Behind Every Smile

The Unexpected News

Turns out someone from the school did eventually contact my parents; the councilor, who apparently saw everything that happened. Though still did nothing to prevent the fight. It seemed everyone at my school believed the only way to solve something is doing it on your own.

Soon after school ended that day my mom picked my up from school, asking me several questions for hours. Of course, as I feared, she was terrified to send me back to school. As much as I begged her to let me go back, there was something she wasn't telling me.

"Your..grandpa Ed, had a stroke yesterday." My mom shrugged, looking at me from across the dinner table.

I nearly choked on my own breath, feeling myself tense entirely. "W-What?"

"Your grandpa has had diabetes for a pong time now and continues to eat sugar constantly. So the doctors say because of this, he had a stroke, and his entire left side is paralyzed forever." She explained, watching me to see how I'd react.

"S-So..what..what are we gonna do? He lives all the way in Pennsylvania!" I exclaimed, my voice rising in confusion.

"Well, your father and I have decided to drive up there soon, it'll take a week to drive up there. Since he can't live by himself anymore we'll need to probably repair and sell his house in the meantime." As my mom explained more and more of what was going to happen in the future, I knew this meant I was going to be kept from my friends for probably weeks. Anything could happen in a matter of weeks, especially at my school.

"How long will we be up there?" I asked finally, desperate for answers.

"We hope to be out of there as quick as we can but..probably, at least two months." My mother replied, running her fingers through her hair.

"What about school!!" I heart was now pounding against my chest, in fear and anger.

"Well, I was thinking it would be a better idea if you were charter-schooled. For many reasons." This was enough for me to stand up from my seat and walk away, frustrated.

"Bella, honey, calm down, things will be okay." My mother shouted as I ran up the stairs, tears falling down my cheeks.

"I just want to be left alone!!! I just wanna be..alone." I cried, shutting my bedroom door behind me before sinking onto my knees, gripping the soft carpet tightly between my fingers.

"God, why can't the world just accept me? Why." I mumbled under my breath in anger. "It's like you want my life to be harder than it should be." I continued, letting myself lean back against the wall, careful not to hit my head against it.

I took a long deep breath, letting my fingers slowly let go of the carpet. "You will solve this Bella.." I told myself quietly, closing my eyes, trying to picture a better future.

"Your friends need you.." I went on, flinching as the memories in my head flash backed to Danielle screaming at me.

I sat up, coming my fingers through my hair angrily, feeling tears drip onto my legs. "She's found a solution? What solution? I don't understand, what did I miss?"

I glanced down at my pocket as I felt my phone buzz; it was notification from Danielle.

I opened the notification, realizing she'd posted something on Instagram that she tagged me in.

I wish, even to this day I ignored the post. In fact I wasn't sure why I opened it, I knew the post was most likely something that would hurt me even more.

"You hurt my friends, I hurt yours. Watch your back punk!"

This was the description I was tagged in along with a video of her walking home in tears, going on and on about how I hurt her. They were all lies. I didn't understand why she was lying to everyone, claiming I physically hurt her and make fun of her to make myself feel good.

I scrolled through the comments, out of pure curiosity to see if people believed her. Of course they did, and they felt bad for her, even though she was truly the bully.

Could it get worse from here? I'd think that to myself everyday, sure enough it did. Then sure enough, the more people that saw Danielle's post, more people attacked me with words.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Stay away from Danielle!! You jerk!"

"No wonder you barley have any friends, you hurt all of them. Die in hell."

These were few of the several comments I received that night, I couldn't bare to even go near my phone after reading a few of these comments.

Amazing how rumors affect one's life. I don't think anyone realized how hurt I was. I didn't feel like going back to school. I didn't feel like leaving my room in fear of "making things worse".

This was only the beginning of the storm was was bound to come. The war was only beginning between Danielle and I, and everyone I ever cared about that went to that school would be involved, and hurt. All because I opened my mouth one day, thinking, "She looks like she needs a friend."

Just a few words can change someone's life, whether it's in a good or bad way. Take it from me, you can't help everyone, but you can certainly affect anyone's.