Lisa Skye

Chapter One

I walk through the gates that separate peace and happiness from the war zone between the populars and the losers everyone refers to as High School.

I pull my hood up and  stuff my hands into my pockets as I begin walking past the group of popular students, hoping that they don't notice me. I barely make it halfway past them before Chelsea sticks her foot out in front of me. I trip and watch as the ground nears my face in slow motion. I put my hands out in front of me before I hit the ground and catch myself.

"Oh, look. It's Lisa the Loser, tripping on her own feet," Chelsea says to the guys surrounding her, and they all laugh with her high pitched voice as her blonde hair bounces in its high ponytail.

I stand up and brush off my pants. My hands sting from the impact with the concrete, but I don't let them see that. I keep my head down and try to step forward, but I see a dark red shirt step in front of me. Jack is blocking my path.

"Why are you so quiet, huh? You get dirt in your mouth when you fell?" he says.

I ball my hands into fists. Normally, they would leave me alone after one torturous act, but today they wouldn't stop... "Just leave me alone," I say, fighting back tears.

Jack cups his hand around his ear and says, "What was that? The loser said something?" He steps closer and pushes me. "I don't think I heard you. Wanna run that by me again?"

I speak with more confidence this time, feeling the adrenaline running through me. "I said, leave. Me. Alone."

Jack steps even closer to me, to the point where I can smell his cologne. His red hair hangs over his right eye, and his left eye seems to be glowing. "You want me to leave you alone, huh? Well, what did I do wrong? You tripped over your own feet." He jabs his index finger into my chest. "It was your fault. All yours."

"Jack, lay off the poor girl. I think she's had enough now," I hear Fredrick say from behind me. I turn around, surprised, and see him leaning against the brick wall. He has his arms crossed and his foot up on the wall like a greaser. He looks up at me. "But don't think we won't make you regret this little mishap."

I stare at him, unable to move or speak. But then a yellow shirt catches my eye a few feet away from him. Johnny, the smallest and nicest of the group, was looking at me with wide, blue eyes. He never said anything, which was both a good thing, and a bad thing. He never made you feel terrible or bullied you, but he never stood up for you, either.

"Why are you still standing here? Go run off with your idiot girlfriend, Anna," Henrietta said, flipping her brown curls over her shoulder and interrupting my thoughts. Jack steps out of my way and I pull my hood back up, starting towards Anna and away from the popular kids.

**********

"I wish they would just leave you alone," Anna says from next to me, taking a bite from her sandwich. I expected her to say that. She says these things to try to make me feel better, but it never worked. She would never say the things she tells me to those kids' faces.

Anna looks at me from the corner of her eyes and sighs. "Lisa, you have to eat something. Whether you're hungry or not, eating will make you feel better." She lifts my head up so I'm looking into her eyes, and I feel the heat rush to my cheeks. "And promise me that you won't hurt yourself over something stupid like this..."

I look away from her, still blushing. I don't understand how she can care about me like this... I always hurt other people eventually. It's only a matter of time before I end up hurting her, too. "P-Promises are m-made to be broken," I stutter.

Anna sighs and sets her sandwich down. "I hope you know that I care about you, Lisa. Why would I be dating you if I didn't care?" She turns towards me and grabs my hands gently. "I know the real you. The you that I fell in love with is the you I want to see again." She sighs again, looking down. "You never tell me anything anymore... And I wish you would trust me. But I can't force you to do anything..."

She lets go of my hands and goes back to eating her sandwich. I see tears fall from her eyes and I immediately feel bad. Anna never cries in front of anyone... I broke her...

I look at the apple slices she put in front of me the second I sat down, and decide to eat them. I reach over and grab Anna's hand. She is the only one that ever cares for me anymore...