Smile

6

Josie talked to me

today.

But she wasn't

as nice

as she was

the first day.

She told me

I was a loser

and that

she couldn't believe

she was nice

to me.

She also said

that I should go home

and kill myself.

Nobody would care.

I turned away from her,

and ran into the girls bathroom.

Her laughs followed me,

and rang inside my head.

I locked myself

in a bathroom stall,

and bawled my eyes out.

I sobbed until

my eyes were dry.

I threw up

the smoothie I drank

until it was just dry heaving.

My head pounded wildly,

and her words echoed in my head.

You're such a loser...

Go home and kill yourself...

Nobody would care...

What did I do?

What happened?

Another wave of tears came,

and I cried more

than I ever had before.

Then I heard the bathroom door

open.

I sniffed,

and wiped my eyes.

I pushed myself

off the bathroom floor,

and hugged myself.

I waited for the girl to leave,

but she surprised me.

"Daiha?" she called.

It was Ingrid.

I rubbed my eyes,

hoping my mascara

didn't get all over my face.

I unlocked the stall door,

and stepped out.

"I heard what happened."

I wrapped my arms

around my chest,

and nodded slightly.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Her eyes told me

she was concerned.

But I felt like

it was all an act.

She would leave me

eventually.

Just like everyone else.

Or,

she wouldn't even try.

And as soon as the words

left her lips,

I lost it.

A tear

dripped down my face

without my permission.

And before I could even

do anything,

Ingrid was hugging me.

Another sob wracked my body,

and before I knew it,

I was weeping.

I clutched Ingrid

for my life.

She never let me go,

or made fun of me.

"Come on," she said.

"Let's get out of here."

I couldn't believe

she was willing to skip class

to hang out with me.

I sniffed,

and nodded stiffly,

before following her weakly

out the bathroom door.