Tell My Heart To Beat

Run

11 Long, Miserable Years Later...

She was the only one sitting on the bench outside the headminister's office. The bell for recess had rung signaling it was time for all the other children to go outside, but not her. No, she was in trouble. Again. It was not her fault, really. Emily Martin had started it, but Evan finished it with a well aimed punch to the face.

Evan had never learned to control herself when it came to being bullied. Her mother always insisted she rein in her temper and 'turn the other cheek', so to speak, but that never did any good.  She was always quick to react to someone threatening her. As it was, this was the third time this month she was sitting out in the hall watching as all the other kids got to go outside.

No one really paid attention to her. She was just the funny looking kid who had a temper and could not control it. Everyone else stayed away from her except Emily Martin and her friends. They always found a way to disturb Evan's peace.

"Evan?" She looked up as Mrs. Turner came out of the office. "Your grandmother is on her way, sweetie." The dark-haired woman was kind, and she always played the advocate for the children. "Are you okay?" Evan could see the lady had deep concern for her. She shrugged.

"I'm fine." The young girl pulled her knees up to her chest. "I just want to be alone." Her school uniform was wrinkled, and she was pretty sure some of Emily's blood splattered on her white shirt, but it is what it is.

"Okay." There was a curt nod from the woman before she retreated back into the office.

She waited for as the bell for recess rang again. Watching everyone go back to class was like watching a stampede on one of those nature documentaries she used to watch with her mother. Now, her mother had no time for her since she was always working or with her fiancé. There were always apologies and the classic 'I'll make it up to you' speeches, but that did not matter. Evan was just a waste of space.

The main door to the building opened to reveal her grandmother. The woman barely had any tolerance for her as she always complained about Evan's attitude. She was wearing a powder blue pants suit and a scarf over her head to protect her ashy blonde hair from the sun. Evan never understood why her grandmother acted like she was the most famous woman in the world, but that was how the woman was.

"Evan Harper... what on Earth did you do?" The tone her grandmother used was the same tone she used when Evan broke something expensive at home. Her blue eyes were wide with fury as she looked down on Evan with disapproval. "I knew you were trouble the day you were born." She sighed as she adjusted her purse on her arm. "You stay here while I go try to fix this."

Evan did not say anything. She only sighed before laying her head on top of her knees and closing her eyes.

She did not fit in anywhere.

She could hear her grandmother's high-pitched 'southern movie star' voice sweet talk the headminister into keeping her enrolled at the school. Evan did not even like this school. She honestly did not like any school she had ever been to before. Lately, though, she realized that she was the problem. She was the outsider who was misunderstood and lonely. She had no friends, but what did it matter?

She did not belong.

"Thank you so much, sir." She heard the door to the office open, and her grandmother stepped out with a pleased smile on her face. "I'll be sure to drop off that check tomorrow morning." Evan rolled her eyes as she watched her grandmother drop the act. "You ungrateful child, get your things and come on."

Evan did as she was told and grabbed her book bag off the bench next to her. She said nothing as she followed her grandmother out of the school doors and to the car that was waiting for them. Her grandmother's driver, Tommy, stood holding open the back door for them. Evan knew that there was about to be some harsh words slung her way as soon as Tommy closed the door.