Silenced

Chapter 28- Priorities

Chapter 28

Priorities

August Griffin

I sat at the desk in my sister's room, staring at her as she played with her fingers. She really thought it was over. She has been wrong.

"August." She said, finally looking up at me.

"April." I said, my eyes staying on her.

"I'm fine." She said dismissively.

"Are you? I didn't realize with your call of despair, begging me to come get you. I couldn't tell with you sitting on the floor of the showers in nothing more than a towel. I wasn't sure with your eyes red from crying and dried snot on your face."

"You can stop."

"I will. When you tell me what's wrong. Seems like a fair deal."

We continued to sit there. We went hours without talking, a stark contrast to the last time when I couldn't have gotten her to stop talking if I had begged her. When it was seven, about a quarter to, I stood up.

"I'm going to eat dinner. This. Is. Not. Over. I'll talk to you in the morning." I said knowing that the second that I left, she'd lock the door.

I walked out and, as predicted, I heard the lock click in place. I went to the kitchen and fixed myself a plate Id food before going to bed. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

*******

There was a Respect for All assembly today. We had one every year for the last 8 years. There was a reason that our school was so expecting, the majority at least.

8 years ago, a sophomore boy named Killian Lehman killed himself after being bullied for months at school. Teachers and students both either disregarded the behavior of the bullies or joined in. He posted his goodbye on Facebook before he didn't. He talked about how he was sorry for whatever he did to make people hate him, how I was sorry for being who he was, for being a gay. He also apologized to his parents and sister for doing it, but said that he had no other option. Most people ignored it but a few reported it which prompted the police to check on him. He killed himself at home, no one one how except for his parents and the police. After that, almost all faculty was fired and replaced and the school became a 100% bully free zone in more than just name. The punishments were no longer jokes or slaps on the wrist, people were suspended and expelled. The administration told the story every year, one assembly per grade.

The school had taken a turn for the better, though it wasn't perfect. It was one of the reasons why so many people were out, even if it was just in school.

I furrowed my brows while I thought. Was I out? I had never told anyone. Nor had I had a boyfriend. I had a couple of girlfriends, but none since middle school. Did my friends know that I was into guys? I had never really thought about it. I knew that most of them wouldn't care. There would probably one or two people in the lacrosse team with a problem, something about being in the locker room with a 'fag'. But they wouldn't be stupid enough to say something knowing that our coach is a gay married man. If they wanted to stay on the team, or in school.

Thinking about it, our school was really open. Like a lot. It wasn't a bad thing, it was just weird. High school movies hadn't prepared me for such a utopia high school.

The principal got on the stage for the third time today and started in on his speech. He started off with bullying on whatever basis and moved on to harassment, both sexual and non sexual. It was always a different speech, always a good one. I always paid attention to it, especially when he told the story of Killian Lehman. It was sad to hear, that someone just like me, chose to take his life rather than to live with being treated like shit everyday of his life. The story for sadder every time I heard it but I always listened to it. He had died becuase of something that could've been prevented and it was a yearly reminder that words did mean something.

It was depressing.

The assembly lasted two class periods, one of them being gym and the other being lunch. I went to my next period class when it was over. Before that, I went to my sister's class. I had her schedule.

I got to her room as she was entering. I stopped her when she saw me.

"Hey." She said with an awkward short wave.

"I'll be taking you home right after school ends. Don't be late." I said.

"I have practice until 6 today. Big games almost here. Don't you have practice too?"

"Oh, you're still on the team? I didn't realize after they left you in the locker room, naked and a mess. And I do have practice. I'll take you home and get back before it starts."

"Now you won't have to because I'm going to practice."

I stared at her for a while before walking away. I barely made it to my next class on time but I was preoccupied with more important things than Macbeth.

After school, I went straight to the locker room. If April insisted on going to practice, she'd deal with it in her own.

When I finished changing, I went to the field. Most people were still changing. I was one of three people out here. As usual, we started with laps around the field. Coach let the captains led practice.

About a hour into us practicing shots and defense, someone entered the field, walked straight to the bleachers, and sat down. Even with their hoodie on, I knew who it was. I called for a water break, the others agreed. I jogged over to the bleachers and sat down.

"What happened to practice?" I asked my sister.

She sat with her head in her hands.

"It ended early." She responded shortly.

"No, it didn't." I said immediately. If practice was over, the cheerleaders with boyfriends or friends on the team would've come to practice like they usually do.

"It is for me."

"What happened?"

"Apparently I don't have enough energy to be on the performance squad, I'm just a filler now."

I sucked in my lips.

"Why is all of this even happening?"

She shrugged.

"You should get back to practice." She whispered.

"Fine." I said standing up and walking back onto the field.

Lyle met me as I walked towards the team.

"What's up with your sister?"

"I wish I knew."

The rest of practice was a blur. I couldn't wait to get home. I checked my phone as April and I walked to my car after I changed.

I hadn't been on it in a while. I scrolled through the pointless Facebook statuses and the annoying Instagram uploads. I looked to see if I had any missed calls. I stopped in my tracks when I got to my messages.

1 Unread Message - Kaiser
Yesterday

Shit.

******
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3/28/18