3000 Miles for the Boys [completed]

Chapter 30

As I walked into school all eyes were on me. I could hear them all whispering. They stared at me as they stood in their small groups. I kept my head down as I went to my locker. It was probably just more talk about the Johnsons. I opened my locker and a bunch of papers fell out. I bent down and picked one up. I unfolded it and read the one word written in all capital letters.

FATTY

The paper slipped from my fingers and I quickly took my books from my locker to put them in my backpack. Paige walked up and tapped me on the shoulder. "Hey, good morning," she said. I brushed past her on the way to the bathroom.

I walked through the hall and saw Jared standing a little ways in front of me. A hand was placed on my shoulder and I stopped in my tracks. I turned and faced Chase. "I can walk you to class," he offered.

"I'm not going to class," I said plainly. I kept walking and I could feel him next to me still.

Jared was leaning against the wall behind him and he had a girl by his side. She was leaning against him, her arms around his next. It was disgusting seeing him with another girl so easily. At least I didn't give anything up to him.

I started to walk past him and I looked at Chase. He was glaring at Jared. I kept my head down and I heard the girl with Jared say something. "Wow, she is really fat. Aren't you glad you left her for me?"

"Yeah, you're so much better. You're so skinny and pretty and funny and smart," Jared said as he kissed her cheek.

Before I could even take in what had just been said, Chase was in front of Jared and was pushing him around. I heard Ethan's voice and I looked back to see that Ethan had gotten Chase off of Jared as I walked past them. I was glad that he had come to the rescue. I didn't want Chase to get hurt or the more likely, in trouble for beating Jared up.

The words really sunk in after though. I kept my head down and fought off the tears but some still managed to slip from my eyes. I closed them and tried to erase everything I had heard and seen but that was no use. There was no way I would ever forget this.

His words cut deep into me. You're so much skinnier and prettier. Smarter and funnier. It was like the small amount of self confidence that I had was slowly slipping away and there would soon be none left.

I made it to the girls bathroom and the tears were really spilling now. I locked myself in a stall and put my bag on the floor. Why was this happening? Why wasn't I good enough? I wasn't pretty enough. I wasn't skinny enough. I wasn't funny enough. I wasn't smart enough. Maybe that's why Jason broke up with me. I was fat and ugly. I was stupid and boring.

I leaned my back against the door and began to sob. Why couldn't I be good enough? Why couldn't I make people happy?

In the middle of my thoughts I heard someone run in and start calling my name. "Ellie? Are you in here?"

I could immediately tell it was Paige. "Paige, please go away. I'm fine," I said from the inside of the stall.

She came over to the stall and stood in front of it. "Ellie, I know you're not okay. Please let me in." I didn't say anything. "Please don't shut me out again. Please don't slam the door," she sang. "You don't have to keep your distance anymore."

"Paige, stop," I said trying not to laugh at how silly this was. Paige was singing frozen songs to me as I was sobbing in the school bathroom.

"If you won't come to me, I'll have to go to you." She wouldn't. "Fine you leave me no choice."

Next thing I knew, I saw Paige's head pop underneath the stall wall. "I will come in there. You should just open up the door. It's much more roomy out here."