I sit down on a large chair, but I basically perk myself on the edge, putting all my weight on my toes so that my thighs don't touch the seat. I threw my backpack on the chair next to me and I fake smile, hoping it looks real, listening to the man in front of me babble on about something or other involving feeling and insecurities, but I'm not listening. I still have one headphone in and I'm distracted by the music. My mind is only focused back on the conversation when I notice the silence in the room.
"What?" I ask stupidly.
"I asked whether or not you knew why the principle sent you to come see me?" he asks.
"No, I don't know. What' your name?" I ask, feeling even more stupid.
'I'm Mitchel," he says, and it's just now that I take in his appearance. He's wearing those skinny khaki pants with a dark navy tee shirt. He seems young and I wonder how he can already be working but then I notice another break of silence,
"What?" I ask again.
"You are really distracted... I asked whether or not you would consider visiting me tomorrow first period. I have another kid scheduled in a few minutes."
"Whatever." I say, standing up,sling my backpack over my shoulder, and I walk to my third period class. I put my other headphone back in during class because I'm so tired that I'm not taking in any of the information anyway. I'm sitting in the back of the class, leaning back in my chair, my hood still up. I lean forward after a while, pulling my sleeves up and over my fingers. I continue writing in a notebook on a story I've been working on for a while. I barely notice when Anthony sits down next to me. I only notice when he nudges my elbow. I look around and he whispers something, but I can't hear him. I pull out my headphones and he repeats himself,
"Where have you been?" he asks.
"I'll explain later," I say, and when lunch rolls around, I do.
I'm the last one to sit down at our little table of three and Anthony immediately looks at me for an explanation which I grudgingly provide,
"Look, I ran late this morning. My first period class is all the across campus from the main office where I had to go to get a slip. Then the principle saw me and told me to go to the guidance counselor and I have to go there tomorrow morning." I say, "It really was a great morning," I finish sarcastically. Anthony nods and tells me that he can fill me in on the classes I missed this afternoon if I'm free. I agree and I invite Penelope over to hang out too. She agrees and I'm excited for this afternoon. My excitement however drains away when Logan comes over to our table. He grabs my braid and pulls it as hard as he can before whispering in my ear,
"I don't know how you ugly, fat, freak, but you cheated in that writing contest. I read Ruby's entry and it was so much better than that garbage you entered. You better not enter anything else, otherwise, you and I are going to have a problem. Agreed?!" and I nod vigorously, realizing that his voice sounds exactly like Michael's. I hear his new sneakers scuff occasionally as he walk away, but my eyes remain closed. I'm going through a memory of Michael, him doing the exact same thing that Logan just did, but instead of words about a contest, they were words of his hatred toward me and that if I ever told anyone of what was happening, that he would cause the whole schools' wish to come true. He would kill me.
The memory finally passes and the desire to cut is so strong that I practically run to the bathroom. I get inside the stall and dig through my purse until I locate a spare, unused razor. Just touching it's cool blade begins to calm me and I'm forced to have to deal with just that because suddenly the bathroom door flings open and Penelope demands that I came out from my stall. I carefully tuck the razor back in to my purse and reveal myself.
"What did he say?" she asks once we're rejoined in the hallway by Anthony. I shake my head and insist that I'm fine, but I feel totally shaken up. I don't want to have anything to do with Logan, and I'm determined that I won't.
YOU ARE READING
Sinking Through the Cracks
RomanceAlly has never had friends. Ally has never had parents who really cared for her. Ally has never had a peaceful day at school. She is anorexic, though she has never had it treated. She has horrible times of depression though she always just puts...
