Commented Sophia.

"Mommy says shut up isn't a nice word." I replied quietly, resuming my drawing.

"I don't care what your mommy says. If you love her so much why don't you just stay home with her and your stupid little brother." She grinned smugly and then reached over and drew all over my card that I had been working on for several minutes.

Miss. Bailey walked to our table. "Is there a problem over here girls?" She asked looking directly at each one of us. "No." Sophia answered quickly. I shook my head and went to get a new piece of paper. When I came back there was glue and glitter all over my seat. I knew exactly who did it. I was about to clean it up when the bell for lunch rang.

I grabbed my lunch bag and ran towards the cafeteria. I sat at my ususual table and laid out my lunch. I had a PBJ sandwhich cut in the shape of a guitar, a banana, carrots and a homemade chocolate chip cookie. In the bottom of my bag was a note.
Have a great day Kayla. See you when you get home.
Love,
Mommy

Ten minutes had passed, yet none of the girls I usually sit with were at my table. I figured by now they would be out of the lunch line. I looked around the lunch room and spotted them. They were sitting with Sophia. I was determined not to cry. I finished eating my lunch alone before going out to recess. I saved mommy's note.

I sat on the swings thinking. Why did Sophia not like me? I didn't think I did anything wrong. Did I? I hummed one of mommy's songs to make myself to feel better. I saw Sophia and a few other girls come out to the playground. I pretended I didn't see them, but it was too late.

"Kayla! you're on my swing." Shouted Sophia from the other side of the playground.

I kept my eyes fixed on the ground.

"Are you deaf like your brother? I said your on my swing. Get off."
She continued to yell. I stayed on the swing. She wouldn't go away. Then she did the unthinkable, she came up behind me and gave me a firm push. I fell off the swing and scraped my knee. It started bleeding a lot. When I fell I dropped mommy's note. Sophia snatched it before I could reach it.

"Aw is this from your mommy? How sweet." I cringed as she crumpled it up and threw it on the ground. She didn't stop there but I wish she would have.

"Did she get you this dress too? It's lovely, too bad it's not white anymore." Sophia kicked mud onto my new white lace dress. It was now covered in blood and dirt. I lay on the woodchips defeated and began to cry.

"You are a weakling with out your mommy to protect you." She sneered. "My mommy says crying is a sign of weakness. Learn to toughen up." She kicked me, hard. I thought I was going to throw up my lunch. I was humiliated. She ripped my favorite pink bow out of my hair. "I like this. I think I'll keep it." I cried even harder. Grandma got that for me. Miss. Bailey came running over, but it was too late. The damage was done.

She got me up and walked me to the nurses office. "What happened here?" The nurse asked shocked when she saw me. She talked with Miss. Bailey and told me to wash my scrapes. I came back and she put bandges on my wounds while I held an ice pack to my stomach. "Kayla, you have had a rough day. Do you want me to call your mom." My first thought was yes of course. I just wanted to be home in her arms. She would never have let this happen. I thought better. She would yell at me for soiling my dress and not making my best effort to be nice. After a few minutes of thinking I asked to call Grandma. She said she would pick me up. I hid in the nurses room until the end of the day.