Pain

I remember it was a Monday, last year. I think I do, because Mondays always seem the hardest. This one was especially hard. I had been sitting in FACS class with Mrs. Daley. I sat staring a the assorted foods that blandly rested on the counters before me. I let out a long sigh when the class phone rang.

Mrs. Daley picked it up and looked over at me, "You're wanted in the office."

I raised my eyebrows and I slightly smiled. Everyone loves being called down to the office secretly. It's spontaneous and gets yo out of baking cookies. I went down and they showed me to the nurse. Now I was suspecting something.

"Sarah Allen?" the thin nurse asked quietly. "I called you down here for your friend."

The smile was wiped off my face and I felt myself go pale.

"Jenny needs your help."

Tiny stabs of fear struck inside me.

I would have asked "What's wrong?" but the inside of my mouth had turned into sandpaper. Thousands of horrible possibilities swireled inside my head...of injuries or psycho reactions.

She opened the door, and what I found inside made my heart break. All my fears slowly floated away from me. Jenny sat in the small dim room, huddled up on a cot. Her arms were wrapped around her knees and streaks of tears were still evident on her face.

"Just talk to her," the nurse whispered over my shoulder and shut the door behind me.

She finally locked eyes on me and gripped her kleenex tightly. Her blond hair fell in strands over her face, and she suppressed a sob. I lowered myself to the chair and stared for a moment.

"What's wrong?"I asked surprised at how quiet my voice was.

She bit her lip and answered, "Well, well, all of them kept teasing me, and making fun of me... I couldn't take it anymore. I yelled at them and the teacher made me go in the hallway. I just cried there." Her tone was so broken and heartfelt.

My eyes softened. Jenny gets easily emotional, but this time the hurt in her eyes showed me how bad it really was. The memories were vivid of just that day in science. Joe and Evon and all those boys kept taunting her, giving her sinister smirks and mean remarks. She went through this constantly. Everyday. Every year. I could never blame her. She is so close to me I can't imagine how they could hurt her like that. I guess the approval of their friends masks her pain.

"I don't wanna be here anymore," she cried.

I tried my best to console her. I reasurred her that that summer she was moving. She smiled at the thought. I forced a smile myself, to help. I was so happy that she would finally get away from those bullies, but it hurt to remember that I wouldn't ever see her at school anymore.

"I wish you wouldn't let it get to yo like that, " I said, a bit louder.

"Me too," Jenny said, wiping her eyes.

"You'll be OK...right?"

I smiled and got up.

"Sarah?"

I turned back.

"Thank you."