Light at the end of a tunnel

Chapter Twenty eight- No Tolerant Zone

(HOPES POV)

I entered the front door with big puffy red eyes, tears still falling freely down my face. I threw my pink Barbie backpack down on the floor and raced to the bedroom I share with my Mom. Mom works as a waitress and taking care of me on a waitress pay check didn't cover it. That's why we shared a bedroom in a small apartment. Of course, Mom never told me that. I over heard her talking about it to Missy, our neighbor, who would babysit me when Mom worked double shifts.

I laid on the bed and buried my face into the soft pillow, I sobbed, suddenly letting all of my tears out freely.

"Hope?", Mom asked, sitting on the bed beside me.

I ignored her and continued to cry. Maybe she would eventually go away.

"Hope? What's the matter, honey?"

I was quiet, the only noise made was my sobs and the noisy neighborhood kids playing happily.

"Okay.", Mom sighed, "I'll just stay right here until you are ready to talk."

I knew Mom wouldn't go away, not until she got what she wanted. I sniffled and sat up. Mom gasped at me. I felt like crying again.

"Hope.."

"A boy at school said Spider man was better than stupid Barbie."

"And what else happened?"

"I called him stupid so he cut my pigtail off. Now I'm ugly!"

"Hope Lewis, you are not ugly. You are a beautiful young girl, okay?"

"You're supposed to say that, you're my Mom."

"I would say it even if I wasn't your Mom. Now, boys like cars and Spider man and things like that. Girls like make-up and barbie dolls, that's just the way it is and neither of those things are stupid, okay? And we can fix your hair, sweetheart."

"Really, Mom?"

"Yes, really. Let's go fix your hair then we'll have pizza for dinner, okay?"

My stomach growled. Pizza was my favorite.

"Can we afford ice cream too?"

"Yes. Don't worry about what we can afford and what we can't, alright?"

I nodded.

***************

That night Mom tucked me into bed and read Cinderella and Humpty Dumpty to me, like she always did. She went to bed late so she could clean and stuff. That's what she always told me.

"Mommy, can I stay home tomorrow?"

"No, you need to go to school-"

"But Mom!", I objected, "that bully-"

"Is just a bully, sweetie. There are bullies everywhere and you just have to ignore them, okay? Just don't pay any attention to them. And don't talk back to them, that makes them want to pick on you more, understand?"

"But.."

"Trust me, okay?  Don't be scared, just never let anyone bully you.Okay?"

I nodded sleepily, "Okay Mommy"

She kissed me on the forehead, "Goodnight, Hope"

"Goodnight, Mommy"

I woke up to the flashback stuck in my head, which was pounding. My wrists and ankles were tied with rope. A blindfold covered my eyes. Not surprising. I sighed as the vehicle came to a sudden stop. I heard talking and doors slamming. The trunk opened and someone grabbed my arm and jerked me out of the trunk of the van. I felt dizzy, like I couldn't stand up and my legs felt like jello.