Soulless Eyes

Chapter 3 Rumors

It'd been just barely 20 minutes since class had started. Ana continued to dread and shrink in her desk as time seemed to go slower. Doing her best to ignore her name being called, from the whispers in the back.

She held her hand to her stomach as that feeling of sickness began to rise. Her head grew fuzzy in vision. As if someone turned out every light inside of her one by one, until nothing more could be seen. She did her best to listen and write as the teacher spoke. But her words wrote like scribbles from a pre-schooler as the pencil continued to glide across the paper.

The whispers soon turned to loud chattering, echoing and repeating itself in her head like some record player. "M-may I go to the restroom please" Ana said disrupting the teacher as she stood up panicked and heavy with every breath. Fortunately the teacher gave their affirmations to allow Ana to take her leave. And leave she did. Immediately, running through the halls till she found the nearest restroom. Once she was satisfied about the location, she hurried in one of the stalls, taking a moment to calm herself from her racing heart. Body trembling from her fingertips and down, vision still as blurry as it began in the classroom.

"Damn it!!! You loser- fucking pull yourself together already."

Rage. The makeup to cover her scars of how truly terrified she felt. With that she continued to shout and talk herself down as she hit the door of the stall. Her hands swelled a purple and red with some open cuts along her knuckles. Her hands became unrecognizable to her anymore. And in concern that others, especially her parents would notice, she'd keep them hidden inside her fleece black, fingerless gloves.

The rumors were everywhere thanks to Cameron's friends that he supposedly never said anything to. But it was clear how he played victim to it all, when Ana wasn't listening as much anymore to what he'd been asking of her when they last got together.

"Ana sexual harasser, a hussy out to lure and deceive the guys around school"

"A whore sending inappropriate images to the entire football team, leaving them scared to be around her"

"Secretive porn star wannabe"

Worse and worse, each made her sick. Ana would be left with another day gone by, horrified of whatever worse situation she'd dug herself into since those days with someone who she thought she could trust. And though her other friend hadn't believed in such rumors that have been spreading, Ana was too ashamed to ever say the truth. For, if she were able to say it, would she still be her friend? Would people just get worse and ask her for more pictures? She just couldn't deal with it all. The thought of it all caused her to puke.

Acid going up her throat, feeling light fire burning through her skin. She ached and cried even as her eyes were practically dry now. The room became darker as she no longer had the strength to pick herself back up off the floor to go back into the classroom.

"Guess I'm skipping again.." She announced her herself unpleased. Feeling so lost in the moment, she texted her friend Tina to come over to the bathrooms underneath the stairs. Still sitting helplessly on the floor, she waited for the bell to ring, awaiting for the arrival of Tina. She gave a heavy sigh, leaving her head tilted toward the door listening to every tick the clock gave.

The surrounding around her became so loud with silence, it wasn't long before she passed out. Her cheek against the cold metal of the door frame, her body in a low slump. As she snored quietly through the ever growing pain that weighed her down.

Tina rushed through, the soundings of her short breaths she released as she shouted out for Ana. Going through every door she passed, with a gentle push to open them up and see inside. Eventually finding her with her back leaned onto the side of the stall. groaning of pain as sweat dripped from her forehead. Tina's brows frowned in worry, rushing out the same as she entered in search for assistance from the school nurse. Ana left a while longer as the tears, coming in small amounts, slowly rubbing the side of her cheek. As she muttered out in her sleep-

"My Escape..."