Everyone has a Voice

This started as a class project until I was able to make it mine.

Lying on my soft, twin bed under my fluffy, pink comforter, I notice sunlight shining through my black, translucent curtains. That’s when I have to start getting ready for the rough day ahead of me. Rolling out of bed I check to see what time it is.

“6:30,” I say pathetically, “an hour to get ready. My day starts the same every morning: wake up, brush my teeth, get dressed and do my hair. Same old mint toothpaste, same old denim skinny jeans with one of my many hoodies, and same old brown, curly hair in a tight ponytail. I look in the mirror and see the same thing I see every day. Baggy clothes on a small girl with a tiny body, hazel eyes that compliments her light complexion, and hair that is so curly you can’t even count the curls.

I check the time once again and realize that I should start heading out, so I grab my baby blue Jansport backpack. Barely putting on my black Chucks, I dart down the stairs then through the door. Wishing I could stay home.

Since my school is only a block away it doesn’t take long to get there, but I like to look at the beautiful things that surround me. Tall redwoods with some of the most wonderful autumn leaves you could ever see. It’s very common to see redwoods in California, but these ones are just amazing. You can hear, but not see mockingbirds in the trees, with their loud chirps that tell a story. Occasionally you could hear the faint bark of a dog, probably a few blocks down.

“Becky!” someone yells as my thoughts are quickly interrupted, I look up to see that I am already at school and my friend Riley is running up to me. I have known Riley all my life, we have been going to school together ever since preschool, but now in 10th grade she hasn’t changed a bit. She is still small, just like me, with some of the beautifullest blue eyes and red hair. Riley has always been outgoing, the exact opposite as me, but I kind of like it.

“Hey,” I say walking up to her right before I fall, looking up I see Bella. Bella just happens to hate my guts for no apparent reason. She is 6’3 and head of the wrestling team, you know the monster who use to hide under your bed, well that’s Bella. Ever since 6th grade Bella would push me, hit me and even do petty things such as calling me names. Nobody ever stands up to Bella, they just watch as I get thrown around like a ragdoll.

“What’s up loser?” She grunts as she walks past. Riley hurries over to help me up and we don’t say anything just keep walking. Silence full of awkwardness, we have gotten so use to it that I just take it. Many times I have thought about standing up to her, but she’ll just snap me like a twig. Could you imagine a 5’2, 83 lb girl taking on a female jock, no. We finally make it 1st period, history and take our seats.

1st period seemed to last forever, Mr.King, the history teacher, shows no emotion he always has a straight face and a monotone voice, I am shocked that I have managed to stay awake. As soon as we escape history, Riley and I go straight to our narrow, blue lockers  which happen to be right next to each other. When I open my locker a crinkled white note falls out it says, Watch your back loser, in black crayon. For the first time in a long time I’m scared, who could imagine what she has in store for me: black eyes, bruises, who knows. Riley could tell that something was wrong, she takes the note out of my shaking hands while I just stand there, frozen.

“We have to do something about this,” she says worriedly, and I nod my head in agreement. Completely quiet we both start walking towards Student Services, where the Vice Principal’s, Ms.Henry, office is. I have never really seen Ms.Henry she is always in her office and never really comes out during school hours, so I am a teeny bit nervous. We see the door with her name on it and quietly knock, hoping she is there.

So many thoughts are running through my head it is hard to keep track of them. What if she can’t help me. What if she doesn’t believe me. I can’t! I can’t just sit back and take it anymore!. I want to be free, I want to be a normal teenager. She has to help us.

“Come in,” I hear and quickly open the door. As soon as I walk in I feel as if I am in some mad house. Bright blue walls with a checkered pink and yellow floor. Her furniture is crazy: lemon chairs with a pizza table. This lady is crazy, how is she even a vice principal I think to myself. That’s when I finally look at her, she is wearing this bright yellow duck suit with her short, blonde hair in a bunch of ponytails, just like Miley Cyrus’. “How may I help you ladies?”

“Here”, I stutter walking up and handing her the note, “someone put this in my locker. I know exactly who it was.”

“Who?”  Ms.Henry quickly says almost sounding like an owl in the dawn of night.

“Bella Ramerez,”  I respond.

“Why would you say that,” She says seriously, “you do know that this is a big accusation.”

“Ever since 6th grade…” I pause, “Ever since 6th grade Bella has hit me, called me foul names, and taken my stuff.”  These words just spilled out of my mouth, for the first time I could express how I felt. I didn’t just have to hold it in.

“Okay get to class,” she huffed, “ it should be 3rd period by now, I’ll call Mr.Huffle and tell him you guys were with me.” Once we leave I start to get really anxious: my heart is pounding faster, my hands are shaking uncontrollably, and my thoughts are racing.

“It’ll be okay,” Riley says reassuringly, with a sympathetic look on her face. “things will only get better from here.” She must be right, right? What else could happen? Instantly my nerves ease up and we make it to 3rd period

After that the day seemed to fly by, Bella didn’t bother me at all. Well, I didn’t even see her at all, but during 6th period I got really thirsty, so I asked if I could go get some water. Of course the teacher gladly lets me go, I finished the assignment that was given. The water fountain was not that far, so I get there quickly walking as if I had no problems in the world.

“Hey snitch.”  I hear someone say right behind me, it must be Bella. My instincts kick in and I just take off running. There is no one in the hallways, so I can easily get away, or so I thought. Just as I thought I had reached the light, I am pushed to the ground. “Where do you think your going?”

“Leave me alone,” I utter, but she doesn’t care what I have to say. Bella starts kicking me, while I just lay there in the middle of the empty hallway. Kick after kick, I just sit there and take it, my body slowly shutting down. As soon as I am about to give up all hope Riley’s words playback in my head.

“It will all be okay.” I hear and I know it will be, but I have to be the one to make it happen. When Bella swings her foot back I manage to grab her foot and trip her. Instantly she falls back and I am able to get up, doing something that feels like a run I turn a corner and there is student services. Barely having enough strength I open the door and there is a lady at the front desk.

“Help,” I get out before I fall to the hard wooden floor.

Where am I, I think while slowly gaining conscious. I am on a bed, it is not my bed, I know this because it has two thin, white sheets, and a hard, colorless blanket. My mom, I think I see my mom. She is talking, talking to a women dressed as a doctor, or is she a doctor. If she is a doctor I must be in the hospital. I slowly start to get up, but pain shoots through my whole body, so I just lay there. Lay there and look around.

I look down and there is an IV in my arm. An IV allows the doctors to take blood, and if I don’t eat for a long period of time that’s where my food will come from. It feels weird like it’s not suppose to be there, but it is. I start looking at the room, tan walls with an occasional picture about how to cover your mouth. The floor is suppose to be white, but it looks really old because it has a yellowish stain to it.

“Hi honey,” I hear and look up to see my mom and the doctor. My mom must’ve came straight from work because she is in her nice formal dress and her dirty blonde hair is pulled up in a nice tight bun. The doctor on the other hand seems to be younger. She has straight, black hair, green eyes, and freckles.i read her nametag and it says Dr.Fregoso.

“Why am I here,” I say trying to sit up again.

“No! Stay laying down,” Dr.Fregoso says in almost a panic, “you have three broken ribs and bruises on different parts of your body.”

“What does the mean?” I ask curiously.

“It means you’ll be in bed for the next few weeks,” my mom answers, “your going to need all the rest you can get if you want your body to get better. Oh! I have some good news for you!”

“What?” I say, what good news is there when I am sitting here a hospital bed.

“The girl who did this to you, Bella, she was taken into custody,” she says, “she is never going to mess with you again.” It was satisfying to hear that, Bella can not hurt me if she’s locked up. I can finally live, not have to be afraid to go get an education, I am free. My mind is literally jumping for joy.

Those weeks seemed to go by so slow, I was in the hospital hospital until I could walk on my own and that was for two weeks.Even though people were sending get well cards, so many varieties of flowers, and some of the most delicious candies it was still hard. All I really had was my phone and a stupid nurse who came in every two minutes and asked me if I was okay. They served different foods each day,but it still somehow it all came out tasting gross. My mom visited me when she didn’t have to work, but for the most part I was alone. For the days I wasn’t in the hospital I had to lay  laying in bed watching TV or doing homework that Riley dropped off. Riley came when she wasn’t busy with homework.

The day before I could return there was a knock at my bedroom door.

“Come in,” I say loud enough for the person to hear, but when the person walks through the door I am shocked. It’s my older sister Kamryn. Kamryn left for college a few years ago, me and her use to be so close, everyone knew we were sisters. We both had the same hazel eyes, brown, curly, hair, and light complexion. She has barely came by ever since she started at NYU, but it makes me happy she can come see me now.

“What’s going on?” She say while slowly sitting down on my bed.

“I don’t want to go to school tomorrow,” I say under my breath.

“Why?” Kamryn ask.

“People will probably think I’m weak,” I quickly respond knowing that was the next question she was going to ask, “I’ll just get picked on again.”
“No, people will think you’re strong because you took such a beating and came back,” she says, almost sounding like a motivational speaker.

“Yeah, maybe you’re right,” I say as I nod my head in agreement. For the rest of the day me and Kamryn just sit there and catch up. I ask her about college, she ask me how my grades are. It felt good to have someone to talk to again. I am not alone, but I know she is going to have to go back sometime and are relationship will surely fade away.

Monday morning It’s hard to get dressed so I throw on some grey sweats, white T-shirt, and my Nike slides on. My body hurts as I struggle to put my hair up. It feels like someone is stabbing me in my ribs, but thank god my hair is straightened so I just wear down. I look like I just woke up, well I did, but looking like I just woke up all day. Well I don’t really have a choice so I just go along with it, and finish getting ready.

Five minutes later I hear a honk, it must be Riley and her mom coming to pick me up. The walk to school would be treacherous, so Riley volunteered.

“Comming!” I yell down while gently putting my backpack on my shoulder. It takes a few seconds to walk down the stairs, but once I open the door, Riley is waiting there patiently.

“Hey!” She says so perkily I feel as if a cheerleader is inside of her, but I just do a silent wave in response. We both start walking towards her mom’s car, it is a black, 2015 BMW. Riley opens the door for me and I wave hello to her mom. Her mom’s name is Jessica,but I call her Ms.J, and she is really nice just like Riley. Ms.J Is 5’7 so I don’t know how Riley is so short, but hey all you can blame is genetics.

As we arrive to school butterflies, no not butterflies, falcons, falcons feel my stomach. I am so nervous what are people going to think when I walk through those gates, when I walk down that hallway, or when I sit in that seat that has been empty for almost a month? What will they think? Once Riley and I get out of the car we slowly walk to first period, but I see a jock. I am pretty sure his name is Brock push the captain of the Reptile Club,Timothy, into a locker and I can’t just sit back and watch.

“Are you okay?” I say as soon as Brock walks aways to Timothy. Timothy is lying on the floor, he is wearing a pretty cool, red shirt and some slacks. His hair is really gelled up, but it looks awesome. I don’t know why anyone would mess him up.

“Yeah,” he says quietly, “ I am use to it.”

“Well you shouldn’t be,” I say as my voice slowly starts to rise.

“I know,” Timothy says quietly looking me straight in the face, “but I have to.” He walks away not looking back once and I feel bad. That use to be me I just use to sit there and take it, not thinking about what’s good for me, just taking it. We finally walk into our first period class and I just sit there and think.

How could I let one person ruin some of the best years of my life? I let one person make me feel so low and didn’t do anything about it until now. Put me in a place no one should ever be. I never want anyone to be in the place that I was in. Everyone should have a voice.