Battle Scars

chapter 25 - predestined

I feel like I was born to help this girl. She stands in front of me with a scared, embarassed look on her face, barely able to catch her breath.

"I should get to class," she says softly when we hear the bell ring.

She starts to turn away but I stop her, "No. You're staying here. We need to talk."

******************

We end up ditching all of 6th hour, sitting in the sand talking.

"My mom died after she gave birth to me. My dad always blamed me, so does my older brother! They hate me, they act like I wanted her to die," the girl explains. The first thing she told me was her name - Katelyn.

I'm about to talk again, but she continues, "My whole life I felt like I killed her, I never wanted to loose her, it would've been nice to know what it's like to have a mom. Anyway, I was happy for the first 11 years of my life. I never knew why my family hated me, but I had friends. One day, a few months after I turned 11, my dad finally told me why I don't have a mom. I changed so much! My friends ditched me and that's when I couldn't take it any longer. The first time I cut I only did it once and told myself I wouldn't do it ever agin. Then I started to get bullied. One thing led to another and....... I don't expect you to understand but-"

"You don't expect me to understand? Oh trust me, I understand," I cut her off and lift up my sleeve, revealing my scars. "My mom died when I was ten. She was in a car accident, my dad was driving. He was drunk. Killed her and a few others in the other car. My dad went to jail, my mom died, and me and my brother went into the foster system. I didn't kiss my mom goodbye. I was mad at her, I don't even remember why. All I know is that, my mother died and I could've said goodbye and I chose not to."

We sit in silence for a few minutes, then Katelyn talks again, "Did people look at you funny too? Like there's something wrong with you?"

"All the time. I learned to ignore it though."

"How?"

"I found hope," I say, refering to Brandon.

She nods her head and her voice cracks when she speaks again, "Will you be my hope?"

"Of course," I say and we hug for a moment. I know I just met her, but I feel like I've known Katelyn my whole life, maybe because we have a lot in common. I feel like I was predestined to help her. I feel like I was given this life just so I could be there for her the way Brandon is there for me.