"I'm Fine"

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I walk in.

Through the doors of Everest High. My black low-cut converse squeaking against the white tiled floor. With firm grip on my backpack, I dust off a bit of dirt from my FoB jacket and black pedal shorts. I fished my car keys out from my pocket and threw them in my bag. Then I continued my journey to my first class.

Everest High is a huge campus in Riverdale. I'm a 10th grader now. Been walking through these halls from the past 16 years of my life.

Students from different places, crowding against their assigned lockers stare at me and my ugly features as I walk through the halls. My hair was an ugly shade of brown naturally fading to blonde. My eyes an ugly turquoise color. Almost everything of me is ugly in their eyes.

I saw everyone whispering to their friends while looking at me intently. But I didn't mind them, I can't even hear what they're saying anyways because I'm actually drowning everyone with music. My white earphones was blasting loud music to my ears.

I'm out on the edge

And I'm screaming my name

Like a fool at the top of my lungs

I turned to the right hall which was less crowded.

Sometimes when I close my eyes

I pretend I'm alright

But it's never enough

"Oof!" I crash against a locker with a hard thud on the ground, loosing my grip from my bag, my earphones falling off.

"Out of my way LOSER!" An obnoxious voice rang through my ears, followed by multiple laughter. I look up and just as I thought, I saw Josh and his gang of ruffians, Mike and Donny. I glare at them.

"How many times do we have to tell you not to look at us like that?!" Mike scold me and punched me square on my left cheek. I jerked to the right and tears prick my eyes as I held my now bruised cheek.

"Hahaha! See you bitch!" Josh laughed as he walk away, his thugs tailing behind him, Donny kicking me in the process. I winced. The three were my bullies ever since I was in 1st grade and they were in 2nd grade.

"Tch." I looked at the bit of blood that dribbled from my mouth on my hand before properly sitting on the floor. I reached for my bag and open it to look for my purple handkerchief. I took it out and softly dab it on my wound. I stood up. Picked my earphones and phone throwing them in my bag and continue walking holding my handkerchief on my face.

"Well if it isn't Mikaela BITCH West." I froze when I heard that cold female voice behind me. I sighed tiredly and turned around to face the blonde. I saw her her vicious smirk and menacing blue eyes. She had her arms crossed over chest.

"H-hey.. uh.. Brittany." I waved awkwardly to her. She glared at me and snapped her fingers. Like trained dogs, her two friends grabbed me by the arms and pushed me against the lockers. The brunettes had a hard grip on my arms making me drop my hanky and bag.

"Listen here brat. You'll be doing our homework from now on and gonna allow us to do whatever we want with you." Brittany spat out pointing a hot pink painted finger nail at her. "The girls and I have gained a pretty high popularity here and if you refuse my offer, I'll have to blackmail you. Which I'm very good at."

"W-whatever." I muttered.

"Hmph! Good." Brittany sneered. "Tiff. Mitt."

The said brunettes looked at me with eyes screaming danger. They let go of my arms and Tiffany slapped my right cheek making me jerk to the left but then Mittens pushed me, making me fall on the right. The trio laughed as they strutted off on their pink, purple and blue heels. I sighed as I sat up.

I leaned on the lockers in the now empty halls. I sighed again before pulling my knees up and wrapping my arms around my legs, burying my face in them. I let out a sob. My stuff was scattered on the ground as I not care for the world.

I have been bullied ever since 1st grade. Was given the name 'Crybaby' because back then my father died from lung cancer. And I miss him very much, so I cried. A lot.

I had friends. I had friends. Although they leave after finding out my secret. The last time I had friends, it was 4 years ago.

~

"Hey Mika, you should share your side of the storyn cause we have been like bestfriends for a very long time now." An ash blonde haired girl named Mary told me.

"Yeah, Mika. Share something to us for old time sake." One of her blonde cousins, Elizabeth said.

"Yeah! Yeah!" Patricia, Elizabeth's sister agreed.

"U-uh. I can't. I'm not ready yet. And you guys wouldn't like it anyways." I said.

"Hey it's okay. We'll wait." Mary said.

"Yeah. We'll always be here for you." Liz said. Patty smiled. I smiled back.

Months passed. Mary, Liz, and Patty still talk to me and they're still my best friends. But they're getting impatient for my secret.

"Tell us already Mika!" Mary demanded.

"I.. u-uh.." I stuttered.

"Why wouldn't you tell us!?" Patty asked.

"C'mon Mikaela." Liz dragged. I gasped as I gripped on my arms. They never call me by my full name. They always call me Mika.

"And what is with you and long sleeves anyways!? It's ridiculously hot out and your wearing flannels and jackets!" Liz scolded.

"Here! Alright! Here!" I screamed pulling my flannel off leaving me in just a white tank top and pulled my arms out to them. Mary's green and the twin's blue eyes landed on my arms. They gasped.

"W-what did you do!?" Liz asked.

"Before we became friends, I was constantly bullied. And so I did this. I knew you would be scared that's why I didn't tell you." I explained, tears pricking my eyes.

"No. I'm not gonna hang out with this girl anymore. No. Not anymore." Mary muttered and then ran away.

"H-hey! W-wait a minute! Mary please!" I yelled. I looked at Liz who had a horrified expression.

"You're so hideous."

Ouch.

"Let's go Patty. Hey, don't look at her anymore." Liz said to her sister whose eyes stuck on my arms like glue. Liz pulled her away.

"Hey, w-wait!" But they're gone. I slid to the ground and cried. It was also the same with my friends before them. They left because I was bullied and they didn't want to get bullied too.

I was always alone. They leave. They always do.

~

"Hey, you alright?" A voice pulled me back to reality. I looked up, with tear-stained cheek, to see a young man with slick sandy blonde hair, blue eyes and fair skin.

"Yeah." I said as I wiped my tears away stubbornly. He offered a hand and I took it.

"I'm fine."