Admit It

"Look at her ugly glasses!"
May said to her friend beside her. She was only 4'3" but she packed a mean punch. I wouldn't know though, because she never actually punched me. She was a spoiled brat, and walked like she owned everything. Most people avoided looking at her, or avoided being in the way because they knew that she would probably say something like, "What're you looking at!" or, "Mind your own business!" A few curse words were mixed in that could make a fifth grader cry, even if it was from a fourth grader's mouth.
"Look at her teeth, she looks like a beaver!" said Liz, the girl next to her, unintentionally interrupting my train of thought.
That was how it was everyday. P.E. was always the worst since I wasn't very athletic or strong. I hated running, or anything that involved physical activity, because it hurt to run and it made me feel sick to be outside. Eventually I gave up trying in P.E. I didn't care.
"Today we are playing tag."
Oh no... Run! Tag was always my least favorite, it was chaotic and the teacher couldn't pay attention to everyone, so she wouldn't know if you were being picked on. I saw the two girls giggling, and I knew what was coming. I better run, I thought trying to avoid conflict, if at all possible, but they always found me.
They were more athletic than I was, so I wasn't that hard to catch up to. This was always a problem.
" On the count of three, I'll blow my whistle and you go! Okay Liz, Josh, and Mark! You are all it!" Of course the athletic people always get picked. "Once you get tagged sit out! Last person standing wins!"
I knew that this was a bad idea, but I smiled anyways hoping for the best.
"1...2...3..."
The whistle sounded, and I ran to my usual corner in the back of the gym. It was where they usually kept the volleyball nets, it was a pretty good place to hide, but as usual Liz and May saw me running, and ran up next to me.
"You thought you could hide, didn't you?" said May, with a teasing tone. "You're so slow! Speed up!" She began pushing me towards the wall.
It was to the point where she had pushed me up against the wall, I was trying to veer the other way, but May and Liz had a different idea, they turned and shared a devious grin. I wanted to cry, but it was only a game, right? Then, May stuck her foot out and tripped me, I went crashing towards the ground. I hit the ground, and May took a step back. Liz stopped herself, using the wall. The two girls laughed, as I weakly tried to stand up. I knew I had probably torn up my knee, I could feel it stinging. It didn't feel like a cut, it felt more like a carpet burn. I quickly stood, as the two girls ran off. My head began pounding, so I decided to go to the nurse.
I was good friends with the nurse since I had always been extremely clumsy and uncoordinated. I probably went to see her at least once a week, whether it was headache, a new cut, or a scrape. By the time I was in 4th grade, I'm almost sure she had my mom's phone number memorized. It was always the same thing though, and I'm sure she had her suspicions about what actually happened, and that it wasn't just a fall every time.
I stood and walked to my P.E. teacher, I knew she would ask for an explanation, so I thought up a million situations in my head. I fell, I slipped, I..um...I... I wasn't a very good liar back then.
"Mrs. Pierce?" I asked nervously.
"What is it? Did you fall again?" I nodded my head as she began to write up a nurse's pass. "Alright, hurry back." She handed me the note, and turned her back towards me again, as I started walking out of the double doors, and took a right down the hall. I looked around, and started walking towards the blue and white walls. This was the best way to avoid other people. I kept walking, a hallway soon coming into sight. I took a left down that hall, and then another sudden left turn. The nurse looked up from her computer concerned.
"Are you okay?" She stood up, walking over to the fridge to get me an ice pack. "P.E. again?" She asked.
I responded by simply nodding my head.
"What happened this time?" I was silent for a few seconds. I was contemplating telling the truth or not.
"I fell." I lied, like I usually did.
To me, it was easier to lie, than to admit what was actually happening. The truth always hurt. The nurse smiled at me as I handed her the slip. She signed it, and checked off headache. She handed me the slip and an ice pack,
"Alright sweetheart. Have a good day."
I smiled and gave my best, "Bye," as I slowly walked back to class.
For the rest of the day, I had to hide, so I avoided all contact with anyone else.
The next day went by quickly, until recess that is. At recess, Holly cornered me. She was always nice to me. If anyone asked me who my friends at school were, I would've said Holly. "They were picking on you yesterday weren't they?" She asked. She probably saw everything, I thought to myself. Holly was part of the cool kids clique, but she was a lot nicer. She also wasn't a spoiled brat. "You know you really need to talk to someone about this. You can't go on like this!" I looked blankly at her.
"I know, but what if it just gets worst?" She was worried about me....
" It won't get any better either! If you do nothing about it, it will get worse!" I knew she was right.
"Alright... Will you go with me?" I was scared to go alone, I would probably black out.
"Yeah sure! I'll talk to her after lunch, so you won't back out!" Then she left me in the corner. As tears stung at my eyes, I thought, it will all be over soon.
Lunch came and went, like usual. It was loud, disorganized and chaotic, but I lived. After lunch, Holly gave me that look, that look that said I'm going to talk to her, now. I shook in my seat. Holly stood up, and walk over to our teacher Mrs. Claire. I didn't catch their conversation, but I knew what was coming. Mrs. Claire held up her index finger, as if to say, one minute. She left the class, and returned soon with a para. "Okay class be good for the para. Christian, will you come with me?" She said, as I stood up and walked towards the door.
We walked down the hallway to a closet with a table and a few chairs. "Holly, wait in the hallway." She nodded her head, as Mrs. Claire lead me into the closet and shut the door. "It has come to my attention that some of the other kids are picking on you. Is this true?" I picked a dark spot in the room and stared at it.
"Yes."
She nodded her head. "What has been happening?" I took a deep breath.
"Well, sometimes they push me around and trip me. Other times they make fun of the way I look." She nodded and took out a notebook and pen.
"When does this happen?"
"During P.E, and sometimes at recess." She looked at me. She was acting as if this happened religiously.
"And who has been doing this to you?" I paused and closed my eyes, like I was holding in the secret of my life.
"May and Liz." She wrote everything down in her notebook.
"Okay, tell Holly to come in, and then go back to class." I got up and left the closet.
"Hey! She said to tell you to go in there." She smiled. She always knew how to stay positive.
"Okay!"