Random Stories
02:07 Jan 24 2014
Times Read: 310
As Michelle walks down the street on the way to school, she is met with the usual judging eyes of the locals. Standing in front of the convenience store two woman whispered to one another, both staring at her all the while. Catching only a bit of their chatter, she knew that they were talking about her. “That’s her, isn’t it,” one of them murmured, “Yeah, that’s her. The one everyone is talking about,” replied the other. Michelle speeds up slightly and lowers her head, desperately wanting to avoid the stares of others. It has been this way for two months, the constant staring, and the never-ending chatter. She tried to ignore it but it got the best of her and dragged her down into the pits of regret and despair. “It was a mistake,” she thinks to herself as she enters the school parking lot, only to receive even harsher judgment, “a big mistake.” Before entering the building she looks down at her stomach, which has begun to show signs of new life. Sighing, she mentally prepares herself for another day of teasing and tormenting.
As she enters the classroom, the school bell rings, initiating the start of class. Michelle walks down the rows of seats, hearing the insults and jokes of her fellow class mates. She sits in her seat and shrinks into her own little world, a world where she doesn’t exist. Class begins and while the teacher drones on about history Michelle looks out the closed window into the stormy sky. Dark rain clouds covers the hopeful sky as dark thoughts cloud her mind. Suddenly there is a tap on her shoulder and one of the girls sitting next to her passes her a note. Hesitating for a minute she decides to open it. Inside was a crude and explicit drawing of what appeared to be a pair of legs spread open and an exposed genitalia. Under it in bold read, “Close those legs you slut!” With watery eyes she looks up to see a group of girls, most of which used to be her ‘friends,’ cackle as if it were funny. Soon everyone else joined in and Michelle quickly got up and ran out of the room, the teacher confused and calling, “Miss Michelle where are you going?!”
Running into the girl’s bathroom, she gets in one of the stalls and locks the door. She tries to fight the tears but cannot control them anymore. “Why can’t they leave me alone,” she screams in her head as she dry heaves, “Why can’t they just leave me alone!” She stays in the stall all of first period, only to be called into the principle office immediately afterwards. Trying to get herself together she wipes away the tears from her eyes along with the runny mascara. Then, while looking down at the tiled floor she walks down the hall and into the principal’s office. There she is greeted by Mrs. MacNamara along with her counselor, Mrs. Dimitris. “Please take a seat,” Mrs. MacNamara says with a look of concern on her face. Walking meekly over to the chair she takes a seat while still looking down, afraid of staring into either of their eyes. “Now what is this about running out of class,” the principal questions to which Michelle replies, “I just felt sick is all.” “Was it morning sickness,” the counselor pries. Irritated that they came to that conclusion she responds as she looks away, “No, I was just sick…” “Were kids insulting you again,” Mrs. MacNamara inquired. “Listen, can I just go home,” she says with a trembling voice, feeling the tears once again rising to the surface. “We cannot let you go until you te-“ the counselor is interrupted as Michelle cries, “Please just let me go home!” The counselor and principal look at each other for a moment before allowing her to be dismissed.
When her mother comes to pick her up she stares at her like all the others, with unforgiveness and disgust. The principal pulls her into another room so that they can talk. After 5 minutes or so the mother comes out and in an irritated tone she orders, “Let’s go,” to which Michelle obliges. The car ride is silent for the most part until they reach the end of their journey. “Do you know how much trouble I got in at work because you decided to throw a hissy fit and run out of class?” “They were calling me names again,” Michelle says meekly. “You need to suck it up, you were the one to have sex without protection,” “It wasn’t my fault! I was vulnerable and alone after you and dad broke up and he was there for me! He comforted me, made me feel needed!” “Well where is he now,” the mother crudely asks, hitting her daughter where it hurt, “He left, didn’t he? He got what he wanted and he left, just like most teenage boys do. You were stupid enough to fall for it.” They pull into the driveway and Michelle gets out of the car quickly and runs into the house. The mother reluctantly follows suit. Inside the mother exclaims, “Listen, I have to go back to work and beg for my job. This is the 3rd time in 2 months that this has happened you cannot keep doing this! “Do you know how it feels mom?! To be called a whore and a slut and a tramp?! To be insulted and ignored and to lose all of your friends?! Do you know how it feels to hate yourself every waking moment of the day for some stupid mistake?! Do yo-“ Her mother slaps her across the face, leaving a red mark. Furious, the mother responds, “Do you know it feels to have to go to the grocery store and have your neighbors and friends talk about your daughter behind your back? Do you know how much criticism I get for ‘Raising a whore’? Now if you excuse me I am going to get my job back!” She storms out the door, leaving her daughter alone with a bruised face and crushed heart.
Now all alone, totally alone, the dark thoughts once again enter her mind. “I’m horrible. I’m worthless. I cause every one trouble.” She gets up and walks up the stairs. “I deserve to be insulted. I deserve to be hated. I deserve to be alone.” She goes into the bathroom and opens the medicine cabinet to find pain killers that her mom used to take for back pain. “I don’t deserve to be loved.” She takes one pill. “I don’t deserve to be happy.” She takes two more. “I don’t deserve… to live.” She takes so many that she has lost count, hoping that she can alleviate the pain that she is feeling. The convulsions begin and she seethes in pain on the cold, unforgiving floor. She looks through the bathroom window one last time to see that the sky has cleared up, once again becoming a beautiful piece of perfection, and with a melancholic smile, she goes.
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