The Bullied Girl

Chapter Four - Breakdown

Marilyn was in trouble.  She knew it only she didn't care.  She was angry. She was upset. But in a strange way she felt good. She felt too many emotions but she had finally fought back. She must have put the fear of God in Mildred, and for that she felt good. Marilyn had seen that and it felt good. She wasn't sorry for anything well almost anything. She scratched the new boy's face, and she felt bad about that even embarrassed. But it still felt good. She had finally made Mildred feel mighty stupid in front of the whole class, and though she trembled something awful she wanted to laugh out loud too.

She couldn't do any of that however.  The security guards had carried her to the principal's office, and they were waiting for her parents to show up.  This wasn't good. Marilyn was facing suspension. In fact she would be suspended. It wasn't so much that she'd fought it was the knife. She didn't stand a chance once she was caught with the knife. It didn't matter that she didn't use it or that she didn't get to use it the point was she broke the rule of no weapons of any kind in school.  Then there was the issue of slamming Mildred against the window pane. She used the window as a weapon so that meant more trouble. By the time her mother showed up (since her father was working) the decision had been made.

"Marilyn how could you do this?" her mother demanded as she held up her knife in complete shock. "Why would you bring this to school? You know better than that." To the principal she insisted that her daughter would not have done something like that without reason.

"I don't want to talk about it," Marilyn replied as she began to cry. "I just want to go home." But of course she couldn't go home at least not yet.  Her mother wanted an explanation for her actions just like the principal did when she first got there.  But what could Marilyn say? Sure she could tell them the truth, but how would that help? Her own teacher had literally blamed her for all the bullying she had endured. Bruce Hayes had laughed at her, and even accused her of having a Carrie moment. Problem is she nearly did.

"Marilyn!" her mother yelled this time grabbing her by the chin.  "I am talking to you!"

That was the last thing Marilyn needed and she quickly pulled away. Only now she felt more humiliated by this. It was the last straw to break the small level of control Marilyn had left. Already shook up she screamed, and scratched her face. She pulled her hair, and lost all control. Marilyn didn't hear anything for a long while after that. She was restrained, but she couldn't recall much until she found herself trembling in the nurses office with tears pouring down her face.

"Are you all right?" the nurse asked full of concern. Marilyn was familiar with the nurse but she couldn't speak.  She did see her mother in the room with her, and Marilyn was stunned to see her with tears. She rushed to hold Marilyn closely.

"Oh sweetie I'm so sorry," her mother cooed. "That nice boy Bruce Hayes told us everything that happened. "Why didn't you tell your father and me what was going on? We didn't know you were picked on like this. You should have said something. It should never have come to this never! To bring a knife to school. Honey this is trouble big trouble."

"I don't care," Marilyn moaned still trembling. "You'd blame me like Ms. Posner did. You would have. Ms. Posner blamed me for everything. She blamed me for everything..."

"How can she blame you for anything?" her mother asked exasperated but she didn't get an answer. Marilyn was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and the ambulance the nurse had called for earlier just arrived. Marilyn and her mother were quickly placed inside, but Marilyn let out a loud wail.

The ambulance crew prepared to close the doors but before they could slam the doors shut Bruce Hayes managed to slip inside so he was able to accompany Marilyn to the hospital.