Bullied || Shawn Mendes

Chap. 4

They sit next to me and we sit quietly for a few minutes. I glance at all three of them, smirks on all of their faces. I'm completely petrified at what they might do to me. But, we are in the library so they can't really do much.

"I d-don't think you're allowed over here." I stutter.

"Oh well." Austin says. "Just wanted to tell you that Shawn will no longer be tolerating your...innapropiate behavior."

I look at them confused, wondering what they are talking about.

"What in the world are you talking about?" I ask, in a hushed voice.

"I think you know."

They stare at me fore a long time before continuing. I honestly have no clue what they are talking about.

"Just cause you and Shawn are partners doesn't mean you can hit on him." Justin says. I stare at them blankley before I realize whats going on. Shawn must have told them that I hit on him, which is a complete lie. Why on earth would I ever do that? I can barely talk to a human being let alone flirt with them. I stare at Shawn, and he stares back. Not smirking though, just staring. I feel tears start to flow down my cheeks and I find myself soon standing up and running to the ladies restroom, hearing the laughing and high fives behind me.

I cry as I stare at myself in the mirror. My skin is pale with rosy red spots on my cheeks and underneath my eyes. My face is ugly when I cry, and I really do hate crying. If I don't stop soon and get back to the library, teachers will get concerned and ask questions. And I really don't need that.

What is it with Shawn and his stupid friends? Why do they always pick on me? And what is with everyone else just standing around watching them be so mean to me? Why doesn't anyone stand up for me.

My thoughts are interrupted when I hear footsteps slowly come into the bathroom. I wipe my face off and turn to see a girl slightly shorter than me, with short brown hair that is just slightly curly. She stares at me, a worry look on her face.

"Are you alright?" she asks, breaking the awkward tension between us.

"I'm fine. I just...I'm okay." I lie, struggling for words to say.

She walks up to me, placing her hand on my shoulder and leaning in closer, looking me in the eyes. "Are you alright?" she repeats, slowly this time.

Nobody has ever actually cared before, and this is clearly taking me by surprise. I wipe my cheeks again, wiping away the remaining tears from my face. I turn my head and look at myslef again in the mirror. My cheeks are still rosy red from crying, but the color is slowly fading. I force myslef to look into this girls eyes, meeting her worrying gaze. 

"No." I admit. " I'm kind of a mess right now."

"What's wrong? You can tell me."

"Shouldn't you know? After all, the whole school knows that I get bullied almost every day."

Her eyes immediately widen once I say the word 'bullied'.

"Well, actually...I'm new. Today is my first day at this school."

"Oh." I say weakly, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"You get...bullied?" she asks, looking straight into my eyes.

I don't say anything. I feel warm tears start to roll down the side of my face and I soon start to cry. Before I know it, I'm being wrapped around the girls arms. She hugs me tight, and I soon start to feel a little better. 

"You can get through this." she whispers, rubbing my back kindly. "I'm gonna help you."

"You don't have to." I say, as she releases me from her arms. "If people see you hanging out with me, nobody else will wanna hang out with you."

"That's okay." she smiles. "I'm not gonna stand there and watch others bully you."

Her words want to make me cry again. Nobody has ever cared so much for the few years this has been happening to me. I smile at her as she locks arms with me, and we both walk out of the bathroom and to the lockers.

"By the way, my name is Maya." she smiles, followed by a cheeky laugh.

"I'm Tegan." I say, slightly smiling.

The day comes to an end and I gradually make my way outside to the parking lot. I walk past the busses, looking for my route when I suddenly see Brandon pulling into the parking lot. He smiles at me and waves and I do the same back. His car stops next to me and I sit in the passenger seat laying my head against the back of the seat.

"Thanks for getting me." I say, my eyes slowly closing. I was, truthfully, so happy to see him. I'd much rather ride with him then all the other annoying kids on the bus.

"No problem. So, how was your day?"

"Good I guess. How was yours?" I ask, feeling awkward for some odd reason.

"It was fine..." he says, drifting off as if he doesn't know what else to say. We sit in silence for a bit, the tension between us beginning to rise abruptly.

I'm now beginning to regret getting in his car. Maybe I should've pretended to not notice him and get in the bus instead.

One we arrive home, I make my way up to my bedroom and shut the door behind me. The sound of footsteps tell me that Brandon has been obviously following me to my room. Now that Brandon knows about me cutting, I assume he'll be following my every move for a while.

"Hey, Tegan." I hear him say, I try my best to tune him out but he continues to talk. "Can we talk?"

He doesn't let me answer before he barges into my  room and sits next to me on my bed. I scoot over slightly, increasing the space between us. I look over to see him already looking me in the eyes. He smiles at me and I force a smile back.

"So, Tegan, how was your day? And I want the truth this time."

Memories flash in my mind as I remember me running into the bathroom, crying my eyes out. I suddenly feel like crying again, and with that thought, I do.

I throw myself into Brandon's arms, my face being buried in his shoulders. I feel him tightly wrap his arms around my back and hum things in my ear. At this moment, I couldn't ask for a better older brother.

"Tell me what happened." he says, softly rubbing my back.

"Well." I sigh, being relased from his arms. "I was in the library today when Shawn and his friends came up to me..." I doze off, feeling the tears once again.

"What did they do?" he asks, beginning to get more seious. 

I lower my voice, and look Brandon in the eyes, slowly beginning to cry all over again "Shawn said that I've been trying to fool around with him. He said that since we are partners for the project, I've been flirting with them. Shawn lied to them, Brandon. I'd never do that."

He looks at me, his eyes widened. We sit like that for a while before he starts to talk again.

"Okay, Tegan,  it's time to start standing up for yourself. No more letting them do this stuff to you. It's ridiculous."

"Really it's-"

"Don't tell me it's okay because it's not, Tegan." I jumped a little as he raised his voice, standing from the bed and staring through the door. His hands make their way to his hair, and he slowly turns back towards me. "I...I don't like to think about the things they do to you. I just wanna help you."

For the first time in a long time, I see the sensitive side to Brandon. Usually he's so outgoing and funny. He jokes around about most stuff and he really knows how to lighten a mood. But now, he's shown the sensitive side of him.

I sit in silence, not looking at him but at myself in the mirror. I see big dark bags underneath my eyes and the color of my eyes start to fade. My lifeless brown hair flows past my shoulders. I wear an oversized sweater to cover my scars every single day and I have absolutely no friends.

I don't want to live like this anymore.