My Life As A Nightmare

Lory’s POV

A school day is just like any other. I actually like school, if only other kids weren't around. I liked my previous schools more. I didn't stand out as much there. On the other hand, I haven't stayed in any other school as long as I have been here.

The first two years were normal here too, but after the twins started teasing me publicly, others began to reject and humiliate me too. Generally, I try not to make a big deal out of it and focus on how long I still have to endure here.

"How's it today? Still as dumb as yesterday, or have you grown an extra brain cell?" asks a boy from my parallel class, whose name I don't even know. How is it possible that my peers are just so mean and childish, especially the boys? Their nasty comments don't bother me as much as the girls' staring, breaking things, losing clothes, and other bullying.

The last time, it was just the limit for me.

For a long time, I had deliberately started to dress later than others in order to listen as little as possible to themockery and feeling mocking glances of others. I hurried to get dressed, the very last closet was mine, I tried to hurry. When I had managed to take off my clothes and started putting on my workout clothes, I discovered that I had lost my bag. I turned around and noticed that all my belongings were gone. I stood puzzled and looked around carefully too where my belongings might have disappeared. Since there was no one in the locker room, I started searching where my belongings might have gone.

At one point, when I had just bowed down to see under the bench, I heard the hustle and bustle behind me. I suddenly felt some kind of wet liquid pouring down my neck. I stood up and realized that my whole body was covered in red paint. My hair was dripping, my laundry was soaked through.

Jessica, Raily, Maxin, and Judy giggled and filmed. I can't believe what they did. What I've done to them? Why am I always the one, that they bully? How can some people be so cruel?

I looked around and tried to think about what to do next. The girls blocked my way to the washrooms, I tried to climb through them, but I still couldn't fight 4 girls alone. I gave up and cried as I ran out of the dressing room, through school and outside.

I couldn't even see who I was running past, the tears had blocked my vision, and yet at that moment I did’t care what was going to happen next. I didn't have anywhere to go that way, and no one cares where I go or what I do.

I ran towards the park, there was at least somewhere to hide, I had just crossed the road when I ran into someone. I don't know who it was, but I do know he had a wonderful smell, the smell of pines and freshly cut grass, strong muscular arms and chest as strong as a wall.

I definitely smeared his clothes with red paint. I was so ashamed and couldn't help but feel even more embarrassed. I ran on and tried to hide in as dark a corner as I could in the park. I was in the park until dark, and then I tried to sneak home.

Even now, my red 'beauty pictures' continue to circulate at school, mostly spread by the twins and some of my otherwise nice classmates. Before this incident, attending school was still manageable despite the daily mockery. However, now there are those who mock, humiliate, or look at me with pity, yet do nothing to stop others. The teachers intervened, but their conversations only fueled the bullying further.

I just can't wait until I turn 18, then I can change schools myself and move away from this city. There are still 10 days left. Today, fortunately, there are many tests that have led classmates to focus on schoolwork rather than bullying me.

After school, I have to hurry to work. I work as an assistant in a car repair shop a few streets from our house. Our neighbor, Ben, called me to work at his workshop 6 months ago when he saw that my clothes and things were so worn out that they just fell apart on my back. At first he tried to talk to Nancy that I needed to be taken care of but it was like running his head against a wall. Luckily, Ben didn't give up and offered me a job so I could collect a possible backstory for the future.