Red ✔

Touché

I lie face down on my couch in the living room. Leo probably does not want to be my friend still. The 5ies are definitely going to kick me out. There is not anything good coming out of my life. Grade eight was supposed to replace all those bad things that I have done in the past, especially grade five. I want to fix those unforgettable, miserable past. When I was in grade two, the kids kept mocking my red hair. They told me having red hair could seep into my brain and kill the cells. They would call me "Ridiculous Red" or "White Tomato". Holly was not there to protect me or flirt her way out of it. She was in a different class and I was left alone in my class, with no friends. I ate lunch in the washroom every day. In grade two, A girl came in and knocked hard on my stall.

"Are you done yet?" she retorted.

I stayed quiet. I normally did not talk to strangers. They girl continued banging on the door.

"Are you done yet?" she repeated.

"No!" I shot back. "I am not, so go away!"

The girl did not say anything. I suddenly felt bad, so I unlocked the stall and hug her. I apologized for snapping at her. She seemed emotionless when I did so. To my surprise, she hugged me back.

"What is your name?" I asked her.

"Leo," she smiled. That smile could sweep the whole town off their feet.

"Scarlet." I shook her hand.

Her eys wander and then, a twinkle hit her eyes. "Weren't you that girl in Caesar?"

"Oh yeah! I remember you. We were the only girls there."

She giggled softly. "I like your hair by the way."

"You are the first," I admitted.

"Really? Did you colour it somehting?"

"No, it is natural."

"Cool!"

That is the day we became friends and my life changed. She pushed me into eating in the classroom instead. She made me a lot braver and opened up my feelings and opinion. Whenever people made fun of my hair she would bark at them, and they would quickly walk away. I was not teased anymore. Without Leo, I could have been that girl who ate in the bathroom stall every day.

I smile at the memory. But she is out of my life. I am nothing without her. She had my back through thick and thin and I do not think I can go through much without her.

In school, the 5ies avoid eye contact, walk away if I come near and stay expressionless when I say a joke in class. Though Nicole is the only one who will really have an actual conversation with me. She is torn between our group's separation. I wish I can help her, but I cannot control whether my friends like me or not. If that does not work, nothing will. Now I am officially out of the back door. At least I wish I do not have a reminder.

I crawl off my bed and gather any memories of Leo or Leo's belongings or have something to do with Leo. I get a pair of scissors and a treasure box and place them in a plastic bag. I tell Dad I am going out for some fresh air. He nods to in approval. I rush to the tree house in fifteen minutes. I pick up the wet pictures of Leo off the grass that I threw on the day of the party. I climb the steps and hold the plastic bag around my shoulder. When I get up, I spill the supplies on the floor. I begin to cut up pictures of Leo. The photos and memories that have Leo on them is dumped into the tiny brown treasure box. I slot the key in the lock hole to lock it up tight. After, I snuff the key into my sweat pants pocket. I snatch a purple pen from the penholder on the corner of the tree fort. I wrote in big, fat bubble writing LEO. I lift the box and clutched onto it, hugging it as if it is really Leo, herself. I descend the tree house and walk home sadly. Half-hearted, I waddle upstairs and travel to my room. I slide the treasure box under my bed for safe keeping.