I started to build my walls up as I walked into the High School, Momma and Daddy in tow. Daddy's arm was draped around my shoulder. He must have sensed what I was dreading. I took a deep breath when we walked into the cafeteria, where everyone was registering for their classes. We had to go over to a table, pick a paper with the list of classes for our grade and then write down the four we wanted. Me being a sophmore, I chose: English 2, History 2, Geometry, and Biology 2. Yep...I was a nerd. I did well in school, just like my Dad but I still couldn't decide what i really wanted. Education or music. I tried to duck away as one of the girls who picks on me started walking over to us.
"Annabelle, what are you doing?" Daddy asked as he saw me fidgeting around trying to come up with an idea to run and hide in the bathroom.
"I....I'm just trying to get away from someone." I admitted. I didn't want to tell him everything, especially about the whole bully thing. If he found out, he would go haywire and probably want to have a word with her and her parents. Jackson looked at me, and then looked over at Caroline, the bully. She was a tall brunette, and she was a senior this year. Of course she had to push everyone out of her way who was "below" her. He stood up, and then grabbed my arm pulling me away.
"Yeah um....we'll be right back. We're going to go get a drink from the vending machine." Jackson lied. He drug me out of the cafeteria and into an empty hallway of lockers.
"You've got to tell them Annabelle." Jackson told me. "This isn't going to stop if you don't say anything. And you need to stand up for yourself. Don't let her boss you around and toss all of your things in the floor."
"But she's a senior." I whined leaning up against a wall. "I'm just a sophomore. And Momma and Daddy aren't going to be able to get anything done. The school isn't going to do anything to her."
"You've hid black eyes and bloody noses from them." Jackson explained. "If you ever come home and Daddy catches you hurt, he's going to know something is up. He will know something happened at school. You just need to sit down and explain everything thats going on."
I looked down at the floor and then back at Jackson. His eyes were filled with love, care, and worry.
"If you need help telling them, I will be there with you." He said as he walked closer to me. "But Annabelle, this is something serious. You could end up in the hospital if they decide to beat the living crap out of you next time. You're my sister, and I worry about you. I see the way you walk down the halls and glance down at the floors. Its not right, what they do to you."
We both looked up as a door to the hallway opened up. It was Daddy.
"What's going on?" Daddy asked as he walked over to us. "I thought you two were going to get a drink?"
"We were just talking about trying out for the track team." Jackson blurted. Bless my little brother, he was so good with coming up with lies.
Daddy started to form the half-smirk he was so famous for.
"Well ok, but you two need to finish picking out your classes so we can go get something to eat." He told us. Ya know, Daddy has never been able to act like a serious person. He tries to act all parental on us, but most of the time it doesn't work. Most of the time, he and Momma act like our best friends than our parents.
I was lucky enough not to bump into any of the bullies when we made our way back into the cafeteria. We finished picking out our classes and then to make our story to Daddy plausible, we did sign up for track on the tryouts sheet. Therefore, both Jackson and I would both have to literally "tryout" for track. Oh boy, fun times...fun times. After going through all the stressful school schedule mess, we decided to go eat at one of Daddy's favorite restraunts Whiskey Kitchen which was located in downtown Nashville. As soon as we walked in, we seen Uncle Charlie (Charlie Worsham). All three of us: Jackson, Aisy, and I bombarded him at the same time.
"Well, hey there." Uncle Charlie said, his arms wrapped around all three of us. "How's my beautiful nieces and nephew doing?"
He always called us his nieces and nephew, him and Daddy being label mates and all. They were actually getting ready to do a huge tour together, which was going to be amHayesing. We grabbed a big table and all sat together, eating our favorite foods and enjoying being able to have a family dinner in public without the paparazzi stalking us.
That night before bed as I was changing into my pajamas, I thought about what Jackson had told me earlier. I know that I needed to tell Momma and Daddy about the bullying, but I just kept thinking that I only had two more years. What's two more years of bullying gonna do to me? After graduation, I wouldn't have to put up with them anymore. I sat back, and decided not to tell them yet. It just didn't feel like the right time.
