Unspoken Desires

97.) Taunt

Ava sits on the edge of her seat in the classroom, hugging her knees tightly to her chest. Tears stream down her face, her eyes red and puffy. The weight of her emotions hangs heavily in the air.

"She hates me... She hates me so much..."

Ava's voice trembles with sorrow as she recalls the hurtful words exchanged earlier in the day.

The memory slices through her heart, leaving her feeling lost and abandoned.

Meanwhile, the school playground is filled with laughter and the sounds of children playing.

Little Chloe, a bright-eyed and eager girl with pigtails, approaches a group of kids playing tag. She excitedly joins them, her tiny legs carrying her with determination.

Kid 1 and Kid 2, slightly older than Chloe, exchange glances as she approaches. They whisper among themselves, their expressions skeptical.

"Here comes Chloe. She always wants to play with us."

"Yeah, but she's so little. She can't keep up with us."

As Chloe reaches them, she beams with excitement, ready to join in the game.

"Hi, guys! Can I play too?"

Kid 1 and Kid 2 exchange uneasy glances, their exclusion evident.

"Um, sorry, Chloe. We're playing a game that's too fast for you. Maybe you can find something else to do."

Chloe's smile fades, her enthusiasm deflated. She looks around, searching for another group to join.

In the distance, kid 3, a compassionate and kind-hearted child, notices Chloe's disappointment. Kid 3 separates from their group and walks over to Chloe, offering a friendly hand.

"Hey, Chloe! I saw you playing tag. That looks like fun! Mind if I join?"

Chloe's face brightens, a glimmer of hope returning to her eyes.

"Really? You want to play with me?"

Kid 3 nods, extending the invitation with genuine warmth.

"Absolutely! Let's show them how awesome we can be together."

Chloe's spirits lift as she takes Kid 3's hand, their bond forming in an instant. They skip off together, leaving behind the exclusion and rejection.

Chloe skips around, exploring the playground.

Parent 1, a middle-aged woman, notices Chloe and approaches her with a smile.

"Hello, little one! Are you Ava's sister?"

Chloe looks up at the woman, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

"Yes, I am! Ava is my big sister."

Parent 2, a man in his late thirties, overhears their conversation and joins in, his tone condescending.

"Oh, so you're Ava's sister, huh? Well, your sister made some pretty poor choices, didn't she? Getting pregnant so early, what a disgrace. Hope you won't be like that, too bad Martha didn't raise you girls well"

Chloe's face falls, confusion replacing her innocent joy. She looks at Tonet, searching for answers.

"Hey, that's not fair. Chloe doesn't need to hear that."

Tonet walks over, standing protectively beside Chloe. The parents exchange smirks, reveling in their cruel comments.

"Oh, look! Ava's cousin getting all defensive. Can't handle the truth?"

"This isn't about the truth. It's about showing respect and kindness. Chloe doesn't deserve to be dragged into this."

"Well, maybe if Ava had made better choices, we wouldn't have to bring little Chloe into it."

Tonet takes a deep breath, her protective instincts kicking in.

"Chloe is innocent in all of this. She's just a child. Please, leave her out of your judgment."

Ava walked into the school cafeteria, her head held high, but her heart pounding in her chest.

She had been dreading this moment for weeks, ever since she had found out she was pregnant. She had been hoping that no one would find out, but it seemed that everyone already knew.

As soon as she stepped into the room, the whispers started. She could feel the eyes of her classmates on her, judging her and whispering about her.

She tried to ignore them, but it was hard. She wanted to run away, but she knew she had to face them.

She took a deep breath and walked to the lunch line. As she waited in line, she could feel the stares and the whispers getting louder.

She could hear people calling her names and making fun of her.

"Look at her, she's pregnant at 14. What a slut!"

"She's so irresponsible. She should have known better."

"She's going to be a terrible mother."

"She is so disgusting"

"She chose to have sex, it's her fault"

Ava felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment and anger.

She wanted to yell back at them, to tell them that she was doing the best she could, but she knew it wouldn't do any good. She just had to ignore them and try to get through the day.

Finally, she reached the front of the line and grabbed her lunch. She quickly paid and hurried away, trying to get away from the stares and the whispers.

She sat down at an empty table in the corner and started to eat her lunch, but she could still feel the eyes of her classmates on her.

Ava ran away from the cafeteria, tears streaming down her face.

She ran for what felt like hours, until she finally reached the school playground. She collapsed onto the swings, sobbing uncontrollably.

Suddenly, she heard voices coming from the other side of the playground. She looked up to see a group of adults, pointing and laughing at her.

"Look at that poor girl," one of them said. "She's pregnant at such a young age. What a shame."

"She's so disgusting, she's a child and a slut!"

"Her mother didn't raise her well"

The others laughed and shook their heads in disapproval. Ava felt her heart sink. She wanted to run away, but her legs felt like lead.

The adults continued to talk about her, their voices growing louder and more cruel. Ava felt like she was going to be sick. She wanted to scream at them to stop, but she was too scared.

Finally, she mustered up the courage to stand up and walk away. She kept her head down, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone.

She walked as fast as she could, not stopping until she was far away from the playground.

Once she was a safe distance away, she collapsed onto the ground and cried. She felt so alone and scared.

She had no idea what to do or where to go. All she knew was that she had to keep running.