Blood was still dripping from my chin as we made it to the bathroom. Thankfully, there wasn't anyone inside, but we both went inside the big stall. Just incase someone were to come.

I hope I didn't leave a trail on the floor, I thought.

When we got inside the first thing I did was to look at myself in the mirror. I put my hands around the sink and began to weep as I saw my reflection. There was blood all over my nose and mouth. I saw a few drops dripping from my chin and fell into the sink.

I guess...it wasn't just a simple nose bleed.

My eyes were puffy from crying, my mascara was running, my foundation was smeared from wiping the tears that ran down my face, and my beautiful shirt was stained. It was all because of me.

While I was still crying, I saw Meg grab some toilet paper and dampened it with some water. Then she started to gently wipe my face with it. My make up was also being wiped off but I stopped caring at this point.

"Hey, hey," she said lowly, trying to get me to stop sobbing. "You shouldn't let people get to you like that."

"I didn't mean to cry in front of everybody," I said through my sobs. "I...It just came out." I tilted my head up so that the blood could find its way back down.

The paper she was using was now bloody, so she threw it away, got more and dampened it to continue cleaning my face.

"You know," she started. "My daddy always told me to never cry in front of people who want to hurt you."

"Why?" I asked.

Her hazel eyes met my brown ones, then she said, "Because you're giving them power over you by you letting them see your weakness, and you must never give them that opportunity." She said.

"S...So, what do you want me to do? Hold my tears in? I think not," I said while rinsing off my hands and arms.

"Girl, you need to grow a back bone." She said bluntly. "If people are being mean or saying stuff about you, then you have two options. You can either keep a straight face with no emotion or you can be rude to them back."

"B...But i'm not good at keeping a straight face or saying rude things to people's faces! Plus I don't think anyone would listen to a girl who's attached to an oxygen tank." I said sadly, while holding up the tube. "They'd probably just laugh at me again."

"Did you not see what I did in there? Those kids know not to mess with me, because if they do they're going to get it." She said with sass and I laughed a little.

"You're really funny," I said, starting to cheer up a bit.

"Yeah, I know," she sighed, while flipping her curly hair in the air, and I sucked my teeth at her playfully. "Okay, we're done here, i'll walk you to the nurse so you can call your mom and hopefully go home."

"Oh, Meg, you don't have to walk me all the way there. I can just..."

"It's fine, the bell is about to ring in like five minutes anyways." She said while opening the door for me and motioned for me to get out.

"Thanks," I said while putting on a brave smile and she nodded.

Before we left I took a good look at myself at the mirror in the middle of the bathroom. I looked... I looked... pretty. I think.

I don't know why...but when I looked at my bare face, without make up or blood, Adams words flashed through my head.

I think you're cute, Dawn. I flustered at the thought of him, then smiled slightly at my reflection. Maybe, me being ugly is all in my head and that I am actually...beautiful.

Am I beautiful?

My smile slowly started to disappear when I realized that I didn't have my backpack with me, I just had my oxygen. So I quickly went back to the stall that we were in, but to my dismay it wasn't there. I signed, knowing that the only other place, that it could possibly be is in the classroom.

"What's wrong? What are you looking for?" She asked concerned.

"It's my bag, I think I forgot it in the class," I groaned. "I really don't wanna go back in there."

"Hmm okay, look, you continue walking to the front office while i'll go get your bag, and bring it to you there." She said

"Okay, yeah that'll work." I said gratefully. "Thank you, again," I said, then gave her a hug and she hugged me back.

Just as we left the restroom the bell rang and within a matter of a few seconds everyone barged out of their class rooms like their lives depended on it.

Oh no, i'm gonna get trampled, I thought.

Meg and I began to part ways. She went to the left and I to the right. I was basically being swept away by the mob of people. When I wanted to take a left turn they kept me going straight. I didn't want to accidentally hit anyone with my rolly backpack, but I guess that's what i'm going to have to do, because these people are animals!

I bravely pushed my way out of the crowd that would've eventually taken me all the way down the hall. A few people got their toes run over, but you know... life isn't fair.

***

I finally made it to the front office, unscathed and had to try my best to ignore the stares of the people at the front desk as I made it to the nurse.

I lightly knocked on the door because it was closed.

"You can come in," I heard a voice said. So, I opened the door to a young woman that had short wavy red hair with shimmering light green eyes.

The last time I went to the nurses office it was a different lady, her name was, Rosanna. She either retired or the school must've let her go, because of her old age.

When she turned around and saw me, her face softened. I could see her scanning me from the top of my head to the souls of my feet. I saw that she was trying very hard not to freak out, after seeing all the blood on my shirt.

"Hello? H...How can I help you?" She asked.

"Hi, uhm I had a major nose bleed...as you can see." I said pointing to my stained shirt. "I was wondering... if I could call my mom so she could come and take me home. I'm not feeling too well."

"S...Sure, of course! B...But first I need to give you a little evaluation first." She said while smiling nervously. "Come and lay down on the bed over here." I nodded and proceeded toward the bed to lie down.

When I did, she got all her doctor things that I didn't know a school nurse would normally have. She took my blood pressure, did a kneecap test, she basically did the whole nine. I wonder why she's not working at an actual hospital, she'd be so perfect for the job.

While she was getting me some water, Meg walked in with my backpack and sat it down on the chair next to the door.

"Here ya go. I hope you feel better, Dawn." She said hurriedly before rushing out, to her next class. I didn't even have enough time to respond back to her.

When the nurse gave me the water I realized that she was finishing up. "Uhm, miss, I know that it's non of my business, but why aren't you like a real doctor or something?" I asked out of curiosity and then the late bell rang. "You clearly have all the skills...and techniques."

She pushed her black Ray Ban glasses up, because they were slipping down her nose and I could tell that my question made her quite uncomfortable. "Oh, uhm...I gave u...up on that dream a long time ago. I...It's fine, that dream is dead now." She said forcing a smile.

"Why?" I asked causally. "You seem like a total professional to me."

A shy laugh escaped her body. "Seriously? You r...really think i...i'm that good?"

"Seriously." I said while gulping down the water. "I honestly believe you could make a excellent doctor, if you would just put your mind to it."

She put her head down so that she was facing the ground. "You see... my mom always told me that I...I would never be good enough t...to be one. I'm a failure, I...I stutter a lot, i'm clumsy, I never do anything right." A tear escaped her eye and she quickly wiped it away. "I...I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to babble on about my s...stupid problems. Y...Y...You can go ahead and call your mother now." She said with a trembling smile.

"You know, you shouldn't be talking about yourself like that. I don't think you're a failure." She smiled at my words. "Your mom lied to you when she said that you would never good enough, because I think you are. You are so bright and full of potential. I don't understand how you can't see that," I said softly.

She was in deep thought for a few moments before speaking again. "You know what? Y...You're right. If I wanna be a doctor then I can be doctor. N...No matter how many times a day my mom calls me out of my name or is disrespectful, I will still r...respect and love her but I won't be h...held back by her any longer!" She said in a voice, full of determination.

I wanted to ask her why she would she even think of being nice to her grinch of a mother if she's so mean to her, for no reason. Although, I didn't want to seem too nosy, so I just kept my burning question to myself.

"That's great!" I said while getting off of the bed. "Go for it."

When I reached my bag she thanked me for the encouragement and advice I gave her.

"You're welcome. I'm glad that I could help." I smiled at her while reaching for the door and opening it.

"Wait," she said, stopping me in my tracks. "What's your name?"

I turned around and replied, "Dawn, my name is, Dawn Smith. What's yours?"

"Ohh, that's such a beautiful name." She said excited and I giggled a bit. "And mine is, Elyse Ridgeway, but you can call me Elly, if you want."

When she gave me a hall pass we both smiled and wished each other a good day. I then exited and looked for some place private so that I could call my mom.

I went outside and sat on the benches to call her. Also, yes, I did get stopped by a couple security guards on my way there but thankfully by showing them the hall pass I had, they let me go wherever I wanted.

The phone ringed a few times before she picked up, then I told her everything that happened. I was fighting the tears that threatened to come out. She said that she'd be there in like ten minutes.

So I continued sitting down, until I heard a sound like someone was putting money into a vending machine.

I hope that it has soda, sprite preferably. My desire for a drink of soda was stronger than the urge to rest. It has been a very long time since I last had a can of soda.

So, I slowly stood up due to my weak bones and walked toward the sound, but then I saw that the person using the machine was wearing a white hoodie. Is that Adam? I thought to myself.

After getting a better look and noticing midnight black hair poking out of his hoodie I knew that it was him. What's he doing here? I whispered to myself before quickly jumping back, yet another corner.

I didn't want to face him because he witnessed what happened to me in first period and heard what everyone said. Maybe, he didn't stand up for me because he agreed with what they were saying, I don't know. Plus, I look like a complete mess right now and I don't want him to see me.

As I was about to go back to the bench I felt a cool breezes brush against my skin. I turned to find that he was only a few feet away, giving me a peculiar look. Wow that was fast.

Oh no, he must really think i'm a stalker now.

I was too stunned to move, the only thing that I could do is to look down at the ground as he came closer.

"I know that you were watching me from over here, Dawn," he said, while softly smirking.

I opened my mouth slightly to answer him but couldn't find my voice, it was lost and nothing but a squeak. I quickly bit onto my lower lip, a little too hard to stop myself from crying.

"Dawn?" He said while cocking his head to the side, I thought it was adorable when he did that.

My attempt to withhold my tears was failing, so then I went to plan B. "S...Sorry, but I have to go!" I said hurriedly and ran for my life.

Wearing a heavy bag on your back while also pulling on an oxygen tank wasn't helping at all.

"Wait!" He shouted.

I turned my head toward him, not paying attention to where I was stepping. Inevitably, I stepped on a rock the wrong way and I fell down, sliding on the dirt...or mud.

Why am I such an Idiot?

I wobbly got on my hands and knees and then I felt strong hands wrap around my waist, gracefully lifting me up with ease. He turned me around so I was facing him and I looked up at him with sad eyes.

"Why did you run away from me?" He asked, looking confused. "Did I...Did I do something wrong?" He licked his thumb and wiped the dirt from my cheek with it. Although, my tears mostly helped with the clean up.

"N...No...I...it's just...maybe... Chris, is right. I don't belong here, I never did."

"Forget what he said, you do belong here. Like all the other kids that are in this school. No one is better than the other, we're all the same. Sadly, some kids can't seem to understand that." After he said that I started to feel a little better. "I'm so sorry about what happened to you earlier. You didn't deserve that...I wish I could've done something..."

"Then why didn't you?" I accidentally wondered aloud, cutting him off. Oops, did I seriously just ask him that?!

"Oh, I was getting ready to, but your friend took care of that," he began to smile. "Man, she's a tough one, isn't she?"

I also smiled and said, "Yeah, she's a tough nut to crack." We both laughed.

"Hey, I got you something," he whispered to me, while digging into the pocket of his hoodie and pulled out a sprite soda can. I can't believe he got me my favorite soda, ever.

He thought about me?

"How did you...never mind, th...thank you so much," I said smiling, as he handed it to me. "You know you didn't have to."

"It's no problem, and I wanted to, because you deserve it, Dawn." He honestly makes me feel so good and I was about to take advantage of the moment and hug him but he said he need to go to class.

"Aren't you like already super late already? It's better if you'd just stay out here til the next period." I suggested.

"Nah, it's fine, no one ever notices me anyways. I'm like a ghost," he said smirking, and I smiled.

We then exchanged 'goodbyes' and before he even took three steps away he turned around and asked for my number.

!!

With no questions asked, I gave it to him, he thanked me and then we parted ways. I was literally freaking out inside all the way back to the benches, but as I walked I felt that my right ankle was hurting. Agh, why does this always happen to me?

My excitement soon subsided as I saw my mother's worried expression through her car window.

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Hey guys, sorry this chapter was kinda late. I hope you liked it though.

Tell me what you lovely people thought of the chapter in the comments. Also, vote and share with your friends please. ❤❤❤