Alone

Chapter Twenty-Seven

I walk into school confidently. Hey, that's a first.
I get really nervous and plunge into the girls washroom and I see Laura. Now she doesn't look like her new reinvented high schools self. No, no no. she has bruises on her face and arms.
"What's wrong?" I ask, my voice cracking.
At first she doesn't do anything and just stares at me. Then she grabs me. At first I got scared but then she pulls me into a large embrace. "I'm so sorry" she mumbles. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen to you." I feel her warm tears against my shirt. "I'm so stupid. I wanted you to be with us. Have fun and all but then I got scared. She started hurting you and I was to clueless and a coward to do anything. Could you ever forgive me?"
"Why do you have bruises?" I ask my voice firm. She just weeps. "Why are you hurt?" I ask again louder. She mumbles more. "I'm sorry." One last time I basically yell, "what happened?"
"I tried to leave the group and come back with you but Lauren and her friends alongside the basketball team beat me up." she pulls from the hug and I drag her back into it. Shocked. Scared. Heartbroken. Furious. So many other emotions going through me. How dare Lauren do such a thing. How dare she hurt the people that don't need this cruelty in their life. I pull her away. "I'm sorry" she says again. "Do you forgive me?"
I grab her hand and lead her out of the washroom. "You'll see" I say. Her heels clack against the floor. I see Sam and Will who join us. I finally catch a glimpse of the strawberry blonde hair of Lauren. "You, me and the entire school in the cafeteria now."
I leave before she can argue to the cafeteria. Five minutes later I find the entire school watching me. This time though, I'm not scared. I drop Laura's hand and walk to Lauren. "I'm sick of you" I say loudly.
"Oh" she says playfully. "Baby's got some attitude."
"Honestly Lauren. You're ruining lives and it's not cool." I raise my eyebrows. "You realize that the people in this school don't really like you. That they only agree with you cause you're scary, and trust me dear that's a turn off for everyone." I hear people laughing from the crowd, chanting ooooooh. "Except, yeah what I'm saying is pretty harsh but it's the truth. Your cousin came to someone's funeral and talked bad about them in front of everyone." She looks down. I hear the crowd agreeing to the act as horrible and repulsive. "Lauren. I forgive you. All you have to do is stop hurting people and change yourself for the better. Otherwise no one is going to truly love you."
"You do t understand" she says. "They'd be mad at me."
"Who?" I ask.
"My parents" she whispers.
I frown. "You know people would support you correctly if you were doing the right thing. I'd be your first member of the fan club."
She smiles and it quickly fades into a scowl. "Why would I want you?"
"Well" I say. "If you keep up like that you'll have to settle for just me. Maybe by then...no one."
She scowls and tears start forming. She knows all this before. I'm just embarrassing her now. I turn to everyone. "Would you like Lauren more if she complimented you and helped you when needed?" They all screamed yeah. "Then why were you hiding in the shadows."
"You're against us now?" One of Lauren's followers screams.
"No" Lauren says. "The two of us are against you now." I smile broadly.
"Four" Sam and Will say.
"Five" chants Laura.
Everyone from the crowd later joined in and I hope they mean what they're verbally committing to. "lets make a difference and show that we are affected by people who bully and that drive people like Kzwana to e d their life."
That was the start of anti-bullying campaigns and clubs. News broadcast showing the love and empathy that Vimy Prep has for those being oppressed. Because of how they look and their ethnic background. Just before that and all the interviews flooding me and my new school full of friends, we went to Middle Frontiers Public School to see Michael. Lauren's cousin.
"Hi" I say when I approach him and his friends.
"What are you doing here?" He asks surprised.
"I came to see you silly." I smile. "I want you to stop being a bully." I therefore give hi a lecture and on how I've learnt what it feels like to be bullied and attempted suicide two time. Since the second time on the road was and accident. A huge weight was lifted against my shoulders when he told me about how his family is as he quotes 'messed up.' He cries and tells me that he's going to stop and make a difference which he does. Soon, his schools and mine are considers the top 2 recognized schools in the country to make a difference.
I'm happy. I'm helping people. I have amazing friends who I love. A supporting family and a gravestone to talk in front of and thank every month. I'm happy thanks to her to keep on letting me believe.