Then You Came Along

Chapter 1

"I cant do this anymore Jasmine. We cant keep moving schools, youre going to have to make some type of friend." My mom yelled. "I just dont understand why you cant be like your sister, shes so popular and makes friends in the snap of a finger." I hated when she did that. Always comparing me to my sister, and every other girl she sees. I wasnt ever perfect enough, nor would I ever be in her eyes. I couldnt seize to amaze her. I remember running home with my report card in 4th grade, so proud that I got straight A's, "Look mommy! I got all A's for my first time!" She nodded her head, "Aren't you proud?" She turned to look out the window. "Yup." I knelt my head, ashamed, feeling like that wasn't good enough. "MOM! Look at this, I got an A in every class for the very first time." My sister - Rachel ran through the doorway yelling. "Really? Let me see this!" My mom took the report card out of her hand. "Good job Rach, Im so proud!" I watched, as my vision went blurry. Rachel was always the better one. She was a grade ahead of me with long blonde hair, and blue eyes. Everyone loves her, and she is very popular. Then, theres me. Im Jasmine, I have brown, shoulder length hair, and a poor taste in style according to my mom. Ive never had a friend before, because everyone thinks of me as a laughing stock. Every kid picks on me, it all started in 3rd grade. I was in Mrs. Carson's class, with these three girls that had always been so perfect in the teachers eyes. I was so excited to get my glasses, and show them off to everyone, but it turned out, it was the worst thing in my life. "Oh your first two eyes didn't work good enough, so you had to get two more? Look everyone, its four eyed Jasmine!" Lily called out when I came into school the next day. I couldn't help but tear up, and slowly let them fall down my cheek. Since that day of school, everyone has taken advantage of my insecurities, and walked all over me, gaining popularity by making me feel worse inside. We moved in 5th grade because I told my dad about kids bullying me, and coming home crying everyday, he had no other choice. We only moved about an hour away, so most people still knew about me. At the end of 5th grade, we moved again, for the same reason, but instead of moving only an hour away, we moved 8 hours away to a different state, a different life style. I prayed that things would change, and they did..just not in the way I hoped. In November of 6th grade, my dad got very sick and passed away. It tore me apart, he was the only reason I stayed happy because he encouraged me to stay strong and not listen to the bullies, they were just jealous because I was so beautiful. I cried myself to sleep every night. I just didn't understand why everything bad happened to me. My 6th grade year was alright, still had no friends, at all. I sat at lunch by myself, and didn't talk to anyone. "Hey! Guess what? I signed up for student government, and Im running for president!" I explained to my mom, hoping she'd support me, but in return I got "Cool." If I ever talked to my mom, she gave short answers. She was never home anymore, and every night she would bring home a new guy. All night I would hear the moans from her room. It disgusted me, and I couldn't live with it. It made me miss my dad more, she made it seem like she didnt miss him at all. One night I packed important things, some clothes and left. I had nowhere to go, but I didnt care. I was leaving and getting far from that place. Sadly, I didnt make it as far as I hoped, something told me to go back, so I did.

I live in a world that is so unkind, its sickening. Even in a brand new school with brand new people, I was still bullied. Rachel became friends with the "popular" girls, and they came over one day. I was sitting in my room listening to music, and doing my homework. I did nothing to them, I didnt even talk to them, but the next day at school, there were pictures hanging up of my bras and panties. When I passed by other people on my way to class I would hear smart remarks. I just didnt know what to do. When I left school, I took the long way home, and just cried. When I reached home, my brother - Josh, nor Rachel were home. It was the perfect chance to relieve my pain. I found an old pencil sharpener, and unscrewed the screw. Hesitating what I was doing, but grieving over these horrible words, I took the blade out. I ran into the bathroom and threw off my sweatshirt. As my skin got torn away, and red blood rose to the surface, I heard the front door open. Shit, I thought to myself. The blood was running down my arm, I didnt have a choice but to jump in the shower and try to get it to stop. BANG BANG BANG. My mom was punching the door, slurring out the words "Hurry the fuck up. I aint got all day." I could tell she was drunk, and had a guy with her. Another guy that she would fuck, and he would leave. Another day where she hit me until I was on the floor sobbing so hard I cant breath. Another freaking day where she favors Josh and Rachel, making them gourmet dinners, but leaving me to make my own dinner and do their dishes. Sometimes I thought about killing myself, maybe it would make everything better. I would see my dad again, and I knew he would be standing there with open arms, apologizing for not being there through the bad times. I would forgive him, because it wasnt his fault. But I never could bring myself to doing it. I was scared of suffering, or having my little brother walk in on my dead body on the ground. Josh loves me, and he hates seeing the things that happen. One time when my mom threw one of her hooker heels at me, it hit me in the side of the head and I fell to the floor bleeding. "MOM." I heard Josh yell right before I passed out. Im not quite sure what happened after that. After my dad died, Josh would hear my crying and sneak into my room quietly, hug me real tight, and whisper "Its okay." Hes only a year younger but to have my little brother know that something isnt right, its sad. One time my mom was smacking him around and I yelled "GET OFF OF HIM!" and I was punched right in the eye. I think my mom takes her anger out on me and Josh because she misses my dad, but other times I dont because she worships Rachel, and treats her like gold. I wish I could reach out for help to someone, for the sake of me and Josh, but I would think about the 'what ifs'. What if it back fired? My mom would probably endlessly beat me, until I was laying on the floor dead.