Troubled

                                                  Troubled

         She sits in the corner of the room as tears stream down her face. She can’t concentrate on anything else except what happened. Her friends think they know what’s wrong with her but it’s not what they think. She tries to tell them but she can’t it’s too hard. So she just sits there, in the corner of the room and cries.

         Let me rewind to a while ago, when 15 year old Stephanie Winter thought she saw Kenjay Grillo, who lived in New York before Stephanie moved.
“Kenjay?” Stephanie said as someone was turning around.
“Yeah, Stephanie? Is that you?” Kenjay replied.
“Yeah, Oh my gosh hi, how have you been? Wait why are you here…in Florida?”
“Well my dad had received a job transfer and we just moved down here, I can’t believe you live around here”
“I live right there” Stephanie said pointing to a huge house right along the beach.
“Wow that’s huge, bigger than the one you had in New York”
“I know” Stephanie said. “So where do you live?” Stephanie questioned.
“I live about three blocks away”
“Oh, wait near Winn-Dixie or the other side”
“The other side…near the movie theaters”
“Oh, so what school are you going to?”
“The high school, the same one you are going to”
“How do you know which one I’m going to?” Stephanie said as Mr. and Mrs. Winter pull up.
“Hi mom, Hi dad”
“Hi Steph. Oh Kenjay, I see you arrived ok, you need to show me where you live, because I have to talk to your mom about something”
“Ok Mrs. Winter” Kenjay said as Mr. and Mrs. Winter drove off.
“Well I guess I better get going, I still need to unpack”
“Ok I’ll see you at school then”
“You bet…bye”
“Bye”

         On Monday Stephanie and Danielle are walking in the cafeteria…where they usually go before first period begins.
“Hey Steph. Who’s he?” asked Stephanie’s best friend Danielle. She was pointing to a tall handsome guy sitting at a table with a bunch of giggling girls.
“I think he is new” Danielle said realizing Stephanie wasn’t saying anything.
“That’s Kenjay Grillo” Stephanie said.
“Wait how do you know that?”
“I’ve known him for three years” Stephanie said
“Ummm… I thought you just moved here last year?”
“I did but he lived in New York, and we were in the same class three years in a row”
“Oh ok, that makes sense now…not”

         Stephanie and Danielle then walked over to Kenjay and the giggling girls and sat down on both sides of Kenjay. It seemed as though no girl was brave enough to sit next to him.
“Oh hey Stephanie”
“Hey Kenjay, did you get your schedule yet”
“Yup, I just got it” Kenjay said handing over the schedule to Stephanie.
“Let me see” a girl yelled as Stephanie gave her a dirty look and took the piece of paper out of Kenjay’s hands.
“Oh my gosh”
“What?”
“You are in every one of my classes except one”
“Cool” Kenjay said as the bell rung.

         Kenjay and Stephanie walk to every class except one. That’s when Kenjay goes to soccer and Stephanie goes to French.

         After a week or so Kenjay gets up the nerve to ask Stephanie out.
“Hey Stephanie”
“Hey Kenjay”
“Steph. I was wondering, do you want to go to the movies?”
“As a date”
“No…well yes” Kenjay said feeling kind of embarrassed.
“I’d love to”
“Really?”
“Of course”

         Three month from their first date Stephanie and Kenjay go everywhere, do everything and are friends with everyone, together. That day the principal called for Kenjay to go to the front desk and for everyone else to go to the auditorium for an assembly.

         At the auditorium Stephanie saved a seat for Kenjay but he was nowhere to be found.  Stephanie decided to close her eyes until the assembly began. Then Kenjay came and sat down next to Stephanie.
“Stephanie listen, I love you and I am not doing this because of you. I want you to know that I will always be with you. Now promise me that as soon as I get up and leave you won’t follow me.”
“I promise” Stephanie said still trying to figure out what Kenjay meant.
Kenjay then kissed Stephanie and left. As soon as Stephanie focused at what Kenjay said, she looked Danielle who was sitting on the other side of her.
“Lets go” Danielle said heading for the doors.

         As they were running around trying to find Kenjay they both screamed in unison, “Where is Kenjay”
Stephanie heard a faint sound of a girl…“He was heading for the gym lobby”
         
         When they reached the gym lobby they were both out of breath. They opened the door and Stephanie screamed as a loud gun shot ricocheted through the gym lobby, and Kenjay’s body fell to the floor like a solid brick rock.

         “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe he did this” Stephanie said, running toward Kenjay. Stephanie picked up Kenjay’s head and held it as she cried. Danielle ran to get the principal and to call 9-1-1. Stephanie then thought of how Kenjay would joke around with her and tell her that his parents, mainly his mom would beat him, meanwhile Stephanie just thought he was kidding and that he would just get into a fight, or hit him self on a dresser by accident. This made her cry even more.

         When the emergency medical technicians (EMT) came they found Kenjay, luckily, still breathing and they were miraculously able to save his life, but Kenjay was going to have to stay at the hospital for a long time. Maybe even longer in rehab. The estimated time for his recovery was about a year and a month, but for Stephanie that felt like a lifetime.

         Now we are back to today where Stephanie winter is sitting in the corner of the room crying.
“Steph.” her mom says coming in from outside.
“What’s wrong, why are you crying?”
“Kenjay…Kenjay”
“Kenjay…what?”
“Kenjay shot himself”
“What…why?”
I don’t know why but he is kind of ok…I mean thank god he is still living”
“So at least he is ok…I mean there is nothing to worry about”
“Nothing to worry about? Mom he SHOT himself” Stephanie said as she got up and was heading toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To the hospital, I need to make sure Kenjay is ok.”

         When Stephanie reached the hospital she asked the secretary where Kenjay Grillo’s room is.
“Room 505”
“Thank you” Stephanie said heading toward the 500’s.
When Stephanie came upon room 505 she felt herself getting sadder and sadder and yet madder and madder. She knew Kenjay did this because of his parents and she also knew his parents didn’t really care; this made her even more upset.

         She stood in front of Kenjay’s room for quiet a while and yet didn’t move to open the door. She wanted to open the door and run to Kenjay, but she couldn’t move. Any time she would try to move she would get a picture of Kenjay shooting himself in the gym lobby.

         Someone opened the door and stopped Stephanie form that horrible day dream.
“Oh hi” the lady said, she was dressed as a doctor so Stephanie figured she was a nurse.
“Hi” Stephanie said kind of shocked that there was someone else in Kenjay’s room.
“Is Kenjay ok? Can I see him?” Stephanie said her mind racing very fast.
“Well” the nurse said “ Kenjay will be ok he will have to stay in intensive care, and then rehab and, maybe even  intensive counseling, but you may see him but he is sleeping and he will need all the strength he can get” the nurse said.
“Ok thank you very much”
“Your welcome” she said as she walked away.
As Stephanie walked through the door she felt better because of the fact that she knew Kenjay would somewhat be ok.

         Last month, Stephanie had gotten terribly sick. The doctors said it’ll take about three weeks for Stephanie to fully recover. Kenjay had come over with a coin. This coin was made of pure gold. On the front was a picture of an angel and on the back was the word “healing.” Kenjay placed the coin on the table besides her bead and kissed Stephanie’s forehead. That week Stephanie had regained all her strength and her family thinks it was because of that coin.

         Stephanie sat at the foot of Kenjay’s hospital bed and she thought about last month. She then went to her backpack and got out the coin that Kenjay had given to her. “You helped me when I was sick now it’s my turn to help you” she said as she placed the coin in Kenjay’s hand. She then left, half teary eyed, to school.

         “Hey Steph. how’s Kenjay?” Everybody kept asking her. During fourth period Stephanie couldn’t take it anymore and lost control. She ran out of class into the hall and sat down and cried. Her teacher came out and asked her if she is ok. As her response she replied “Do I look ok?” the teacher, kind of surprised by her response went back into the class and sent Danielle out to talk to her.

         “Hey Stephanie”
“I just can’t take it anymore” Stephanie said. “I just can’t, everyone is talking about it, it was in the news don’t they even know that people are hurt that he did that?” Just as Stephanie was finishing that sentence the principle walked by. “Oh Stephanie, I’m sorry about Kenjay” he said.” I just got off the phone with your parents and we both agreed that it might be best if you were at the hospital this week instead of at school, your mom will be here to pick you up in a few minutes” Thank you” Stephanie said as the principal walked away.

         In the hall of the hospital, before Kenjay’s room Stephanie sees someone familiar… Kenjay’s father.
“Hi, Mr. Grillo”
“Oh hi Stephanie, shouldn’t you be in school?”
“Yes, but the principal let me out to see Kenjay, where is Mrs. Grillo?
“She is at work” he said very quickly with no emotion.
“Oh” Typical Stephanie thought Mrs. Grillo probably doesn’t care about Kenjay, that’s why she isn’t here.
“Hey Stephanie do you mind waiting out here for a few minutes, I would like to see Kenjay alone.”
“Of course, take your time Mr. Grillo.” Stephanie said walking toward a bench that’s was down the hall a bit.

         As Stephanie waited she heard someone crying, it was coming from Kenjay’s room, room 505. Stephanie opened the door and found Mr. Grillo holding Kenjay’s hand and crying.
“Mr. Grillo, are you ok?”
“Huh, oh, oh, yeah I’b find.” he replied in between sobs. “I just don’t understand why he would do this to himself.”
When Stephanie heard this she felt upset that she couldn’t say anything about Mrs. Grillo beating him because she promised Kenjay she wouldn’t tell anyone.  She walked over to Mr. Grillo and cried with him.

         On Friday, Stephanie went to the hospital, as she did everyday this week, to see Kenjay. She opened the door and found Kenjay awake. “Hey sleepy, how do you feel?”
“Ok, I guess, how are you?”
“Ok, I mean everyone is talking about it, did you see your father yet?”
“No, I don’t think he even cares”
“Kenjay don’t say that he really loves you”
A little annoyed he says “yeah right, how do you know?”
“Because the other day he was here, crying”
“Crying?”
“Yeah, crying”
“Why?”
“Well, why do you think?”
“Oh, but I don’t get it, I mean, wait did you tell him about my mom?”
“Of course not, but you do know that everyone will wonder why you shot yourself” Stephanie claimed. “And they’re going to start asking questions and maybe start snooping around”
“Yeah I know” Kenjay said turning his head toward the table where the coin was.
“Why did you give me this back?” Kenjay said confused.
“Well, you gave it to me and it helped me get better, now I want to return the favor” Stephanie said.
“Oh thanks, hey Stephanie between you and I can I tell you something?
“Kenjay, you know you can always tell me anything” Stephanie said.
“But would you tell?”
“Have I told about your mother?”
“Touché” Kenjay stated.

         After a moment Stephanie asked Kenjay what he wanted to tell her. “Well, you know how most people who really want to kill themselves shoot themselves in either the heart or in the head?”
“Yeah” Stephanie said kind weary.
“Well, I read on the internet that if you shoot yourself to the left of the heart you have a bigger chance of surviving and all I really wanted was to send my mother a warning to stop messing with me other wise she won’t have me anymore.”
“Kenjay, you’re an idiot” Stephanie screamed. “I can’t believe you SHOT yourself just to tell your mom to stop abusing you even if there was this HUGE chance you’ll survive.”
“But Stephanie you don’t understand what else was I to do?”
“Well lets see, first of all you could have called someone, like the cops, and maybe instead of looking where to shoot yourself on the internet, you could have tried to look for, oh I don’t know, a child abuse website.”
“Stephanie please, relax the only reason that I didn’t fully kill myself was because of you, you know I dearly love you,”
“I love you too, but Kenjay come on, you SHOT yourself, listen it’s getting late I got to go.”
“Ok good night” Kenjay said kind of sad that Stephanie was leaving.

         The next two days Stephanie didn’t go see Kenjay, but she couldn’t stop living in the memory of the past. It was like it was happening over and over. The  most troubling thing was how Kenjay got the gun. He couldn’t have brought it from home; his dad doesn’t own one nor his mother. Monday after school Stephanie decided to go visit Kenjay and ask him about it. When she got  there Kenjay’s dad was visiting also. He noticed Stephanie but didn’t acknowledge her.
“Hi, Mister Grillo” Stephanie said.
“Oh, hi Stephanie, how are you today?”
“I’m ok, and what about you?”
“I’m living and thank god so is Kenjay.”
“Yeah, Mr. Grillo, I’m so sorry, I mean, I feel like I could have stopped him.” Stephanie said.
“Stephanie,” Mr. Grillo said. “You couldn’t do anything, don’t blame yourself. How would you have known? I mean, I didn’t even know something was wrong, I still don’t.
“Mister Grillo?” A tall blonde woman called.
She told him he can go in and see Kenjay. As he walked in Stephanie sat down on the bench where she had a few days ago. All of a sudden Stephanie found herself back in the auditorium as if she was in a dream, or had she just woken up from a dream?

         Kenjay then came up to Stephanie to tell her that he loved her. As soon as Kenjay got up to leave Stephanie decided to follow Kenjay. After all how does one get a gun at school, right?
Stephanie followed Kenjay into the deans office. She saw him open the top right draw and pull out the weapon she had seen her boyfriend use not to long ago. This is it Stephanie though, I have got to stop this.
         
         On the way to the gym lobby Stephanie took a short cut.
“Kenjay,” Stephanie said. “What are you doing?”
“Oh Steph., I…uhh…Why are you here?” Kenjay said stalling.
“Well, this IS school.”
Ok, Stephanie thought, I better put an end to this now.
“Hey, Kenjay”
“Yeah, what’s wrong Stephanie?”
“Will you do me a favor, please?”
“Sure, Stephanie, anything juts tell me” Kenjay said coming closer to Stephanie.
“Please don’t do what your thinking about doing”
“Steph, I…I have to  do something about THE BEAST” Kenjay said.
“Kenjay please, I’m begging you” Stephanie collapse and falls to the floor as tears stream down her face.
“Don’t do it, please, don’t do it” Stephanie begs.
“Baby, I don’t know what else to do”
“Anything but that, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I let you shoot yourself”
“Steph?” Kenjay said, grabbing Stephanie’s hands and pulling her up to him.
“hmm?”
“Do you still love me? I mean even after this?”
“Kenjay Grillo, how stupid! Why do you think I wouldn’t love you? Through thick and thin, baby. I still do love you always will.” Stephanie said happy she is about to win and save her boyfriends life.
I hope this really isn’t a dream, Stephanie thought to her self.
“But, now what are we going to do about THE BEAST?”
“First, Kenjay lest get rid of the gun, it is freaking me out,” Stephanie said. “Then, how about we talk about that when we are alone and not at school.
“Alright, and Stephanie?” Kenjay said
“yeah?”
“Thanks, I really love you, but HOW did you know what I was doing?”
“Umm, I kind of  had a feeling”
“It must be our telepathy” Kenjay said jokingly, talking Stephanie’s hand and walking to the deans office to return the gun.