"Ah, Shayden, it's nice to see you. What brings you here today?"
My face was on fire.
I sat down and pulled out my laptop.
"I have some concerns regarding a recent tweet on the school feed that I'd like to share with you."
He furrowed his brow.
I flipped open the lid, the screen still on the tweet. I turned the laptop to face him.
He read for a moment before replying with, "Yes? What's your concern?"
Oh okay, you wanna play that game, huh?
"My concern is the awful things you said in this message! My best friend is African American, and I don't appreciate the racial slurs here. Thank god she didn't see it, but if she did, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't have just brushed it off."
My blood was pumping, my cheeks were burning, and my mind was going nuts.
He stood up without hesitation.
"God created white people to resemble purity and goodness. It's not part of God's word to go around parading a tainted version of his creation."
WHAT IS WITH EVERYONE USING GODS WORD AGAINST ME?!
I cleared my throat and stood up.
"Answer me this, Mr. Dodwell. In what part of 'god's word' does it say that you can downsize other people, just because their skin is slightly darker than your own!"
"Ms. Crae, you're missing the point. I'm big and you're small, and I'm right and you're wrong, and there's nothing you can do about it!!"
I simply stood there stunned, until I came to my senses and walked out of the main office, and sat down in the learning commons.
I pulled my laptop out again, and put on my black headphones. I pulled up Spotify, and clicked on 'The Things We Used To Share' by Thomas Sanders.
I closed the browser, the music still going. I shut my eyes and put my head down.
Two hours later
I heard the dismissal bell go off. Oh jeez, it's time to go home.
Oh god, Dad.
What's going to happen?
I packed my things off of my table of solace and zipped up my black backpack.
I walked out the main entrance, and waited for Olly.
It's been fifteen minutes now.
Still no Olivia.
I shrugged, and decided to just walk home alone.
I was walking along the path on the side of the school, when I heard voices.
'Faggot.'
'Look, the sissy's crying! Aw...'
Laughter.
Quiet sobs.
Painful cries.
This can't be good.
I peaked around the back of the school, and I saw three boys. Two of whom were beating and saying anti-lgbt slurs at the third boy.
"Hey, what gives?!" I shouted.
All three boys turned to me.
I was slightly trembling, out of fear.
"Look at that. Another fag to tear to pieces."
The two bullies laughed.
"Leave him alone! He's not doing anything wrong!"
The bullies exchanged a glance and started to slowly walk to me.
I locked eyes with the shorter boy, and motioned for him to run. He looked back, shaking. He nodded and ran, all with wide eyes.
I felt a hard sting on my left cheek. One bully had slapped me. The other pushed me against the wall and kicked my shin, causing me to fall and cry out.
"Shut up, bitch." The other one spat, and kicked my chest. They continued to beat me, until they got bored and left. My arms were scraped, my leg was bruised, and my lip was bleeding.
"...are you ok?"
I looked at the corner. The boy.
He reached his hand out and pulled me up.
"Hi, I'm Shay. You're Carmen, right?"
He nodded and smiled.
"Have they beat you like that before now?"
He blushed and looked away.
"It's ok... I went through that kind of stuff in middle school. It wasn't a great time."
He smiled weakly.
"I have to get home... and patch my self up. I'll see you again, right?"
His eyes lit up and nodded.
I grinned at my new friend, and walked away.
I walked up my driveway as slowly as possible.
I opened the front door and walked inside. It shut.
"SHAYDEN LYNN CRAE, GET IN HERE NOW."
