Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover

chapter 4

The day seemed to drag on and on in such a slow pace. I just wanted to go to lunch to put my head down and sleep.

The bell rung as soon as Mrs. Heinz, my Geography teacher, finished her sentence and we all got up and went for whatever thing we had next.

I had lunch.

I made my way to the cafeteria only to find my best friend waiting at the double doors for me.

"Hello there USA!" She salutes me and bows.

"Hey Jaybird." I giggle

We link arms and go through the double doors that lead to the cafeteria. Immediately we are hit with clamor of teenagers talking, laughing, and yelling across the room.

We make our way to our usual table, where the "cool" people sit.

"I'm going to go get my lunch, coming with me USA?" She says as she absentmindedly waves at the people at our table.

"No, I have a huge headache," I pout,"I'm just going to listen to..." I'm interrupted by my best friend gasping, "What? What's wrong Jaybird?" I ask frantically.

"What's that red mark on your face? Oh my God! I see a bruise! Did you get jumped?" She asks hysterically, looking like she's going to cry any minute.

"No no! My cousin was over today and we were horsing around and she slapped me a little too hard! I'm okay, I swear."

I try my best to convince her, hopefully she believes it.

"USA, I've seen bruises on you all the time," she says worryingly,"Are you sure you're okay? You can talk to me whenever."

"I'm fine, I promise." I fake a smile even though my cheek still kinda hurts.

"You're not being abused at home...are you?" She asks slowly and quietly.

"I SAID I'M FUCKING FINE JAYLENE! FUCKING CHRIST!" I scream loud enough for the cafeteria to go quiet.

Jaylene's eyes go wide and I blush a deep shade of red. The whole room is looking at us, can't they just go back to their tasks?

"I gotta go." I say quietly, running as fast as my legs can go out of the cafe.

Despite the calls of my name and all of the come back here's, I keep running until I make it to the Janitor's closet.

I turn the handle and open the gray, metal door only to be met with some dude, I think his name is Trey, and some girl who doesn't seem familiar at all heavily making out. Not to mention the fact that she only has her bra and skirt on.

"Ah, what the fuck?" I say through gritted teeth, "There's such thing as waiting until you get home!" I cover my eyes quickly.

Trey smirks as the girl tries to cover herself up.

"Wanna make it a threesome, America? I heard that pretty little mouth of yours can do some magic." It's obvious the girl is blushing madly.

"You heard nothing. My mouth is for eating food and drinking beverages thank you very fucking much." I snap.

"I'll let you get back to your business." I say and shut the door.

Everyone is so damn horny in this school, fucking Christ.

I decided to just leave the school and go to the woods that seem all too familiar. I've been going there whenever I needed to leave school, basically ditch school.

I open up the double doors and make my way down the stairs and head to the woods. I put my earbuds in and have the music blast and take me to a better place.

I command you to Rise!
Wash away
The decay of your life
Feel the light of your eyes
Find the way
Through the darkness tonight
Fearing no one...

Disturbed blared through my earbuds into my ears as I mouth the words. Disturbed has always been my favorite band. I don't know why, they're just better than most.

I slowly approach my peaceful place, the woods. I pick up the pace to get there quicker.

When I get to the woods I go on the stump I've sat on ever since Freshman Year.

I sit down and just think. That's all I do in the woods. Think.

After a while I notice that I'm crying. I hate crying, I feel weak. But it's the safest way I can cope with the pain.

But it's not the only way I cope.

My thighs are a fucking drawing bored. I'm so weak, I shouldn't hurt myself like this but it's the only thing I can do.

I have no one to talk to and no one to lean on. I could talk to Jaylene but she doesn't have a filter and knowing her she'll tell people without noticing and then rumors spread.

I'm trapped. I can never win.

I hate myself. I hate my life. Everyone thinks I'm so perfect, but I'm not that's how I appear to be. If you were to take a look inside my head...

My thoughts are cut off by someone coming into the woods. I hear twigs cracking underneath their feet.

My eyes go wide and I scramble up from my seat and look in the direction of the noise.

The person comes to sight and she kind of just stares at me too.

We both basically have a stare off and finally she says something...

"Uh...hi?"