The Broken Boy (AMANDA)

When We Saw Eachother

The next morning I wake up and I put on my locket and a nice shirt and some lipgloss and I stared at myself in the mirror thinking," What the heck is he thinking?! I'm not beautiful, what is he seeing that I'm not. Maybe it's his vision impairment or he was in shock from the incident.
    I get in my moms car and stare out the window thinking about what I'm going to say if I see him again. Should I mention the field or music or his life? I look in the mirror on the side of the car and I realized i didn't wear black today. I was wearing a floral shirt w blue jeans. Hm.
    I got out of the car and walked to the quad to where I sit with my friends before school starts. I listen to music again; I really need to get my thoughts back because my grades are down and my life is bloody massacre. Albert storms up behind me."Where were you yesterday!" "I was helping a friend." He slumps across from me and I take out my earbuds. No conversation happens until Zoe comes over. She gives a confused look. "What are you staring at? I didn't realize I was staring at the place me and Riley talked at lunch. "Oh nothing I'm freaking tired... You know the usual." Which is true. I couldn't sleep last night. My mind kept spinning from the incident. The bell rings and I walk to history.
    The next three periods were very slow. Even PE was sluggish. We played ping pong like we always do and as I walk to math Albert looks concerned."You okay cause you haven't said anything all day." " I'm just tired..." I hate lying to him. He goes on about all the chores he did this morning and I just tune out. What if I see him? Do I say something to him? What if he asks me out? No! That's impossible! How could you be so stupid! Finally I get to math class and I say bye to Albert. I sit down and I say good morning to Brianna and Celine. And I catch a quick glance at the creepy foreign kids in the corner hoping they don't kill me today.
    The bell rings and there is no sign of Riley. Then Ms Paul flashes that same mad constipated look at Alex and Justin and I pull out my pen I start writing the hanging tree on my right hand like I always do, Ms Paul doesn't teach me anything anyways. I hum the melody of Hanging Tree; it eases my wandering mind. I am disturbed when the door opens and Riley comes in shining with sweat and out of breath. He gives Ms Paul a note and sits down and drinks some water. I can't help but sit and stare for a while. Finally Ms Paul gives us this stupid cross word puzzle and says to do it with a partner.
     Celine, Susanna, and Brianna look at me but I walk over to Riley instead. I sit next to his desk. "Can I work with you?" He nods. I look at his paper and it has a few done; I suck at crosswords. We sit and work in silence until I finally broke the silence, "Why were you late?" Riley looked like he was knocked out of a trance and I spoke up, "Why were you late for class?" Riley explained that he was walking from English to math, but some kids threatened him and teased him about me defending him, shoved him into the employees bathroom and locked the door. He was stuck in there for 20 min until the janitor came to clean the bathroom. "Who did it?" He glanced at the floor and said, "The same kids." "Why would they do that?!" And he just sits there letting them do that to him! He doesn't even talk. After a second I asked him again, "Why do they do this to you? Who are they?!" "They went to school with me a few years ago... I transferred schools, and came back to the district because my grades were too low to transfer. I guess they remember me." "But why?" Choking back tears he responded, "Remember how I told you how people used to make fun of me because I wore glasses, well after I got rid of my glasses they found other reasons to make fun of me. Like my clothes..." I look at his clothes realizing how beat up and old they were. There were holes in his shirt and his pants were were 2 in too short and his shoes look like they were from the 90s and were covered in mud. "I never really fought back, so they really got a kick out of it." "Yeah some people just don't get it. Like I wear all black. Yeah people judge me, like, you look goth or tell me to look like a girl. I know what it feels like." He looks at me with a sympathetic look and says "I don't understand either... I mean I understand them making fun of me but you....you're so pretty outgoing and nice, I really don't understand..." "I'm NOT outgoing! You know what you need to do is to defend yourself. You can't just  sit there and let this happen! Come sit with me and my friends at lunch; I'll help you talk more cause my friends just can't shut up." The bell rings and I walk to science.
    After 5th period I go to lunch. Usually I walk with Matt, Austin, and Layla to lunch, but I got in trouble for talking so I had to stay in late. I had to walk by myself.
    All of a sudden my arms are pinned behind my back in a police styled hold and this older kid comes up to me and says "So you think you're so tough. You really think you can get away with hitting my friend?!" He holds up a fist and I scream for my friends, but they were too far away. I spot Riley in the growing crowd of people. He looked like he was trying to say something, but it wouldn't come out. He was scared. 
    How did I end up here? Just two days ago I was walking into school. Going on with my everyday life. Now I'm here. Am I even going to get out of this? Even if I did get out of this alive, would I even want to carry on with life. Grounded, beaten, and mentally scarred.
     "Getaway from her!" This isn't going to end well. It all happened at once. It happened right before my eyes. Riley punched him in the face. The kid's beaten body on the cement. Matt and Albert getting in the kid's face. The principal. The office. Suspension.
      That night was probably the second most traumatizing night of my life next to my dads hearts attack. I think my parents were more concerned about Riley than the kids that tried to hurt me. They're like who is this boy and I'm getting mad because they won't listen.  They don't get how special he is to me. Even if I just met him. But suspension was it worth it. What did I get myself into... God!!! Why is love so hard! I should text him and see how he is... Oh wait I'm grounded that's right. I'm grounded for a month again but at least this one had somewhat of a reason. I wonder how he is. I hope he's safe. His parents hurt him for no reason, but now there's a reason. WHYYYYYYY????!!!! Why are the best people persecuted!!! Why why why tell me WHY!