The Last Week Chapter Two

Chapter Two

          Days pass and Robert still constantly talks to me. It’s nice waking up every morning knowing that there is someone out there willing to be your friend. “Sky! Sky!” I look up and see Robert running down the hallway towards me and I brace myself. He slams into me and gives me a big hug. I stare at him in surprise.

          “Guess what! They put me on the football team! Isn’t that awesome!” he smiles and twirls me around, “You have to come and watch every game okay?”

          I nod in agreement, a smile growing on my face as well. He jumps up and down and releases me.

          He grins, “Now, if we win the first game, you have to say something. Anything okay? I’ll get you to talk. I will!” He takes me by the hand and pulls me through the halls talking of how excited he is and how he’ll win for sure, “Even though the first game is a while away, that just means I’ll have enough time to make sure I’m ready. I’ll win I promise you that.”

          Once I get home that day I go straight to my room like always. I smile and dismiss the fact that Jeremy only hurt me moments before. I only think of Jeremy, my first friend. He means so much to me. I smile and clutch a pillow to my chest. My own personal angel…

          Martha walks in at the moment. She looks at me weirdly, “Why are you smiling girl? Have you done something bad?” she looks around the room investigating it.

          I shake my head no. She gives me one long look and says, “If I ever catch you doing something you aren’t supposed to I’ll report it to your mother immediately.” She takes one last look around the room then walks out.

          I ignore her and still hug the pillow. Things have to get better now? Don’t they?

          They don’t. One the bus Jeremy realizes I don’t care about his bullying any longer, that I no longer feel as much pain as I did before. He grits his teeth, “You better be careful. Someone you love might get hurt.”

          Someone I love? Is he planning on hurting Robert? I stare at him and he knows he hits a nerve.

I dread the next day. The bus rises high above me, growing larger the more I stare at it.

          “You getting on or not?” the driver says glaring at me.

          I nod and climb on. I suffer a full twenty-five minutes until I get to school. It’s the same ruthless torture I’d experienced the day before. Except this time it’s worse, “So, what’s that kid’s name? Robert?”

          I stare at Jeremy willing him not to go further, willing him not to speak his name out of his mouth again. I must make some expression because he smiles a satisfied smile, “I think I’ll have another talk with him. Maybe rough him up a bit.”

          He jumps across me, wiping his dirty sneakers on my white stockings. I jump up after him. He sprints across the yard towards Robert. Then his fist lashes out. It hits Robert square in the face.

          “No!” I scream.

          Everyone stops and stares at the sound of my voice. I rush forward and I slap Jeremy across his face, making an echo through the whole school yard. A small angry red hand print is left on his face, “Don’t you dare touch him again.”

          I grab Robert’s hand and take him away into the school. Everyone just stares as we rush past them. I pull him into the gym doors and into the darkness. Once safely inside I let go of him and stare at my hand. It tingles from the slap. I squint through the darkness at Robert, “Are- Are you okay?”

          He doesn’t say anything at first, but then I can clearly see his bright smile, “Ha! You do talk!  I knew it!” He pumps his fist up into the air, “And you slapped the heck out of him! That was so cool!”

          I return a little smile about to reply, but the bell rings. His eyes grow wide, “We’re gonna be late!” We run through the halls and breathlessly make it into the room when the tardy bell rings. We rush into our seats and laugh. Everyone glares at us, well, at me.

          The teacher walks in and points at me, “You. Come with me.”

          The class snickers as my cheeks flush. I stand and swiftly walk towards the teacher. He frowns down at me, “Did you slap that boy?” he points at Jeremy. He really shouldn’t point… it’s rude. I pause for a second before nodding my head. He sighs, “Follow me.”

          We walk down the empty hallways and towards the principle office. They sit me down in a seat and call my mommy. Then we wait. She doesn’t arrive until twelve, during her lunch break. Her face is twisted into an angry expression. She apologizes to the principle and takes me home.

          She doesn’t even speak to me. She takes me to my room and leaves to go back to work. Martha enters a few moments later with the paddle. I’m still sore from the day before, but I guess that doesn’t matter to them. She spanks me and then tells me I won’t be having anything to eat for embarrassing my parent’s name.

          I don’t eat either. Not till the next day and it’s not my usual meal. It’s nearly nothing. I look down at the small portion of food, but I don’t complain. I never complain. I don’t care about the food or the fact that my mother doesn’t talk to me anymore. All I care about is Robert.