When We Were Young

New school year and new bullies

"Alex it time to get up honey." Groaning I rolled over to see both my grandparents looking over me. "What time is it?" I asked as I looked outside. "Five A.M., the same time you've been waking up all summer, did you get any sleep last night?" Memaw questioned as she leaned closer. "Yes I did, just feels like I didn't." I groaned as I sat up the rest of the way. "Okay, well start getting ready for school, breakfast will be on the table." I just nodded as they left my room.

There's no way summer is already over, so much has happened in the last few months, from finding out this is now my home, to breaking multiple bones, then it all ended with falling in love. "What a weird summer." My voice echoed in the empty room as I swung my legs over the edge of the bed. Standing I walked over to my mirror and looked at the newest pictures hanging on my wall. From when I first arrived, to the day I broke my arm, the arcade, all the trips to the lake, and then the summer finale, the fair.

"God it feels like yesterday I just got here." I stared at the photo booth pictures from the fair for just a little too long, remembering everything from that day. "Alex I don't hear the shower running, you better be getting ready the bus will be here at seven sharp!" Memaw yelled as she walked past my room. "Yes ma'am," Quickly I stripped out of my pajamas and into a pair of ripped black skinny jeans and a Black veil brides shirt I grabbed from my pile of clothes on the floor.

"I'll pick that up when I get home." Sitting down at my vanity I ringed my eyes with black shadow and liner, full raccoon effect. Brushing out my black and white hair I decided to do loose pigtail-like braids and fluff up my bangs and slipped a loose beanie on that slouched in the back. "Alex!" Papa called from the hallway. I started to panic and looked at my phone. "6:45" How the fuck? Quickly I grabbed a lightweight black zip-up hoodie and slipped on my vans before grabbing my beat-up black backpack and ran out of my room.

"Do you have everything?" Papa asked as he walked me out to the end of the driveway. "Binder, schedule, headphones, house keys, wallet, phone, pencil pouch. Yup got it all." He smiled and kissed the top of my head. "No calling home unless you're actually sick okay?" I nodded and walked the rest of the way to the end of the road to wait for the bus. "And don't forget I love you!" He yelled as I was getting on the bus, I just waved and went to find a seat.

Once settled I pulled out my headphones and plugged them into my phone. As I was finding music I heard the whispers around me. I knew I was a freak but it still hurt to hear people say it aloud. I was lost in thought till I felt someone sit next to me and rip a headphone out. Turning quickly I see it's Emma and she put the other headphone in her ear. "He doesn't ride the bus he walks so I'll protect you till we get to school." I just nodded and went back to looking out the window.

Here's to your perfect weapon, crack bones with blind aggression.

"Alex, come on I'll show you in but after that, I can't be seen with you." I grabbed my backpack and headed in. I followed behind Emma and grabbed the flooded paper out of my pocket to see where I was going during the first period. Science. Gross but hopefully that's not too bad.

Like birds whose wings are broken, you live without direction.

Before I could thank my cousin she was gone. Welp, I'm on my own now I guess I can find my class at least. Walking the halls with my music playing in my ears I was watching all eyes fall on me. '202, 204, 206, ah 208' Awesome I found it, as I was walking in I was stopped by the teacher. Carefully taking my headphones out I walked over to her desk. "You must be Alex, come here dear." Nodding as I stood in front of her. "I got all your grades back from your old school and you were a remarkable student. You'll be in the back right corner okay, go ahead and set your stuff down the bell will ring soon." I nodded as she handed me a packet of paper and pointed to where I was seated.

RING RING RING 'GOOD MORNING STUDENTS THIS IS YOUR WARNING TO MAKE IT TO CLASS RING RING

Students filtered in one by one and slowly all the seats around me were filled, all but the one next to mine. "Good morning students and welcome to a wonderful first day of your sophomore year. It seems like everyone but Mr.Gray is here. Does anyone know where he is?" I zoned out as Dalton rushed in and handed the teacher a note. "Sorry Miss, practice ran a little late this morning." She pointed to the spot next to me and he smiled wide as he walked over to me. "Okay now that everyone is here, let's give a big welcome to a new transfer student. Alex honey can you stand and introduce yourself?" I began to shake and stood nervously. "I'm Alex and I moved here from Washington." I tried my best not to stutter and to hide the way I speak, after that the whispers started. I sat down and Dalton put his hand on my thigh "Don't worry, that'll calm down." I just nodded and the teacher directed our attention to the board for notes and how to set up out notebook for the class.

Throughout the day, I calmed down, some weird hellos, and all but one class, choir, I was with Dalton. By the time lunch came around, I got some salad and decided to go outside. I didn't see that as a mistake, I did it all the time when I was still in Washington but this time it was a mistake. I was alone for all of five minutes when a group of girls stood in front of me. "So you're the new girl in all our classes huh?" I looked up and I saw Emma and some other girls I didn't know. "Uh yeah?" I leaned against a tree next to me and put my salad down.

"Can I help you?" I asked politely. "You can, you can go back to where you came from." The tall girl in the front of the group said as she was leaning down to be eye to eye with me. "Otherwise you'll have to answer to me, I run this school and I don't want any competition." What did she mean? I'm not pretty by any means. "Uh, okay?" I was confused. She laughed as she stood up. "Also I see how close you are with Dalton, I'd like to warn you, he will be mine again before homecoming." I just looked up at her and got more confused, she didn't like my face or something because the next thing I knew my salad was kicked away from me and a hand was tangled in my hair. "You're just a jealous bitch I guess, and there's no need for violence honestly." I barely spoke as my head was forced up to look at her. "I don't like to repeat myself, you stay away and go away, he's mine. I will get him back, now scram he's coming this way and he shouldn't have to look at you. Fucking freak." I was tossed to the side and smacked against the tree as she ran toward Dalton.

"Pookie Bear! I missed you, why didn't you call me all summer?" I heard him grunt as he just walked past her. Slowly I got up and held my side as the pain started to flare in my healing ribs. "What did you do to her?" He had his hand on my head and was looking over me carefully for any new injuries. "Just welcoming her to the school, she must've fallen. I would never hurt anyone close to you on purpose." He saw in my eyes I was in pain before he kissed my forehead and turned back to the girls. "Abby I know that's a lie, now what did you do to her?" I felt his arm wrap around me. "Dalton! I told you you're mine! Why does this northerner get to have you!" I watched as Abby stopped her feet and huffed before walking away.

"What happened baby?" His voice was tender and he looked me in the eye. "She told me to go away and stay away, then pulled my hair and threw me into the tree." I started crying as he just pulled me close. "She won't hurt you anymore I promise." I kept crying against his chest till the bell rang. "Just a few more classes and I promise I won't leave your side again."

After school got out I called my grandparents to say I was going to hang out with Dalton for a while and I'd call them before I came home. "So what do we do?" I asked as we walked down the street hand in hand. "Well, we could just go to my house and cuddle, don't worry my mom isn't gonna be home until later tonight, or we could go to the pier." I just shrugged and asked if we could just cuddle.