Save Her

Chapter One: School Bullies.

It was 6:18 in the morning when I was woken for school by my dad. He was unusually quiet, his sadness palpable. I felt a strange unease within myself, the reason for which eluded me.

Dad dropped me off at school, and that's when I noticed the odd behavior of everyone around me.

Had they found out? Did they know about mom?

I kept to myself for nomost of the day, my head bowed low. Even the teachers seemed to understand and didn't reprimand me.

Halfway through the day, reality crashed down on me.

'She's gone...mom's really gone...' I thought, my heart heavy. I felt a lump in my throat, and I could see the whispers and pointing from the other kids.

Enough was enough!

I grabbed my stuff and bolted out of the room, their laughter echoing behind me.

I found refuge in the bathroom and called my dad, telling him I was headed home. He sounded concerned as he asked what was wrong, but I told him I'd explain once I was home.

Twenty minutes later, I was walking through the front door. Dad was waiting for me in the living room. I sat down beside him, his worry evident. I felt guilty for scaring him, but I shared what had happened at school.

He looked even more worried and pulled me into a tight hug. I didn't hug back, instead I gently pushed him away and retreated to my room, locking my door behind me. I felt a wave of sadness wash over me, but I knew I needed to cope.

I looked at my razor, then my wrist. It hurt, but I didn't stop. I bandaged it, put on a sweater, and fell into a troubled sleep.

Upon awakening the next morning, I slipped into my clothes and proceeded to breakfast, as was my routine. A sharp pang in my chest served as a stark reminder of mom's absence.

"Morning, sweetie," dad greeted, his smile small and restrained. I returned his smile faintly, the stinging ache in my chest persisting.

I attempted to mask it, but my voice betrayed my emotions as I responded, "Morning."

Dad seemed more off than before as I made sure my sleeve was rolled down. He gave me a troubled look then stepped toward me.

"What's under your sleeve, Amber." He said sternly toward me and I took a step back, not wanting to reveal what I had done. I started thinking then got an excuse.

"I fell last night and hurt myself on accident so I bandaged it, dad." I could tell he didn't buy it but he pushed it down.

I went up to my room and got ready for school. I slipped on a sweater and winced at the feeling of the sleeve touching my wrist.

I went back downstairs and grabbed my bag and looked at dad, he knew I was ready to leave.

We both left the house and got into the car. As dad drove me to school he started talking.

"You know you can tell me anything." He said, worried etched on his face.

Once we got to the school he stopped the car and we sat there for a few moments before I broke and told him everything.

"Im sorry dad." I said, my voice breaking as tears streamed down my face. He turned to me and planted a soft kiss on my forehead.

"Please just don't do it again, I hate seeing you hurt." he exclaimed and I nodded.

A few moments passed then I finally got out of the car and dad drove away. I then walked up to the school.

Worry on my face, I walked into the school and headed to my first class and sat in my seat.

As the bell rung, kids started rushing into the classroom and into their seats. I was doodling in my notebook waiting for class to start.

I wanted today to be normal. I want to get through today without going back home halfway through the day.

"I can do it." I thought to myself.

As the teacher started talking I payed attention, well I tried to. It was hard to pay attention when all I could think of was mom.

I wanted mom back, I want to feel her hug. I want to tell her how much I love her.

My mind was racing with thoughts of mom, the kids laughs from the other day echoed through my head.

I shook my head slightly trying to escape the thoughts and pay attention to the lecture.

"Amber" the teacher said, realizing I zoned out. I shoot my head up and look up at her.

"Pay attention, please." She spoke again, the kids started to laugh.

I stared at the front of the class trying my hardest to pay attention.

As class went on it got harder to pay attention, I could hear the kids snickering and talking. I couldn't hear what they were saying but I somehow knew it was about me.

The teacher shushed the class, I could tell she was getting impatient. I kept my focus on her, watching her movements.

My mind went back to mom. I missed her deeply, but I knew she wouldn't be home when I got there.

"Amber" the teacher scolded me again, telling me to pay attention. She doesn't know how hard it was to keep my focus.

My mind kept racing with thoughts and memories of mom. I just wanted to see her again.

What if I went with her to grandma's? Would things be different? Maybe we would both be dead and I wouldn't be in this state.

My mind kept racing, the voices around me faded and my vision started to blur.

I was thinking too hard, but I couldn't stop myself. It was too hard to pay attention.

"Amber?" The teacher spoke with worry. That was the last thing I heard before everything went black.

"Amber!" People rushed to my side in worry as I fell out of the desk, but I didn't respond.

The teacher was by my side, the students talking to eachother about the situation.

One student in particular had a voice filled with worry as he dialed the number '911'.

He spoke to the person on the line, but I couldn't make out what he was saying it was all faded.

An ambulance rushed to the school, I could hear the sirens faintly. The paramedics rushed in.

Once they were in the room they rushed to my side, one of the students had helped them take my sweater off.

My limp body winced as the fabric of the sweater touched my fresh scars. The paramedics seemed to notice them pretty quickly.

I wanted to wake up, to stop them but my body wouldn't allow me to.

A few moments passed by and I was on the stretcher and dad was by my side. They had rolled me into the ambulance.

They drove off, rushing to the hospital. I woke up, gasping like I was trying to get air.

I looked to my side, my vision was still blurred but I could see dad and I could tell he was terrified of losing me too.

I looked at my wrist, noticing a new bandage on it then realized it was still bleeding and it had bled throughout the day.

"Shit." I muttered under my breath. Dad looked at me then suddenly, he realized.

"You did it too deep, didn't you?" He asked, worry etched in his voice. I looked away from him, I didn't want to say anything but I did anyway.

"Im sorry." I managed to say without my voice cracking.

We've gotten to the hospital and my focus was flashing again. The paramedics noticed and rushed me inside.

They rushed me to a room. Doctors and nurses rushed in to help me and try to stop the state I was in.

My vision blurred again and everything went black. The last thing I remember was a nurse putting an oxygen mask on my face.