𝐀 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦

9

Mariah Miller

The mirror stood in front of me, a smile on my face as my fingers lightly grazed over the dark mark that was settled on the left side of my neck.

"Your first hickey" Destiny said with a somewhat proud smile.

My first hickey.

He had dropped me off around midnight at Destiny's house after I told him not to bring me home. He had questions of course but didn't ask too many to overwhelm me.

"So you had your first kiss, how was it?"

"It was pretty good despite the fact I knew I wasn't good at kissing him back" she giggled

"Don't overthink it, I promise you'll get better. I was terrible on my first kiss too, well- Me and him were both horrible. And now we're in a relationship so don't be worried!"

And that was the problem between me and Zach. I was a lying inexperienced 16-year-old who wasn't supposed to even know him in the first place, while he was a very experienced grown man who wasn't supposed to have anything to do with me.

But I couldn't get myself to leave him alone.

_____

"What's your first class Ri?"

"Physics. I'm getting a test paper back, I hope I did well. My mom would be so mad"

"Nonsense you always do good. Anyways, my  class is across the campus so I gotta go but ill see you at lunch?"

"Yeah" she shot me a smile and walked off leaving me alone in the hallway.

As I began to walk to my class, I was stopped by Jessie, Destiny's boyfriend who just slipped his way in front of me.

"Hi?"

He didn't respond and instantly I was pushed against a locker, my back against the cold steel, and his hands roughly on my delicate shoulders.

"You got a problem with me?" He looked right at me giving me the coldest glare.

"W-What?"

"Whenever I'm around you have this fucking attitude. You can be pissed I'm dating Destiny all you want but at the end of the day I don't care"

I froze in fear at this new tone. I've never had anyone be aggressive toward me.

"Now get on with your life and leave us alone" He pushed me and I ran away in tears.

Why would he do that? I never liked him and that was true but I never said or did anything to make him react that way. I never even say anything to him.

I ran into the bathroom and grabbed a napkin and began wiping away my tears. My breathing was badly hitched and whenever I cried I could never seem to quickly calm myself down.

My energy was running low and my heart was beating way too fast. This was so stupid that I was reacting this way because someone raised their voice at me, I thought.

I sat on the floor of the bathroom and tucked my head into my pulled-up legs. I needed to calm myself before I went to class.

"Are you okay?" Some girl asked who just came out of a stall. I quickly stood up dusting myself off.

"I-I'm fine" I wiped my cheeks and ran away.

_____

I didn't finish school. I went to the office and had them call my mom saying I'd come down sick. I didn't feel it was their business to know what the real problem was.

"I'm going to drop you off and will warm you up some soup Riah. I do have to get back to work but I want you to take care of yourself, and try to calm yourself down from crying. It's okay to be sick"

We arrived back home and I wasted no time running up to my room and cuddling my stuffed animal under my sheets.

I felt silly that I was crying so much but in a way, I felt traumatized. Everyone spoke to me so softly and no one ever grabbed my shoulders as he did.

I can't tell Destiny, I'd hurt her feelings and she'd probably think I'm lying.

I got up and grabbed my stuffed bunny running to find my mom downstairs quickly preparing my canned soup.

"It's in the microwave Mariah, I do have to go now but I'll see you later" She blew me a kiss and left me and my bunny in the kitchen alone.