Ruined

2

I wake up to the stupid, obnoxious sound of my alarm. I groan, throwing the cover off, slipping out of bed, and stalking to my bathroom. Woah. The light blinds me for a moment but that doesn't stop me from seeing my reflection. I realize that look horrible when get a glimpse of what's in the mirror. My bun is very messy, I have hair sticking to my tear stained face, and my eyes are red and puffy from crying in the middle of the night. I should be used to it. This happens every night, the same horrible, frightening dream every single night.

I continue my routine, taking my clothes off, taking down the bun, and getting in the shower. After I'm done, I dry off, then pull my bathrobe off the hook hanging on the bathroom door and shrug it on. I comb through my tangled hair, wincing when I catch a tough tangle. It only takes me about twenty minutes to dry and straighten my hair.
I apply some foundation to my pale complexioned face and some blush on my cheekbones to add color. I swipe some mascara onto my thick lashes and smile at my mirror. I actually look good today. I exit my bathroom and go to my small walk-in closet. While sifting through my racks of clothes, I'm pulled toward my favorite white, quarter length sleeve Piko top and my dark American Eagle shorts. I pull out my outfit and walk over to my bed, laying out my choice of clothing for today.
After I get dressed, I walk to the bathroom once more to brush my teeth and floss.
I let my dog, Mazy, out of her kennel, feed her, water her, and take her outside to use the bathroom, and bring her back in to her kennel. Checking my phone, the dim screen lets me know that it's 6:49, and I have an extra ten minutes to do whatever I please.
Dad left at 4:30 this morning for work, and placed a note on the counter for me, as he does every morning.
"Be careful on your walk to school and have a great day. I love you." -Dad
I grab the note and fold it neatly, and tuck it into my right pocket. I decide to use my extra time sorting out my binders and folders, putting things where they're supposed to be. When time is up, I place my things into my turquoise Jansport bookbag and grab my phone and lip gloss from the bar where I left them. I slip my feet into my white Toms, while grabbing my house key off the hook by the door.
My walk to school is a long 20 minutes, but I feel my face light up when I see Max, my best friend in front of the school waiting. She runs up to me squealing something about how Gabe, her crush, ran into her, but grabbed her before she fell.
"It was like in my dreams, I fell backwards but he caught me before I fell. His arms were wrapped around my waist, and our noses were touching, and oh my gosh, his blue eyes were-," I cut her off.
"Max, slow down. You're rambling. It's great that all of your dreams are coming true, but I would love to actually go into the school and to my locker before we get into this conversation."
"You're right, let's go," she says with a twinkle in her brown eyes and a light giggle, while linking her arm with mine and dragging me through the doors of our school.
•••
I close my locker after grabbing my history book. I sent Max off to her first period after our short conversation because she is usually late due to talking for so long. There are only a couple of students left in the hall as I weave my way to class. I stop when I hear a whimper and a deep voice talking somewhere down the next hall. I take the left and listen for the same sounds. I peer around the gym door to see a freshman that I notice from the lunch room trembling against a wall with a stalky stout guy that I recognize as Steven, a senior like me, slapping the freshman upside his hand covered face.
I bravely make my presence known by walking up behind Steven and tapping him on his shoulder.
"What are you doing to him?" I ask with a concerned face.
"Just letting him know not to mess with me or there will be consequences, like there will be for you, if you don't leave me to do what I please with him," he says smirking and raising an eyebrow, as if to say "why are you still here?"
"I'm not leaving until you leave him alone. He hasn't done anything to you that you can't handle. You're a big boy. Stop being a bully."
He cackles and pokes me hard in my shoulder, sending a pain through my arm.
"Why are you laughing, and don't touch me like that please," I scowl.
He pokes me again, this time harder. I get angry and I know my face has to be red. I glance at the freshman staring up at me shaking his head and pleading with his eyes for me to leave Steven alone. Well, I won't. Steven stares at me waiting for my next sentence. I get a surge of anger and adrenaline when he pokes me again smiling while he does it. He's on the floor before I realize what I've done. My bookbag is on the hardwood next to the freshman while I straddle Steven and throw a fist into his recently tackled body. His nose produces a river of blood down the side of his face, matting his brown hair. I feel someone pull me off before I have another chance to hit him. I'm faced with an angry principal.
"My office now," he seethes, "all three of you."
I hear Steven cursing under his breathe as I pick up my bag and help up the freshman. My left fist is bruised and cut, and there's little splats of blood on my shirt. I must've hit Steven pretty hard. Serves him right. We follow Principal Collins down the hall, and I steal glances at Steven, whom is titling his head up to reduce the flow of blood from his nose. I cringe on the inside, suddenly panicking. This is going to look bad on my record. My life is probably ruined now. We walk into the office and Principal Collins gestures for us to sit. We sit.
"Now, we are going to tell the truth and only the truth, understood?" He asks while sitting behind his desk.
We nod, except for Steven whom is still looking up, but makes up for it by muttering ,"Yes sir."
"Alright let's start with you, Sammy, and you two," he points at me and Steven, "step outside."