Bullies

>>Roses PoV<<

It had been a week since I had been stabbed, the right side of my face still covered in bandages but today I was told I had to return to that hellhole called the school. I knew today would be hard, I didn't have many friends, and although Sarah had been excluded for a fortnight, other bullies would still be there. I arrived at class just as the bell rung; I had timed it so I wouldn't have to talk to anyone before class, as I walked to the classroom I could feel everyone looking at me.

After class registration we made our way to the lessons, I had physics, I wasn't looking forward to it, Ryan, the boy who made up all my 'nicknames' was in the class. As I was walking head down, trying not to be noticed I felt an arm fall over my shoulders, "Rose, I've missed you the last week, what happened to your face?" I know you are thinking he is being nice, but that snide tone that made me feel like something cold was crawling over my skin gave away his intentions. "Did you here about Sarah?" He knew, everyone knew, my little sister went to this school too, she told me it's all everyone has been talking about, I wonder what he was going to do.

Ryan was never violent. He would insinuate, tease, name call, he always made sure others wouldn't hear him. He had even convinced the teachers we were friends, he was helping me deal with the bullying, in reality, he was the worst of the lot. He made me feel on constant alert, he would touch me, gently, like putting his arm over my shoulder, brushing my cheek with his finger, things meant for someone special, it made my skin crawl.

As we arrived at the class he sat next to me, and began placing his class materials on the desk, he leaned and whispered in my ear, "I forgot my pen, can I borrow yours?" I quickly passed a biro, wanting him to move away quickly. "This pen is beautiful," he said waving it in front of my face. I automatically flinched away, after what happened I wasn't comfortable with pens, and he was waving it near my face. During the class he 'accidentally' dropped that pen at least 10 times in my direction, causing me to flinch. Then at the end of class as he handed it over, he made a motion like he was to stab me, then it happened, my chest became really tight, I felt like I couldn't get enough oxygen, I was panicking and had no idea what was going on. Later I was told I'd had a panic attack, but they had no idea what had caused it.

Every time I had a class with Ryan this happened, in the end, I couldn't take it, just the thought of a pen near me would freak me out. My parents became worried and took me to the doctors; they referred me to the local children's therapist, I was later diagnosed with Stylophobia.