"Students, please welcome our new student, Isadora." The kid looked shy. She was standing next to the teacher, avoiding the stares of our eyes. "I expect you all to make her feel welcomed." She turned towards her. "Isadora dear, sit next to Payton." The teacher pointed towards me and Isadora came walking, slowly placing her bag next to mine and sitting down, staring at her table.
"Hi, my name's Payton!" I bring out my hand for her to shake. She smiles at me and takes my hand.
"Hey." She said quietly.
"Wanna be friends?"
"Sure!"
I smiled at her and she smiled back, the teacher scolding us for talking. We fought back giggles.
During lunch time, I showed her how the food system works. How she should always check the expiration date on the milk before drinking it. How she should avoid the mushroom soup because of that one time I found a nail in mine. How sometimes the ranch is actually mayonnaise and that nobody can tell the difference.
We took our trays and sat down at a table at the far end of the cafeteria. We sat down with some of my friends who I introduced her to.
"Oh my God, where are you from?"
"Your name is so pretty."
"Are those real converse?"
"Your accent is so funny!"
"Do you do your own hair?"
"Which lessons do you take?"
I smiled and laid back, looking at Isadora who seemed very amused and answered everyone's questions with confidence. She was practically beaming, her happiness radiating off of her.
I spent the break showing her where all the classrooms were and gave her my schedule if she needed anything throughout the day. I asked for her own schedule and gave a sigh of relief when I noticed we mostly had the same lessons. All except AI Art. I looked up at her. "You like digital art?"
"Yes, I make some animations at home when I'm bored."
"Huh, that's cool!"
She smiled at me before heading off to her class.
That was seven months ago. I'm staring at her back right now. We currently have history. She's laughing with my friends. I wonder what's so funny. The teacher scolds them. They stop.
Eleven months. She's at the mall. I go through her instagram stories, and see her laughing with my friends. They're drinking. I turn my phone off and lay it on my bed beside me.
I wish I was with them.
It's been sixteen months. A year and four months. None of my friends talk to me, including Isadora. I sit by myself in the cafeteria.
It's been two years. They've all started rumors about me at school, even on the internet. It's a nightmare, I don't know what to do. I didn't do anything to them at all, everything was so perfect back then.
{THREE YEARS LATER}
"Oh yeah? Why are you so silent now, huh?" She threw me a quick right-hook out of nowhere. I fall to the ground. "So weak you can't even take a punch. Get up, now."
I slowly look around me, keeping my head low. Everyone's staring at me with their phones out. Some people are laughing. Why are they laughing? There's nothing funny with me getting beaten up.
I turn around and look at Isadora. This monster I've created the moment I asked for her name. I slowly stand up. She pushes me back down. People laugh. It just goes on and on. It never ends. The torture never ends.
Four years have passed. I'm in the principal's office. "Payton, why would you do such a thing? I am very disappointed in you."
I turn to my right to see Isadora snickering in the seat beside me. I roll my eyes. "Sir, it was just a silly prank. You should've seen the things she does to me!" I plead, but it's no use. Somehow Isadora has brainwashed everyone in the school into thinking she's doing the right thing and that I'm the one who's mistaken. That I'm the bad person here, and she made everyone hate me for it.
She's stolen all my friends, she's made up rumors about me. My parents can't even look me in the eye when I talk to them. She ruined my life, so I thought embarrassing her would barely be anything.
"A little prank? You bought under garments, wrote her name on them and shoved them into almost every student's locker. That is unacceptable, and for that, you will be severely punished."
I stiffled my laugh because come on, don't tell me that wasn't funny.
"You're expelled, Payton."
I take that back. Very unfunny.
"What!?"
"Your actions are unforgivable by me. Even if poor Isadora here was to forgive you. Your type of behaviour is not accepted here, so I will have to ask you to leave. Immediately." He signalled for the door. I scoffed and left. Ridiculous.
As I'm throwing my books into my bag, students come up from behind me. "How could you do such a thing to poor Isadora?"
"She didn't do anything wrong."
"She was right, you really are a monster."
"I'm so glad I'm no longer friends with you."
"Good thing you're getting expelled, I never want to see you again."
"Poor Isadora, had to deal with you."
They weren't saying very nice things.
She took everything from me. Everyone's siding with her. I have no help.
I've lost.
