Innocence

Standing up to Jem

The next day at school they hardly talked. She glanced at him a couple times during class, but his expression was unreadable. Lunch came, and he went to sit with some of his friends, leaving her to sit alone.

"Heh, where's your protector now, pretty lady?" She rolled her eyes. "Leave me alone, John." He looked amused. "Oh so independent now, are we?" He grabbed her arm that had the horrible cut on it from yesterday. She did everything she could to stifle her whimper. "Let me go, now," She said through clenched teeth. "Yeah? Whatcha gonna do about it, pretty lady?" Something inside her clicked, and she yelled, "Stop calling me pretty lady, let go of my arm, and leave me alone. And no! Not for an hour, or a day, leave me alone forever. I am sick and tired of you making me feel worthless." And with that, she left. She dumped her food, grabbed her necklace for reassurance, and walked out of the cafeteria.

Someone tapped her shoulder. "What?" She kept walking. "I am sorry." It was Jem. She stopped, and turned around. "Sorry for what? Making me feel special for a day, then not talking to me? Sorry for making me feel like I actually had a friend then blowing me off? Sorry for me period? Or sorry for not standing up for me in the cafeteria? No, you know what? I'm sorry. Sorry for cutting last night. Sorry I couldn't stop myself from going too deep. Sorry about everything that I have been through that I beat myself up over every single day. Sorry to think I could finally trust someone, and open up my heart. Maybe leave it unguarded for just a second without it being attacked. Sorry I actually thought I had a friend. I am sorry." Jem was stunned, speechless, and had a whole look of hurt on him. She was stunned with herself too. "Sorry," she whispered, then left. The last one she actually meant. She knew she'd hurt him and gone a step too far.