Sarah is thrown back into an ugly past when her old best-friend-turned-enemy kills herself. With the help of new smiles and old glares, she learns that some things just won't stay dead until you make peace with them.
Will's party had been on the last day of school before Christmas holidays, which meant that when I got back to school I was hit with an unwanted wave of memories from everything that happened that night. Shame pulsated through me in blushing waves, and I felt everyone's eyes on me as I walked through the school corridor the first day back.
I opened my locker door, and out flooded hundreds of tiny torn pieces of paper. They fluttered to the linoleum floor, and several students suppressed laughter around me as I bent to pick them up as quickly as I could. I didn't look at them at first, too busy collecting them before anyone else decided to scatter them further, when I caught what was written in red marker on one.
'Sarah the Slut'
I picked up the others, turning each one over to find the same message on every scrap of paper. Shiloh appeared out of the corner of my eye as a lump began to rise in my throat.
"Hey," she said cautiously, noting my distressed face, and then picked up some more scraps of paper. Other students had gotten to them now, and whispers flew all around me, "What's this?"
I shook my head, jamming the paper back into my locker, "Doesn't matter."
I decided that I didn't need my books anyway, and stormed off with my head down as subtly as I could. Shiloh caught up.
"Yes it does," she waved one of the scraps in front of my nose, "This isn't okay. You should tell someone."
"No," I said as we got to the usual table, "I shouldn't. That's a terrible idea."
Shiloh huffed, "It's still not okay. I detest slut-shaming," she said, the words coming out with a punch, "Just makes it okay for boys to call us that."
I made a non-committal grunt in response.
Harry and Matt joined us then, staring at me with equal expressions of concern.
"What have I just been hearing in the halls?" Matt said. My frown deepened, and I looked away, hoping for Shiloh to explain.
Shiloh slid the scrap of paper across the table, and Harry and Matt crowded over it. They both made an understanding 'Ah' sound, and fell back into their seats.
"Girls," mused Matt, earning a glower from both myself and Shiloh. He looked down at his lap sheepishly.
A group of year nine boys walked past - some of Lewis' friends - and waved at me. I was stunned by the acknowledgement, and was about to return the gesture when they opened their mouths.
"Wanna do it to me, Sarah?"
"Yeah, Sarah! You can come over any time."
They laughed and slapped each other on the backs, as boys do, and wandered off. I gritted my teeth as Shiloh rolled her eyes.
"Ignore them. They won't get their hands on a girl until they're well into their thirties."
I laughed at that, but sank back into the default glare that seemed to be all I was capable of expressing that day.
Great, I thought, seems I can't stop making news at this school.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
