Run Away; C.R

(seventeen)

before you read: [read all]

this paragraph is a flashback to show you how riley's life used to be pre-run away.

warning: this chapter contains bullying & other triggering things so if you feel uncomfortable with that, I suggest you skip this chapter!! if this applies to you, please message me so I may fill you in on what you've missed!!

enjoy!!

riley

it was merely ten thirty in the morning by now, meaning I had only made it through my first period class before the daily events began taking their toll.

I blinked my eyelids hard, attempting to clear out my vision a little more to see the cruel face of the person in front of me. my spine ached in a familiar pain as I slid down the bumpy wall of lockers.

"get up, freak." one of their squealy voices muttered with more horror than I've ever seen in a child my age before. I managed to use ever fiber of energy left in me to push my bruising body into a stand, quickly gripping the wall with both hands as my vision went blurry.

"leave me alone." I muttered hoarsely, allowing every single person there to explode with chuckles.

"hey guys, the freak speaks!" a boy cheered, causing more fits of laughter to pound against my ears.

"what was that?" a giggly voice said intimidatingly, stepping closer to me and filling my senses with the smell of her cherry lip balm and barbie perfume.

"I said, leave me alone." I spoke with more confidence than before, not knowing whether seeming strong or weak would be better on my behalf.

"she thinks she can tell us what to do, everyone." barbie perfume snarled to her group, and they began throwing out ways to handle it. some said hitting me again would suffice, others said maybe I needed to be thrown into the dumpster outside the school.

such violent minds for small, innocent seventh graders.

and there as she was about to make the decision of taking her heel to my gut one last time for the day, there was a distant screech of an adult voice yelling out orders for everyone to freeze.

"all of you! back to class before I call every single one of your parents!" the lady scolded, hurrying them all out of the locker room to aid the hurting girl in the corner.

"oh riley, dear!" she'd say, rushing to grab me a damp washcloth and a few advil tablets to seduce the pounding headache I was now suffering from.

and the worst part was never getting questioned by every adult in the school, it was never the burning medicine I was told to apply to any open wounds that had formed, and it was never the disgusted glares that my peers would give me as they caught a glance of any bruises on my face or arms. the absolute worse part of it all was the utter looks of pure disappointment my parents held across their faces as they walked promptly into the nurses office to pick me up.

they didn't speak to me on days like this; they would grab my arm and lead me out of the middle school and towards our car in the parking lot. in silence, they would drive me home while I pinched my hand to hold back the tears.

and the worst part was when we would arrive to our home, and I would be sent up to my room while they discussed things as grown ups. I would quietly place myself at the top step of our staircase and hear their words of hatred towards me.