A Single Rose (a Valentine's Story)

Chapter 10 [OLD VERSION]

[PLEASE NOTE: This is the old version of Chapter 10 which I'm just leaving here to keep the previous comments, you can find the rewritten version in the chapter after next :) ]

There had been 120 people in Grade 7, but only Kara had checked on me and comforted me as I sobbed in the toilets.

Kara Evans and I had been BFFs since Grade 2. Inseparable. We loved the same books and tv shows, had sleepovers, and laughed over the same dorky stuff together. She was my only friend. And we did everything together.

But then, in Grade 8, I had found out that the "Forever" in "Best Friends Forever" was a complete lie.
Out of nowhere, right at the start of the year, Kara had stabbed me in the back, joining the "popular" girls group, aka the group of gossipers in the corner.

I had been devastated at her betrayal.
What did I do wrong? The small voice inside whispered the words that had repeated over and over. Why did she leave me? What's wrong with me?

Swallowing back the lump in my throat, I recalled what had happened since then.

In Grade 9, she had apologised for ditching me, and said she wanted to be friends again.
Then, when I had gratefully accepted her apology, gushing how happy I was, she laughed in my face. Her response still stung me like a slap in the face,
"You seriously think I would want to be friends with you. Miss Fatty Patty?"

My heart and hope had been crushed all over again.
The nickname 'Fatty Patty' had stuck.
No matter how hard I tried to lose weight, even starving myself when I could, I was always fat.
You still are, the voice inside scornfully reminded me.

Shoving that crushing, numbing thought aside, I continued to sadly recall what had happened next.

In Grade 10 the exact same thing had happened again. The "popular" group had acted all friendly and I was stupid enough to believe them. And I got laughed at and stabbed in the back again.

And it was then, when I was so incredibly ashamed, hurt, and embarrassed by my naivety, that I vowed to never let myself be fooled again.

I sat in quiet reflection at this sobering thought,
Is that what I'm doing now?

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Hey there! Thanks so for reading my story, I appreciate it ^_^.
Sorry that this is such a short chapter, I tried my best to make it longer but I just had difficulty expressing what Emily went through and her feelings and thoughts on it. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I was going to write full on flash back scenes, but unfortunately just didn't have the time or motivation.