The Friendship Bracelet

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When my aunt got back to her house, I was still with the boys. I tried to leave as fast as I could but then remembered that I had to get the money. I turned around and walked back to my aunt. "What on earth happened to you?" She asked. "I'm sure Luke will tell you, I told him and that was already uncomfortable enough-" I was then interrupted by Luke, "She was beaten up by 13 people. They knocked her out and broke her glasses," He shouted. "Wh-what?" Jacob started to cry and Luke realised he had just told him what happened by mistake. Jacob's crying then turned into a death stare out the window and he said very angrily, "I'm going to cut their heads off for hurting Grace!" I was slightly creeped out by that comment, considering he's only 5. "Oh dear, are you okay?" My aunty asked me. "Yeah... I hope," I said getting quieter as I progressed through the sentence. My aunt gave me the money and quickly said, "Get straight home and tell mum." I simply nodded and left. I started to count the notes and realised she had given me extra money. I went back in and tried to give the extra money back, to which she said, "Your glasses, they need fixing don't they?"

"Oh, no, you don't have to do that!"

"Just because I don't have to, doesn't mean I don't want to."

"Please, I insist,"

"No. I'm paying for your glasses, no ifs, ands or buts,"

"Okay. Thank you very, very much," I finally agreed and accepted the money.

I started walking home. On the way I saw Cody with his friends across the road. They spotted me and ran across the road. They crowded around me and started shouting at me. There were too many voices but I could make out a couple of the insults. "You only exist to be a nerd!" "You're such a loser, just kill yourself already!"

"Everybody, SHUT UP!" Cody shouted, "Now listen nerd," He said menacingly, "If you don't kill yourself, I'm going to murder you. Understood?" I nodded quickly and kept my mouth shut in case I wasn't supposed to talk. I tried to leave but he blocked my only way out and continued, "I only have three more words to say to you. Watch. Your. Back."

They walked away laughing and I sprinted home since it was just around the corner. My mum was standing on the front porch. She looked mad, but the angry look quickly turned into a sad look and she started tearing up. "Oh my god! I'm so glad you're okay!" She ran over to me and gave me the biggest hug she's ever given me.

"Mum, I'm not okay. Why on earth would I be okay?"

"You're not dead, that's a good start." She let go and we went inside. We sat down at the dining table and she said sadly, "I got a phone call from the school today. Why didn't you tell me that any bullying was going on?"

"I was worried. They were constantly saying if I told you that they would hurt me. But they hurt me anyway."

"But they wouldn't have known. They don't spy on you while you're at home."

"I was worried you would call the school and they would find out I told you that way." She just nodded her head in understanding. "So you were scared," She mumbled. I nodded and she let me go. I was even more scared than before. They had threatened to murder me!

I went into my room and lay face down on my bed. I started to cry but after around 5 minutes of crying I stopped because I could feel a stare. The stare of my mum. I didn't turn over because I didn't need to. She came over and sat on my bed. "I wish dad was here," I mumbled. "Me too, but just know he'll be watching over you from heaven. He'll be rooting for you, shouting, 'You can get through this!'" I nodded into my pillow and she got up to leave. I turned over and she was almost at the door. "You know sweetie, I agree with your father, you can get through this," She said right before she left. I got up and went into the living room. My brother walked in and put his bag in his bedroom. He came into the living room and sat down across from me. He took one look at my face and shouted, "What the heck happened?!" My eyes welled up with tears and he moved to sit next to me. "Was it bullies?" I nodded and he continued, "How many were there?" "13," I mumbled slowly. "Where are your glasses?" I pulled my broken glasses out of my pocket and showed them to him. He asked if I was going to replace them and how. "You know I babysit Luke and Jacob, right?" He nodded and I continued, "Our aunt gave me extra money to pay for my glasses."