The Swap

Zachary 8.1

My alarm goes off at seven thirty in the morning. For a few seconds after I turn it off, I sit in bed and listen to the silence, even though it's not silent. I allow a few tears to drip onto my blanket before I step out of bed head downstairs. My mind is only half present, so it feels as if my body is puppeteered into completing the same actions I perform every day.

"Good morning, darling." mom says in a sing-song voice. It lightens up my mind ever so slightly.

"Good morning, mom," I reply. I'll start saying that from now on.

I sit down at the table and pour myself a bowl of cereal when another voice greets me from behind.

"Good morning, my beautiful lady," Chad says. He walks past me, giving me a firm pat on the shoulder - I must've flinched unnaturally hard, "Woah, calm down there Allison. It's just me, nothing to be scared of, right?" It sounds like a threat.

"N-No... It just caught me off guard..." I mutter back.

He smiles, my stomach frowns, and he gives mom a long kiss, as if taunting me. I can't get any food down, so I swiftly leave to get dressed, brush my teeth and do my hair. After putting on the usual school uniform and skirt - I don't want to put it on - I do my hair. I look in the mirror; a brown-haired blue-eyed girl looks back at me.

I'm about to leave for school and get away from this man in my house, but mom asks if I can take out the trash again. Not again. I obey.

As I haul the heavy trash bag to the container down the street, I spot a few thugs already loitering around. I feel weak, both from the bag and the sight. I approach and discretely lift the metal lid with difficulty. Are my arms shaking due to pressure or fear? One of the thugs walks over and opens the lid for me.

"Ya need some help with that?" he asks in a low voice after already having lifted the lid, "Here, hand me the bag, I'll toss it in for you. A pretty girl like you shouldn't get her hands dirty."

I don't respond, and toss the bag in the container myself, before walking away.

"Aren't you gonna say thank you?" he asks playfully.

"T-Thanks." I mumble - I could barely hear it myself.

"Y'know, you can always thank us in some other way if you prefer," another thug snickers. He must've made some gesture to the others since they all erupt in laughter. I cross the street and message Megan that she doesn't need to wait in front of my house.

During the lunch break the two of us walk around looking for a spot. I barely get any food down. My stomach doesn't cramp up, but it does feel upset.

Megan must've noticed, since she suggests we leave for class early. We head back down into the hallway and to the right floor. The corridor is crowded, so we have to squish our way through. As we do, I spot three familiar faces. My stomach just can't get a rest.

The first boy is oblivious that I'm even there. He's laughing out loud and poking and pestering the boy next to him. He looks so much like a friend, but my mind knows he's not. Not anymore. Hold back the tears.

I pass Sam.

The boy next to him is too occupied with shutting Sam up to notice me. I'm thankful and heartbroken he doesn't. Either outcome would have harmed me further. He looks so much like a best friend, but my mind knows he's not. Not anymore. Hold back the tears.

I pass Evan.

The last boy looks off in the distance, seemingly at someone else, but I can't see who. He terrifies me. My fear probably outweighs that of all the people here for him. I don't want to look at him when I walk past. My stomach can't handle that. I need to hold back the tears. He looks nothing like me, and my mind knows I look nothing like him. Not anymore. A single tear manages to work itself out.

I pass the delinquent, Zachary Marlowe