A Part Of Me

Chapter 4 (Harper)

I pull the girl aside and push her into the bathroom.

"Ow! What are you doing?!" she says, trying to pull her arm out of my grip

"Who are you? Why are you talking about Jenny? What do you know? Is she okay?" questions explode out of my mouth before I can stop them.

"What? Um.. I'm May, the boys were talking about you, so they told me about Jennifer. I don't know anything else, and what do you mean 'Is she okay?'?' she says, I can clearly tell she's hiding something. Wait.. what am I doing?!

"U-um... sorry... I'm not sure w-why I did what I did, I'm s-sorry... I'm not myself today." I say

Great job, now you've done it!

I sigh, I suck at first impressions today... what is wrong with me..?

"Oh, well, uh.. Maybe we should properly introduce ourselves?" she says

What? Why Is she being nice to me?

"O-okay.." I say "My name is Harper.... Sorry.. I'm bad with introductions.."

"That's alright, I'm May, and it's nice to meet you Harper." she says, smiling.

"Why are you being s-so nice to me?" I ask, once again not being able to stop myself.

"Because, Harper Penny, I believe that everyone should have a second chance, and I see now, that you were just worried about your friend. That's what I like in people, that they're not only beautiful on the outside, but on the inside as too."

Wait, did she say my last name? Did I say my last name when I introduced myself?

No you idiot, the boys were talking about you, remember?

I sigh again, obviously I can't get rid of the truth, so I just have to face the facts...

Just then, my phone starts buzzing, Jenny is calling me.

"One second, I n-need to take this." I tell May

"Of course." she says, waving me outside to let me have some privacy.

I pick up the phone, "Hey."

"Hey, I'm sorry about today... my mom insisted I went to see Dr. H before I went to school..." she says. I can hear the sadness in her voice, telling me that she needs me again. I want to help her, but.. I'm mentally not able to today, it's been such a long day of worrying. Although, I need to be here for her.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Do you think my parents think I'm this bad..?" she answers

"I think they just want you to be okay. I'm not sure if they do though, in my opinion, they think you're fine, just giving you check-ups once in while." I'm trying... I really am.

She's silent, not saying a single word. All I can hear is her heavy breathing. Did she go running or something? I decide to ask.

"No.. I'm just scared.." she says.

"What? Why?" I ask, hoping I won't get the response I expect.

"I just don't know what to do anymore, Harper... I've gotten worse, everything has. I don't know what to do." I can hear the tremor in her voice, like it's hurting her to say this. "I just want the pain to stop, Harper... I want it all to go away.. Disappear, never to hurt anyone, ever again.."

"I know, Jenny. I know." I say. "I'm the same way."

"I think I should hang up, I'll text you later." she says hanging up before I can say anything to her. She's obviously trying to avoid further conversation.

What a 'wonderful' talk you had.

Why do I have you again?

To point out obvious mistakes, remember?

I once again try to ignore it, not working... again.

I walk back into the bathroom to go talk to May again, hoping I didn't leave her there too long. Though when I walk in, she's not there. She probably back with the group again. So I go back, and there she is, sitting with the guys again. The guys obviously trying to 'woo' her. I walk over and when she sees me, she smiles. She gestures to the seat next to her. I look at the guys when I take a seat, they are both glaring at me. I guess I deserve that... both of them were probably wanting to sit next to her.

"Ekhem" one of the boy's clears his throat. "So? You can replace Jennifer that quickly eh'?"

I jump in surprise to that question.

"W-what? No! What makes y-you think that!" I say loudly

"Oh, s-s-s-sorry! Maybe he wasn't asking the right q-q-q-q-question! Why are you sitting there, H-h-h-harper?" the other boy says, making fun of my stutter. The first one laughs.

This time I look are May, who stands up, making the table push against them. She continues to push it till they are squished in between the seat and the table. Katie and Martha look up and come to see what's happening.

"I will not tolerate you talking that way to my friend, and if you do that again, I will personally make all the bones in your bodies, snap like twigs." May threatens.

"Make that double" Martha says

Katie nods, rubbing my shoulders to keep me calm. She knows what I can do when I'm angry, though, I'm not angry, I just want to cry. This is just like middle school all over again. Why did I ever think this would be any different? May releases the boys, only to have them try to run away, but Martha grabs them both by the back collar of their shirts, pulling the close to her face.

"Do you understand?" she asks.

"Yes." they say simultaneously.

When Martha lets them go, they run away, only to trip each other, falling flat on their faces, making everyone around them laugh. Some of the people are looking at us, others are pointing at them. I feel sick. I just want to go home, forget today ever happened.

We go back to to my original table, sitting and telling May to take a seat. The three of them talk. Me looking at the railing beside me, wishing I could jump down the stairs.

"Well that was fun." Martha says.

"Fun? I found it very frightening." Katie says.

"I agree with you, I thought it was entertaining." May tells Martha

I stay silent, I just want to hear Jenny's voice again. All I can do is hope she's okay, and that she actually texts me later. Every sound around me is just an echo now, I can barely focus, I want the day to be over.