The Socialite (short story)

1

There I was standing in the middle of the field with no friends, confidence or bravery left in me. How ever I was strong, I wasn't gonna cry. The tears where threatening to spill. Everyones eyes were stuck to mine, peering into my soul. All I really wanted at this moment was for the ground to create a dark hole under my feet and for me to be devoured in it.
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What had seemed to be a normal day at recess somehow turned into the worst day of my life. It all started when my 'so- called' best friend Veronica and my friend Natalie started to hug. My intention was not to stop them from hugging all I really wanted was a good laugh, they went into hug again but were stopped from my arm, thats when it started.

I felt a shove on my chest as a fell backwards on to the concrete. "What the fuck!" She cursed loud and clear down at me. My bum hurt so bad, I felt as if I had broken a 'butt bone'. Natalie stood there not saying a word nor helping me up, I shocked at her actions but was still recovering from Veronica's. I slowly pushed myself up with my hand trying to catch my balance. I couldn't believe she just did that, as much as I wanted to push her back down so hard she would lose her memory, I couldn't because I was a wimp, a big old wimp with no one to back me up.
Of course I had Veronica but lets face it, she wasn't really a good friend. She abused me verbally all of the time, she made me feel as if I was nothing compared to her, and at many points In my middle school life I believed her. Everyone always told me I was her 'puppy dog' that she was always with me because I was too nice and gullible, and at this point I was starting to see it. See everyone asked me why I was friends with her? I personally don't know how someone can be friends with such a person either, but at the time all that was running through my head was popularity, I mean it was grade seven. If I didn't hang out with her, I had no body. I would look like a complete loner, and I wasn't the most confident soul in the world which tolerated me to be quiet and not talk back to anyone, like I said I was a wimp.

Recess was pretty normal at this point. Me, Natalie and Veronica where casually walking around the large snow-filled field until me and Veronica broke out into an argument. I don't even recall as to what the argument was about, all I remember is my body being filled with rage and fury. I'm assuming it was a big argument because a few people started to pop around us. It was like a wrestling match, everyone intently listening as we ranted on to each other not stopping to even take a breath. I didn't know what had happened to me, I was yelling as if everything I had been holding inside had finally found freedom. Veronica was winning, as her words flashed around my mind I felt a sharp pain strike across my face.
"Yeah bitch that was well deserved" I heard her venomous voice echo in the air.
Someone accidentally threw a football at my face, and perfect timing too, right? Its like this was planned, for me to become the weakling I am in front of all these harsh kids.
I stood there in shock, as I felt my cheeks burn in embarrassment, My eyes stung ready to release tears as I tried to swallow the lump in my throat. My vision blurred due to the tears that were forming underneath my eyelids. Ever seen those movies where the kid gets some sort of sport equipment thrown at their face? It was just like that, but worse because this wasn't a movie, it was all real and it was happening to me.

"Are you okay?" I heard someone say in-between laughs. I will not cry, I will not cry, I thought. I stood there trying to force a smile upon my thin lips that had turned pale as I slowly nodded in response.

"Are you okay?" I heard a raspy voice yell from a distance, "I'm really sorry" he apologized sincerely coming up to me. I'm guessing he threw it, I once again tried smiling but failed to do so. I felt a warm tear roll down my cheek, as it came to my realization that I was at the starting line of crying. No, no, no, no. I quickly turned my heal towards the school and started speed-walking off of the field ignoring crude stares.

I didn't even know where I was going, I just didn't want to be seen. I stopped in front of these group of girls I had talked to a few times and casually stood near them trying not to look alone. I used to do this all the time in grade seven, I just used to stand next to random groups of people looking like an unwanted, pathetic,defeated, loser.

I walked around a bit, still having little conversations with people as they pointed out my swollen cheek.
After forever, the bell finally rang.
I sighed in relief, as I started making my way into the school, trying to go up the stairs as the crowd of children stampeded towards the stairs.

After pushing my way though an army of middle schoolers, I finally got to my locker, as I swiftly started to put in the combination I felt a harsh shove by my shoulder moving me from my spot. I watched as Veronica put in the combination ignoring my presence, she yanked the lock open and bust open the locker, she threw her stuff in and slammed it shut not bothering to lock it again. I just watched her walk away sighing and copying her actions. I walked in the classroom clenching my binder, gripping it around my long cold fingers. Everyones eyes turned toward me while I made my way to my desk. I hated when people looked at me, it made me aggravated and uncomfortable. I spotted Veronica sitting in the corner of the class room talking to her friends, I quietly sat down in my chair not bothering to look up.
"Alright girls" Ms. Yakau, our teacher started, the room silenced as her voice bounced off the wall. My mind was still recuperating from the previous events that occurred.

"We are going to be doing a math package, so grab a partner" oh no, I thought. I lifted my head looking around as everyone paired up, everyone had found a partner but me. Why on earth does this math activity have to do with a partner? Why the hell do we need a partner to do a god damn math package!?
When I realized after my train of thoughts had stopped, that I didn't have a partner the lump in my throat got bigger. Nobody came to me, my eyes wandered around the room once more, hoping that someone would be willing to work with me, but just like last time and every other time before that, no one.

I mentally cursed as I swiftly slid out of my chair making my way over to my teachers desk.

"Um, is it okay if I work alone?" I asked.
She looked at me and nodded in curiosity, "is everything alright?" She question. That was weird, why'd she me ask that? Maybe my eyes were still swollen from the previous crying? I quickly blinked making sure they weren't. "Yes" I lied, wow I lied a lot today.
She gave me a smile full of pity and clemency.
I walked back to my chair staring down at the package that had been handed out to us. I had no idea what it was, you see math isn't exactly my strongest link and it will never be, but personally I think I am just an idiot. As said in Shakespeare 'thy fool-brained' and hell yes am I fool brained. This one time me and Veronica had received our math test back, and she got perfect, as usual. While I resulted with a horrible mark, I wasn't exactly the smartest kid. I mean I was but according to everyone I did not have self belief. As I shamefully repeated my mark to Veronica the first thing that came out of her mouth was "Annie, I think you have some sort of learning disability" and that one sentence impacted me for the next four years of my life. I felt my face drop, it was as if everything I have been working for, living for, all my life's confidence had been drained out of me with a vacuum cleaner.