High School at Laguna

Part 2

Weeks were passing by very slowly. Everyday was just a struggle to get through. Everyday I woke up in the morning I wondered what would happen next. Would I get more notes in my locker? Would they threaten me all the time? Or would they reveal my secrets for the whole school to see? Will I get tripped on my way to the front of the class again? Or will I get notes taped to my back? Every one of these acts she pulled on me was always made to humiliate me in front of everyone else.

"Smriti," Ms. Ramona called out for me to go next for the health checkup, "and Serena."

I took a sharp intake of breath when I heard her name being called too. I stood up and walked through the door after her. She was waiting for me right outside the door.

"So, I've heard you've been getting some notes lately. Got some well wisher thinking of you huh?" she said and smiled.

I said nothing to her. She took this opportunity to reach out to me. I jumped back scared of what she was going to do. She just laughed at me. "Don't worry sweetie, I was just trying to keep you from walking into that class." She pointed at the class door right in front of me.

"But I wasn't going to go in." I said confused. Right then I felt her push me through the door as I stumbled into the art class. Thankfully no one was there to see me tripping over all the papers and paint boxes in the room. I fell right next to a bucket full of red paint. Serena poked her head through the door to look at me. I felt so embarrassed. I tried to get up but ended up knocking the paint bucket over. I quickly picked up the bucket and ran out the door straight to the nurse's office.

...

"Are you hurt?" the nurse asked me after seeing red paint all over my hand.

"Oh no, it's...it's just p-paint." I slowly said. My heart was still pounding from running away from all the mess.

"Why don't you go wash it off after the checkup, ok?" she suggested.

Serena walked in through the door right as I walked out. Suddenly I lost my balance a little and almost fell to the ground. A hand came forward and stopped me though. I looked up and found Serena looking at me.

"You okay?" she asked smiling behind a look of concern. Her nails were digging into my skin through my sweater. "Just remember that you can't escape me," she whispered in my ear.

I went to the bathroom and scrubbed the red paint off my hand. I rubbed a little too hard and real blood started to flow from my hands. I just looked at it and started to cry. Not because of the blood but because of the person who made me do this. I hated having to live with constant worry. I didn't want to come to school everyday just to be mocked and humiliated and scared all the time. I didn't want to hurt myself like this. I walked of the bathroom and found another nurse.

"Oh dear you are actually bleeding!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, I guess the paint was covering the real wound after all."

Part 2.1

I looked at her; she was so perfect. I did not know why I felt so self-conscious when I was around her. She had that picture perfect look about her. With her golden hair, her slim body, and her smile with the pearly white teeth. She made friends with everyone in the school and sifted out the ones would be the most useful to her later. Everyone knew that she made friends only to benefit herself but no one would dare say anything bad about her. Why? Because they loved her. They loved feeling important, and welcomed, and accepted. She made them feel that with her friendliness.