Carving Pumpkins (Frank Iero)

Her

Her

I idly picked at my nails, wondering if it would just be faster to walk home rather than wait around in the parking lot for Mikey to come pick me up. 

Eh, why not walk? It would definitely save time. Sure, it's raining, but a little water never hurt anyone. And, not to mention those lacrosse jerks... they're probably hot on my trail right now. If I waited around for Mikey, they'd catch me for sure.

I slammed my locker shut and hiked my plain black bookbag up over one shoulder. I sent Mikey a quick text explaining that I would be walking home instead of waiting for him to pick me up after he got off work, and I immediately regretted it. He really shouldn't text and drive. It's dangerous.

"Hey, Har-loser." Andrew Petticone, capitain of the lacrosse team, patted me on the back and laughed condescendingly. I shrugged his hand off my shoulder and walked a little faster, trying to escape the team's wrath. Andrew put his hand back on, more forcefully this time. 

"I'm not done talking to you, freak." He growled, trying to pull me back. 

"Shut up." I muttered, pushing the front doors to the school open and speeding up again.

Andrew pulled me back for real this time. "What did you say to me, Har-loser?" He spat, holding my bookbag at an odd angle, almost making me look him in the face. Luckily, I squeezed my eyes shut just in time. Sometimes, it was just too emotionally draining to be able to see everything about a person's entire past just by looking into their eyes.

We were standing in the middle of the parking lot, and a crowd was beginning to form. Everyone knew that there was bound to be at least one display of torture per week, and it seemed that now was the time.

"Care to repeat?" He gritted out through his teeth. 

I wouldn't look at him. I couldn't. I was secretly terrified of Andrew and his team, but I could never, ever let them know. That would just let them know that they'd won. They'd won a long time ago; I was just never going to show them.

"That's what I thought, freak." He laughed, shoving me hard on the shoulders. I tumbled backwards, my butt landing uncomfortably in a puddle, my books falling out of my backpack and scattering all over the asphalt.

I heard the booming laughter and took off, barely even paying any attention to my books, which I was clutching tightly to my chest.

Before my brain could register what I was doing or where I was going, I found myself running through the woods that seperated my house and the school. I knew these woods well, yet I found myself tripping and stumbling over plants and roots and broken branches, snagging and probably ripping my tights on burrs and thorns. 

I clung to the books I carried, holding them like they were my lifeline. I felt tears dripping down my cheeks and cursed myself for being so careless. 

How could you let your guard down? Especially on Halloween! They'll be on you like fleas on a dog if they find out what you are!

I didn't realize that my legs had given out until I was already on the ground, collapsing like the anxiety-riddled teenager that I was.  

I sat back against a tree, trying to calm myself and just breathe. It was incredibly difficult to cry and try to catch your breath at the same time.

What? How did that happen? I'm usually so vigilant, so mindful. Why would I even put myself in a situation like that? I should've waited for Mikey, should have been more observant...

Once I had taken a few minutes to regain my mentality, I pulled myself up, collected my books, and began the short trek home. I picked burrs and thorns out of my soaked school jacket and skirt and thought about my situation.