Fighting Society

I'm right beside you kiddo

Leah stayed there with her baby sister in her arms for what seemed like an indescribable amount of minutes. She held Jessica up as she burrowed further and further into Leah's chest, hiding away from the struggle of her morning at school. Leah slowly rested her chin on Jessica's forehead, rocking her back and forth as if she were still a child, attempting to soothe the unregulated girl, swaying with her in her arms. The world around her quietened, the only thing bothering Leah was ensuring her baby sister was ok. She couldn't care less at this moment of time about the havoc Jessica had caused, nor the damage she may have done to school property, all Leah knew was at the moment, she was holding a broken, and vulnerable version of her favourite person in the entire world, and it was breaking her heart to know that it would be difficult to piece her back together. She waited and waited, holding the young girl, slowly running her hand up and down Jessica's back, rolling her fingers in circles to allow the young girl to feel the presence of her older sister, whispering calming words into her ear, until she began to feel Jessica's breathing even out. Her body began to slowly stop trembling, and her death-tight grip on her older sister began to loosen as she moved her head to slowly rest upon Leah's shoulder. The older of the two let out a sigh of relief, as a temporary form of calmness waved over both of the girls, allowing Jessica to enter a slumber whilst attached to her older sister. 

Leah glanced up to meet the eyes of Miss Edwards, a sad smile covered her face as she looked over at her eye. That had seemed to be a pattern today. The slightly older woman placed her hand on Leah's other shoulder from the one the young girl rested her head on, as she went to speak,

"She's really got herself in trouble this time you know, Miss Williamson."

Leah let out a quiet chuckle as she heard Miss Edwards say aloud what both women were thinking. Her baby sister had truly gone and done it this time, and yet all she could think about was how anxious the young girl must have felt. No turned over table nor thrown book would ever make Leah think badly about Jessica, despite not knowing what goes on in her head, she knows that her baby sister would never mean any harm. She had a heart of gold and a different way of thinking, one that wasn't exactly welcomed into society with open arms. 

"You know Miss Edwards, with the amount of times we talk, you must really call me Leah"

She let out a low sigh, before continuing,

"I just don't get it. Jessie is a clever girl, but sometimes she just... well, reacts I suppose. I just want to help her. She gets so overwhelmed and then she lashes out, without ever meaning to. Now she's going to face all these punishments all over again, isolations, exclusions, yet here she is so peacefully asleep in my arms."

Leah ran her slender fingers through Jessica's fine yet tangled hair, staring at the peaceful young girl fast asleep in her arms. Sometimes she wished she could take her younger sisters struggle from her, in hopes to allow her to gain some form of freedom in a world where she faced adversity almost every single day.

Miss Edwards smiled as she saw the sister pair interact with each other.

"She really does love you, you know Leah. I don't think a day goes by without Jessica mentioning you at least once. She's lucky to have you."

She ran her tongue over her lips as she went to continue,

"You're right, she's going to face some form of punishment now, despite everything. I do unfortunately have to report this, and she'll most likely face an exclusion. I'm so sorry Leah, I really am. Take her home, make sure she knows she's loved, and just let her do her thing. The girls going to be distressed, it's been a bad morning, but I don't know anybody else she'd rather be with."