Seeing You - Boys of Tommen

Bullies

November 3rd, 2001

Katie:

"Hey...You with the red hair." I turn around in the empty hallway, and shuddered when my eyes land on Bella Wilkinson and two of her friends. Bella was in third year, and the resident mean girl at Tommen, she hadn't bothered with me before, until now.

I was frozen, and eyed her warily, "um...yes?"

"Is it true?" She asked walking up to me in a triangle formation with her smug friends.

"Is what true?"

"You went home with Johnny Kavanagh at the party." She spat out, as more of a statement than a question.

"Um..His Mam gave me a spin home."

"Are you sure that's all that happened?"

The girl on her right spoke up, "You two have pretty been close since, I've seen you walking with him  and sitting at his table."

"I thought she was going out with Hugh." The girl to Bella's left said, I tried to find my voice.

"I am."

"Oh, so you're a slut?" Bella deadpanned.

"No...I don't....I didn't do anything."

"Really? Because Pierce said you and Hugh spent a fair bit of time in a closet, and came out looking freshly fucked and then you went home with Kavanagh."

"I've seen her getting real close with Gibsie too." The girl on the right says accusingly. "Feely too, he's always staring at her."

"I...No, I've never." I'm frantic now.

"Do you think they pass her around?" The girl on the right says again, and I just stare in shock, unable to move or speak.

Bella laughs, "Is that it? They let you sit with them, and you spread your legs for all of them? Is Feely in on it too?"

"No, I'm with Hugh, no one else. And we haven't..."

"That's not what it looks like."

"Well it's the truth, please believe me." I pleaded, urging the tears in my eyes to not fall. I had never been spoken to like this, having my character attacked like this I hated it, and the pit In my stomach continued to grow. I thought about what Aoife would do, but then decided physical violence against three girls who were towering over me, probably wasn't the move.

"Here's what's going to happen little Katie." Bella said, her voice dripping with condensation "You're going to stay the hell away from Johnny, and if you don't we're going to steal your precious Hughie, and tell the whole school what a slut you are for all of them."

"But, I'm not, I'm just friends with them."

"Tell me you understand this arrangement." I feel so shameful, so judged. When Johnny admitted he wasn't a virgin, the boys and girls in the room cheered, but when I get falsely accused of it, I feel dirty and gross, like everyone in the school is going to think those things about me and I hate myself just thinking about it.

"I'll stay away from him."

The girl on the left speaks up, "Stay away from Feely too." I Just nod feeling defeated. 

The whole weekend, I felt like a ghost, I didn't eat anything until Sunday, when I felt like I was going to faint, I cancelled my plans to hang out with Hugh at Johnny's house. My mind was one ball of anxiety, and by Sunday night, I believed Bella's words. 

Thanks for reading! This chapter's kinda sad sorry.  - H <3