Borderline

Chapter 9

"What?!" I ripped my hand from Eli's grasp. "No way, man! I am not going to hide out in a fucking school!"

"Why not?"

I saw Joshua tense up, ready to stop me from slamming Eli to the ground. "I refuse to do that! Besides, it'll never work! Carter isn't stupid!"

I sat down on the curb and held my head in my hands. I kicked the blacktop with the heel of my boot.

I felt a hand on my back and I immediately shook it off. When it returned, I knew it was Joshua and I didn't move away.

Joshua rubbed small, comforting circles in the middle of my back, calming me down a little.

That was the one place I wouldn't go: to school.

***

"Ryder!" Carter called. "Ryder?"

I covered my mouth as I laughed. We were playing hide-and-seek, and I was winning.

I stopped laughing when I saw a shadow standing over me. I looked up.

"Found you!" Carter laughed, tapping me on the head to make it official.

We were in 4th grade. We played this game every day at recess.

"Fine," I sighed. "Go hide, but I'll find you almost immediately!"

"In your dreams!" Carter taunted as he ran off.

I rolled my eyes and turned around to go stand against the fence and count.

At least, that had been the plan.

"Oh, look. It's the little freak."

I stood face to face with Olivia Bransen. My eyes widened in fear.

"I think she's scared of you, Livvie," teased Melissa Andrews, one of her best friends.

"She had better be," Olivia sneered. She put her perfectly manicured nails on her hips and puckered her lips, which were coated in shiny pink lip gloss.

"Can we help?" Begged Catherine Meyer, her other best friend.

I backed away slowly, hands shaking.

Olivia stepped forward, and never in my life had I been more scared of a pink tennis shoe.

I ran in the other direction, the zipper of black jacket tied around my waist hitting against the backs of my legs. I ran hard and I ran fast.

But apparently I ran too fast. I tripped and fell, feeling skin rip from me knees and palms. I bit back tears as I heard the three girls stop running.

I looked up to see Olivia looking down at me, her hands on her knees. Her blond ponytail was hanging over her shoulder and I had the urge to pull it. However, I was too scared and in too much pain to do much of anything at that moment.

"Aww, did the little baby fall down? Why don't you go cry to mommy? Oh wait, you can't!" There was a chorus of laughter from Olivia and company, as well as a few other people who had come to watch the entertainment.

I picked myself up and stood on shaky legs, facing her.

Olivia walked in a circle, picking out things that were "wrong" with me.

"Look at you," she spat. "You're hair is all dirty." She lifted up a few strands of my medium length brown hair, then threw them back down like they had bitten her.

"And your clothes make you look like a boy," Melissa joined in.

"And don't even get me started on how you smell," chimed Catherine, holding her nose.

They were all laughing at me. I felt a tear slip down my face but I quickly wiped it away.

Olivia got really close to me. "Look everyone! The big baby is crying!" She trailed a finger down her face and stuck out her bottom lip, mocking me.

Everything in me told me to punch her in her make-up covered face. I felt my hands close into tight fists at my sides.

But I couldn't.

"Look! The little orphan girl can't even fight back!" Olivia spat. "How pathetic! You don't belong here, street rat! Go back to your dirty little box! Maybe you should just go-"

"Go what, Olivia?"

I looked up to see Carter standing on the outside of the circle that had formed around us. He made his way through the small crowd and stood in front of me protectively.

Olivia looked at him and laughed. "Seriously, Carter? Are you going to protect you're little boyfriend?"

Carter glared at her, and it was the first time I had ever truly seen him angry.

"First of all, Ryder is a girl. Second," he stepped closer to her. "You're ugly, no matter how hard you try. And third," he was right in her face now. "You're just a stupid, stuck up, snot nose little brat who's been spoiled her entire life. You don't know the first thing about what Ryder's been through, so back off."

Carter shoved her backward and she gasped.

"How dare you touch me!" She screamed. "I'm gonna tell the teacher on you!"

"Do it. I dare you."

Olivia paused, weighing her options. Eventually she rolled her eyes and flipped her ponytail behind her. "Fine. But don't think this is the last time this happens, orphan girl."

She stalked off with her posse, and eventually the rest of the crowd disappeared.

Carter turned to me and smiled. "You should really learn how to stick up for yourself, Ry."

I smiled back. "Thanks, Carter."

Then Carter noticed my knees. "Oh my gosh, are you okay? Let's get you to the nurse!" He out my arm around his shoulder and let me lean on him as we went inside.

That was one of my only good memories left of Carter.