Finding Madeline

Chapter 8

Taylor:

I pressed my face into his chest and the familiar cologne scent hit me. I felt my muscles relax as he whispered to me to take long, steady, deep breaths. I did what I was told and I felt him sit me down on the soft fluffy chair outside of the classroom. I became calm and was able to revert back to my normal self.

"Dylan? What are you doing here?" I said when I regained my composure enough to speak.

"I go to school here! What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I just started school here today!" I exclaimed with excitement.

"Wow thats awesome!"

I hadn't seen him in so long. I was so glad he was here. He used to go to the same middle school as me and we were best friends. He knew my whole life story and he could relate. When I got the news that he was switching schools I was devastated. He always helped me through hard times and I helped him back. The next few years of my school life were not fun. I had no friends, no one to talk to, nobody. I was alone and I felt that way too. When kids started to bully me my parents pulled me out of school and put me here. I was nervous for a fresh start but now that Dylan was here I felt overjoyed.

"So, so how are you?" He asked.

"Um, I'm hanging in there. I've missed you so much! How are you?"

"I'm okay. So what happened in there?"

As I thought back to the flame in science class I tensed up. I think Dylan sensed that because he slowly tried to calm me down again.

"Its ok just breathe and talk to me okay?" He told me.

My fear subsided and I began to speak.

"The flame, it reminded me of-" I stopped.

My eyes began to water.

"It reminded you of the, uh, incident?" He asked.

I nodded and began to cry.

"Its okay calm down Taylor its behind you, you're safe now."

"I know but it's still hard to think about," I said through tears.

"I know its hard for me too. But just think, we will never get anywhere in life if we let those memories slip back into our heads," He said.

He had a good point. I couldn't let my memories control me.

"Lets go back in," I demanded.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah! I need to push through this stupid stuff lets go!" I said as i walked back into the room.

"I'm ready to do the lab," I said to my teacher.

"Its about time. Go grab the materials, time is running out."

I grabbed the materials, sat back down with Madeline and I lit my stick on fire. When the memories began to come back I was determined to not let them in again.

"This will not control me, I will not let it control me, this will not control me!" I said under my breath as I performed the experiment.

~~~

I walked out of that classroom feeling strong and proud. I pushed through it. I felt satisfied with my bravery. My bravery turned into fear as everyone in science class was eager to know what had happened to me. I was offended when I heard people talking about me and gossiping.

8th grade all over again. I thought.

"She's weird!"

"I know right"

"Who freaks out about fire like that?"

"Shhhh she's right there!"

"I can't believe what happened in science today."

"Have you heard about the science incident today?"

"The new girl is a scaredy cat"

"What happened?"

"Is she okay?"

"That was so odd."

"Don't hang out with her she seems unpredictable."

"I feel bad for the friends group she's going to be a part of."

"Ehem-Shut up Mike! She's right there!"

"Everyone is talking about that new girl in science, I feel bad for her. Already started with a bad reputation on the first day of school! Poor girl!"

I began to tear up. I was hearing so many terrible comments about me. I wanted to curl up in my bed and never come out. I needed people to be understanding! Why does no one get that? I ran to the bathroom with my head down. It was all the way down the hall and I had to pass many more groups of gossiping students. It seemed like the whole school already knew me as the "scaredy cat." I was infuriated by the time I got to the bathroom. I looked at my face in the mirror. My face was red and my eyes were puffy. I needed Dylan. He was probably already in his next class by now but I needed to talk to him. He's the only person that understands. I grabbed the ends of my shirt and pulled it up, revealing my stomach. I gazed at the huge scars going in many different directions on me. I began to cry. No matter what I did I couldn't escape my past. Some days I could push through and subside the intense feelings of fear I would have. Other days, it was terrible. I would be miserable and feel completely alone. I needed to get more help. The treatments that I've done so far haven't worked at all and I feel like I am still reliving what I had to experience. My train of thoughts was suddenly interrupted by Madeline coming into the bathroom. I quickly released my shirt and turned around but I was too slow. Madeline had already seen the scars. Her jaw dropped and she slapped her hand over her mouth.

"Taylor! What-what was that? Are you okay?" She asked as she rushed toward me.

I didn't know how to respond. I didn't want to get into it with her I didn't know her well enough to tell her what I've gone through.

"Taylor, I can help you! Whats going on?"

"I-"

I figured there was no way around this. She was probably going to keep pushing for answers. I took a deep breath.

"I was-"

I sighed. It took all that was in me to not burst into tears and collapse.

"I was kidnapped."