All Alone

10

"So I guess I'll be living with my best friend for a while," Taylor says. "Yup, get used to it," I say laughing.

"Taylor! Kimberly! Time for school!" Rob shouts.

We laugh and race to the bathroom fighting for the shower.

I grab Taylor and push her hard out the bathroom slamming the door.

"Hey!" She screams beating on the door loudly.

I laugh to myself and peel off my pajamas.

Taylor's mom has agreed to take me shopping for more clothes seeing as what I have is 'very little'.

I take my shower, brush my teeth and do my hair before leaving the bathroom giving Taylor a wicked grin.

I put on a pink and black dress and go downstairs for breakfast.

The Matthews are more of a family to me than my dad was.

We eat breakfast then Rob gives us a ride to school before heading to work.

"Weatherhead! Stop drawing!" Mr Yarde says glaring at me. "Sure!" I say brightly before snapping the pencil in half. "I don't care," he says going back to writing on the board. I'm bored out of my mind in this class. The bell rings and suddenly I remember Taylor's forcing me to complain to the guidance counselor about Jessica bullying me.

I run in the opposite direction hoping not to bump into Taylor but no such luck.

"Hey! Come on Kim! Tattling time," she says steering me in the direction of the guidance counselor's office. "It's not really bullying," I say trying to pull wool over Taylor's eyes. "I've seen enough," Taylor says pushing me forward.

Taylor gives me a little pep talk outside the office.

I knock on the door and Mrs Browne gives the okay to come in.

"Miss Weatherhead?! What a surprise! Why are you here?" she says. "To make a complaint ma'am," I say, my voice wobbling.

"And this complaint..?" She coaxes. "Bullying. I'm being bullied," I say tears brimming my eyes.

"Oh honey," she says handinf me a tissue. "By who?" she continues.

"Jessica Mayers, Shania Lewis, Christine Patterson and Lisa Thompson," I list. "What do they do?" she questions.

I tell her about the time they threw my new sneakers into dog stool , the numerous times they tripped me up, the names, the make up incident, the time Jessica dared Shania to throw a dodgeball at my face.

Mrs Browne is horrified and presses me for more answers.

When she's heard enough she sends a note to the principal and says they'all be a meeting with the students and I after lunch.

When I leave the office Taylor wipes away my tears telling me how proud she is of me.

We sit at our table laughing and chatting happily but when the bell rings I dread the moment.

The four girls enter the room applying what looks like the hundredth layer of lip gloss for the day.

"Mirrors and lip gloss away ladies," Mr Johnson says sternly.

When they catch sight of me their don't care attitude drops and they realise they're in big trouble.

"Now ladies do we understand bullying is a serious crime at this school?" Mr Johnson says.

"Yes sir," they say like robots.

"Do you know what comes with serious crimes? " he says.

"no sir," they say.

"SERIOUS PUNISHMENT!" he bellows.

I take this all in enjoying every bit of trouble the mean bullies and being put through.

I should have complained ages ago.

The female dogs are suspended for six weeks and I smile to myself feeling pleased with myself.

Taylor and I catch the bus back home and we tell Taylor's mom everything.

Taylor is my best but suddenly she feels more like a sister.

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Busted! I don't think Kimberly will be having any more bullying problems for a while.

Read on.