King Neptune

Chapter 3

I went back to school that next day. My parents and I tried our best to live our lives as normally as possible, but it wasn't easy. Imagine being an 8-year-old kid, and you can't cry in public, not even if you jump off the swings at school and you break your arm. I bit my lip so hard that day. It was so hard holding in my tears as they threatened to cascade down my face; I remember running into the girl's bathroom just to let it out before walking to the nurse's office. I had to get an entire arm cast; it was blue. Luckily, my arm healed surprisingly fast, and the doctor was astonished.

" Most fractures like that take weeks or even months to heal; your daughter's arm only took four days!!" my mother's eyes instantly locked with my father's. " Oh, maybe it wasn't as bad as you thought," my mother said breathlessly. "Yeah, mistakes happen," my father said, trying to appear nonchalant. "Okay... well, I guess we are done here,"

Sometimes, I felt lonely; my parents didn't want me to go to anyone's house. Since I was so young, they were terrified that something would happen, like I would do something "wild," like jumping off the swings and breaking my arm. The last thing they wanted was for that to happen at someone's house. Of course, they were only comfortable with me staying at Aunt Sadie's house. But it was still hard at times to keep the secret from Moon.

Although my parents and Aunt Sadie wanted me to wait until we were older to tell him, he was my best friend, and eventually, he found out. Much sooner than later. It was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. I was 12 years old. I remember being in English class, and Moon and I were in the same class. Our teacher, Mr. Walter, was covering different kinds of short stories. He had assigned each of us a partner to work with, and I was stuck with Cynthia Brown. Cynthia Brown was a bitch.

" Okay, class, I want you and your partner to develop your own story. It can be about whatever you want. Don't forget that every story must have characters, a plot, a setting, a tone, and tension. You may begin," Cynthia instantly started prattling on, " Let's make our short story about a princess named Cynthia and a dragon named Neptune," She gave me an icy cold smile.  I smiled back at her passively, " And the dragon eats the princess whole," Gosh, my stomach hurts, I thought. Cynthia looked at me; the menacing smirk she had disappeared, and now she looked at me pale and shaken. "It's just all part of the story, Cynthia,"

I now smirked at her wickedly, but the throbbing in my lower abdomen didn't let up. It was almost like my insides were being twisted, and then I felt it. The thing that every girl dreads when their time rolls around. I placed my hand under my butt, and I knew it was over for me and the white shorts I was wearing that day. I looked at my hand in horror, as if I had dipped my fingers into red ink. Cynthia looked at my fingers, and her eyes lit up with vengeance. "EW NEPTUNE GOT HER PERIOD," she pointed at me, laughing. All eyes were on me, and the whole class was quiet for a split second. And then, a burst of loud, taunting laughter erupted in the classroom. I was utterly mortified and too stunned to move as my classmates pointed their fingers and laughed at me.

" WHAT A BLOODY FISH," some boy yelled, whatever that meant. I'm still not sure what that meant, but it was the worst thing I was ever called at that moment. I had to run out of the classroom before I burst into tears in front of everyone; I was embarrassed enough. I could hear my teacher scolding the class, " Miss. Brown, I will see you in detention! I do not tolerate bullying in my classroom or anywhere, and that goes for everyone..." I didn't hear the rest; I was already down the hallway but heard footsteps behind me.

"NEPTUNE, HEY TUNES, WAIT UP," I heard Moon's voice, but I kept running. I could feel the tears coming, and I wasn't sure if I could stop them. On top of that, my stomach started to cramp; I just wanted to go home, I thought to myself. I kept running, and so did Moon, " NEPTUNE, PLEASE," I ran out the door to the track and field.