Summer Rains

11

TW: Drug use, Abuse, Bullying

2018

The stairs flew under me as I ran for the locker rooms. It was my only escape it felt like, they found me everywhere. Their laughs and names echoed in my mind as I swallowed down the tears and focused on getting to the locker rooms before shutting the door and locking myself in a stall. 

My chest heaved with breaths. I fumbled in my pockets when I found the case with my meds. I popped the case open and shook two of them out swallowing them down with water. I took those before I resorted to vaping, I knew the tranquilizers weren't the best for me but I ran out of options at this point. 

I leaned against the wall of the stall, bringing my knees up to my chest. Cringing when the wound on my hip stung. I got up slowly and walked to the full-length mirror, pulled the waistband of my pants, and folded it in to see the gash. 

I knew better than to snitch, they stopped bringing knives but thumbtacks and paperclips worked just as well evidently. Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked down at the dried blood. I jumped at the knock on the door. "Relax it's me." I wished and watched Lee sing over. They always knew where to find me. Ven if they were high a majority of the time they were the only person there for me at this hellhole of a school. 

"Hey Lee," I muttered quickly pulling my jeans up. 

"What did that bitch do this time?" I shook my head. 

"Nothing new." I lied, Harper got aggressive today. All because I shut her up in front of her boyfriend. 

"Did they use a slur again, because I swear to fuck-"

"They didn't." I cut them off, Lee and I were both black and it always felt like a low stoop to use a racial slur in an argument. Dumb white people only used it when they ran out of things to say. Lee had it worse though, being gender fluid in a school where the majority of the students were transphobic and-or homophobic. Being black didn't help, jokes were alright sometimes but to get to the point they were at, was so outright wrong. 

"I can't wait to leave." Lee groaned against the bench as they slunk onto the floor. 

"You can always drop out." I offered. Lee shook their head. 

"I might be high as fuck all the time, but I still got a strict family at home so not taking any chances." I understood. 

"I should get to class," I muttered, slinging my bag over my shoulder and walking out. I stopped when a hand grabbed my shoulder. I turned to Lee. 

"Be careful babes, and I swear if you need anything. I'm here." The dangerous look in their eyes told me it wouldn't be any peaceful confrontation if they had to get involved. I kept my head down as I knocked into the crowd of students swarming the hall. I was easy to spot though, with the majority of the school being white. It didn't take long for someone to push me from behind. 

"Walk faster." Ross. That's whose voice was talking. There were a few snickers before the group of kids walked ahead of me, some throwing looks back. That's when my eyes caught the sight of Teagan. Her head hung low as she avoided my stare completely. That's when I snapped. 

"Dumb ass," I said purposefully louder. Ross paused, turning his head slowly to look at me. 

"What was that?" I shook my head.

"I think you heard me just fine unless you're deaf on top of being a dumb fu-" He was faster than I expected. Pouncing on me in an instant, but dad didn't teach me self-defense for nothing. I took his first punch to my jaw to bring him exactly where I needed him. Dumb ass. I repeated in my mind as I brought my knee up and in between his miraculously perfect parted legs.