In Love and Afraid

First Attack

"Bullying of any kind will not be tolerated in this school. There will be serious consequences for anyone who does not follow this rule. If you see something, don't just be a bystander, report it immediately. If you come to us, you will stay anonymous. Being a witness who does nothing is just as bad as being the bully. Don't let another victim stand alone!" After a moment of depressing silence,  "Get back to class." 

Principle Johnson shook his head as he got off the stage. It was the third assembly this month. The school was in a panic because the death of Kyle Samuels, well not really the students. Rumor has it, the principle is on the verge of getting fired for not doing anything to prevent it or helped the kid. I personally wouldn't mind him getting let go. 

"Jules? Are you even listening?" 

"Oh, um, sorry. What'd you say?"

Scarlett rolled her eyes and smiled. "I said, Trent was checking you out the whole time Principle Jackass was giving his speech."

"Okay?"

"He's absolutely into you! Maybe try to talk to him?"

"I'll pass."

"Oh my God, why? A hot guy is into you! Go for it!"

"Not my type." Before she asked why, I said, "I have math. See you at lunch!"

"We are NOT finished Juliet!"

As I began to walk away I flipped her off behind me. Her soft laugh rang through my ears. I looked back to see her turning the corner. 

"Hey, juliet!" Marcus Andrews strolled towards me. 

"What do you want?" Maybe my cold greeting would give him a hint.

"Woah chill little Julie."

"Don't call me that."

"Whatever. Anyways I'm throwing a party-"

"No."

"You don't know what I was going to say."

"I'm not going to your party."

"Oh come on!"

"No!"

"Why?"

"You're seriously asking me why?"

He raised both his eyebrows, saying yes without words.

"I have better things to do Marcus."

"Okay, what things?"

I stopped. "I don't have to explain myself to you. I'm not going to your house to get drunk, do whatever drugs that get brought in, and hook up with the first person I see." I started making my way to class again.

He stayed behind and yelled to me, "Let yourself have fun sometime, J!"

I ignored him. I did have fun all the time. Just because it wasn't my type of fun doesn't mean I never had fun. Reading, for example. You jump into a new world and live a different life as if you're a character. A book is an escape from any and every problem, for a limited time. It's entertaining and it gives you a break, who wouldn't love it?

Soon I reached the classroom I would learn about World War II in for the next hour and a half. Most of the kids were socializing by having simple small talk. A couple was practically eating each other's faces. There was a group of three copying last night's homework. I sat at an empty chair in the back. 

"Okay, calm down. Sit down everybody! I have to talk to you all about something important." Mr. Nicky announced, he sounded worried.

Gregg Taylor chuckled with his group of followers. Mr. Nicky instantly got irritated. 

"Mr. Taylor, do you have anything you'd like to share?" His voice was full of rage, but his tone was calm.

"The school assembly wasn't enough? I think we get it." Gregg glared at him, "The kid killed himself, constantly yelling at us doesn't change it, sir."

"Hall, now!"

Gregg smirked at his friends and left the room. The class, excluding his buddies of course, went silent.

"Quiet!" Mr. Nicky could be intimidating if he wanted to be. "Back to what I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, today we'll be taking a break from our normal studies. The boys bathroom was vandalized-"

"With all due respect sir, why are you telling us this? The bathrooms always have writing in them." Some random dude yelled out.

"This particular writing was extremely repulsive. Not only will we be closing that restroom down until it gets repainted, there will be a lockdown and search during this period. We won't be getting out at our normal time. Principle Johnson will be checking lockers as well. This is being taken very seriously. When we find out who did this, they will have consequences." He then proceeded to go out into the hall.

As soon as the door was closed, chatter arose.

"What the hell? Why are they taking this so serious? What was written?" One of Gregg's teammates demanded, like any of us knew.

"There was talk during the assembly. From what I heard, somebody walked into the bathroom and saw somebody with their hood up writing over an entire wall. There's different rumors though, some say it was words, others say it was a dead body. I'm guessing we'll never know." The boy that was making out with the cheerleader at the beginning of class said.

Everyone started explaining their opinions about the little information presented to them, but their voices began to fade as my thoughts came through clear. I'm guessing the bathroom thing had something to do with Kyle. That poor kid never got a break, not even after he died. All because he was-

"Alright, I will be passing out some surveys. They will stay anonymous, please fill them out. Once you are done, close it, and put it in the corner of your desk. After everyone is done, I have an activity planned."

As Mr. Nicky was handing everything out, Gregg's buddies were asking what happened out in the hall. Any gossip they could soak up would be greatly appreciated by them. Although Gregg, out of everyone, would be talking, probably mostly things that are highly exaggerated, didn't say a word. Actually, he did, but he only, "let it go." Something had upset him so much, he didn't talk. What the hell is going on?

"Please fill these out. It'll help us more than you know. Begin."

I scanned the questions briefly. Oh my God...