Short story. English homework.

“Ah. Study hall” I thought to myself. Study hall was my favorite period, my free period. I walked the corridors alone, stopped at my beat in, blue-ish locker, and rushed to the heavy metal doors. I pushed the gray door open with my purse, I dare not touch these rusty old doors. They were tall and covered in blotches of gum, it was not the most welcoming entrance.

The sunlight poured into the empty hallway as the door rushed open. I stepped out into the bright scenery. I have always loved how the sun makes everything looks so bright, the reason I wore bright clothing. Today my outfit consists of a neon yellows dress that was knee length; white leggings; lime green Chuck Taylor’s; and a white sweater. Of course I was decked out in bracelets and necklaces and piercings, like always. I loved to stand out in a crowd, well I have ever since I moved to Wishford.

I was just like every other new kid, I didn’t know anyone, and no one knew me, which is just what I wanted. I even got a new start, but it wasn’t one I would have ever wished for. I was know as “the weird girl”. From my short height of four foot seven, to my love of bright colors. My jade green eyes, to my natural straight light brown hair. My facial piercings, to my heavy make up. And of course, my pale and fragile complexion didn’t help my case.

My left eyebrow is pierced twice, I have two lip rings on the right side of my lip, and my nose is pierced. I wear a tight black choker with a button on it, a necklace with angel wings, and a chain that holds my keys and soda tabs. I have rubber wristbands of all colors, a spoon bent into a bracelet, and a hemp bracelet. And around my left ankle hangs a silver anklet. I loved my jewelry.

During my free period I was allowed to leave the school premises. I usually walked down to the park to write some poetry, or to take some new pictures. Sometimes I just sat on the swings, thinking, and listening to my MP3. It was my time to escape the world, I always enjoyed my alone time. I searched my purse for my watch and MP3 as I proceeded to walk to the park.

I stopped dead in my tracks, as if I was a deer caught in the blinding headlights of a large car. Cosette, just the name made my skin crawl. She stood there with a smirk on her face as she stared at me. Her curly mane of white-gold locks, and her small black bead-like eyes stared at me intensely. She crinkled her nose as if some smell struck her as gruesome. She started to walk towards me.

“Rochella. Rochella Emanuel. Thought you could escape me forever?” she sneered at me.

I stood, frozen. I couldn’t think of what to say. Why was she here? Had she come to spread the story of my awful past? I hoped not.

“Not forever, just long enough to have my story fade into a rumor” I managed to stammer out.

She grabbed my sweater and pulled me close to her. My bright and sunny April morning turned into a gloomy and dreary night in an instant. My past was back to haunt me. This is the day I always hoped wouldn’t come.

All of a sudden I felt a sharp pain in my right cheek. Warm liquid poured down my face, and I snapped back into reality. She punched me. Very hard, I might add. I wiped my cheek and I felt my anger rise up. I went to punch her back, but I resisted.

“No, I can’t do that again” I whispered.

“Think you can hold back forever?” she laughed as she wiped her stained knuckles on my purse.

“I don’t have that issue anymore. I have changed, whether you believe me, or not. I got help, I couldn’t hurt anyone else” I said as my memories flashed through my mind.

“Oh, because after you hurt Chelsea so bad, the thought of anger disgusts you? You crippled her, and she did nothing to you. Some harmless teasing maybe, but you hurt her more than she could have ever hurt you. She lay in a hospital bed all day, every day, thanks to you” she barked as her eyes welled up with tears.

Before I moved to Wishford, I was detained. And even before that I lived in a small town, hundreds of miles away. In that small town, in the even smaller high school, I was known as a bully. I beat up anyone who made me mad, or had a problem with me, or even looked at me funny. The girl Chelsea that Cosette mentioned was one of my biggest problems. We never got along, even in grade school. One day I didn’t want to hold back, even on my own cousin. I beat up my own cousin Chelsea for being so rude to me. One swift punch to the back had crippled her. I never meant for that to happen, but I couldn’t control myself. I was arrested and taken to a detention center.

“You know I never meant to hurt her. I just wanted the teasing to stop. I couldn’t take it anymore, I moved away so I would forget everything that happened back in Alley. I told Chelsea I was sorry, and begged for forgiveness” I spurted out through my tears.

“Even if she forgave you, I never could.”

“I’m sorry Cosette, I know she was your best friend. She was my cousin. She meant a lot to both of us. I am so sorry, I will never forgive myself,” I cried.

She hugged me. I cried on her shoulder as she cried on mine. I dropped my belongings and wrapped my arms around her. I no longer cared about getting back to class on time. I needed to be here and face my fears. Everything was gonna be ok after this.

I knew it.