Altered Futures

Chapter 10 - Backstory

Monday, January 9 --- 8:22a.m.

"Anyway, we were walking past the center of campus indoors, where there is a huge tile circle in the center of the floor. It was then I noticed this guy laying down on the floor, holding his stomach in pain. I had never seen him before." 

"What did he look like back then?"

"He had on a green shirt, some pants, and shoes, which were old and looked like they might wear out soon. He had beautiful brown eyes and black hair. A group of students gathered around him and were kicking and hurting him. I didn't know why."

"Poor Edward."

"Anyway, I asked my friend if she knew who he was. She told me she didn't but it wasn't important. According to her, due to how he was dressed, he had to be a nobody. I couldn't stand seeing him so hurt and do nothing. I left my friend and walked over to the bullies."

"That must have been petrifying."

"It was. In fact, it was the first time I ever truly raised my voice. People knew me as a shy and quiet person, so they were shocked I was being so loud. I yelled at them to leave him alone and reminded them that it was passing period and they all had a class to get to, so they had to go."

"Yeah, look how you turned out now. You yelled at me earlier this morning already."

"I've changed since then. I had to."

"I know. It's not your fault."

"It kind of was."

"No, Grace, it really was not. You just wanted to be faithful to the boy you loved and didn't want to let someone buy a piece of you. You tried making your parents happy long enough, but enough is enough."

"You keep in telling me that, but what if it isn't true?"

"Would I ever lie to you?"

"I guess not."

"See?"

"Back to the story. The students were shocked at how I reacted, but went to their classes. None of tried to help him. Once they were gone, I went to see if he was okay. At first he flinched because he thought I was going to be like them."

"Grace, you couldn't hurt a fly even if you wanted to."

"It took a minute but I convinced him I wouldn't hurt him. I lifted up his shirt and he was covered in bruises. It made me angry that they would to do this to him. I told him to stay and I would get him some help. By the time I was about to enter the nurse's office, I heard the final bell ring."

"I thought you said you were always on time to class."

"Well, yes, I had never been late to a class before then ever since I can remember, but I went in anyway. The nurse started to give me a lecture on how I should be in class but I told her there was a student who needed her help. I got her to follow me back to where he was when I left him."

"Was he still there?"

"Yes, but he was crying. I showed the nurse where his bruises were and tried to tell him he'd be okay and it wasn't right for them to hurt him. Looking back on it, he must have been scared that I would abandon him and not come back."

"Poor guy," muttered Naf under her breath, mostly to herself. "He went through all this?"

"Yes. The nurse asked him if he could walk and he said he didn't know, so she carried him back to her office. I asked her if I could stay. She was hesitant at first, but she knew I had near perfect attendance and was a good student. In the end, she let me, so I followed her back to her office."