Gwendalynn: The Girl With Cancer

Gwendalynn | 8

"Hey, you!" a larger guy came towards me with a few of, what I assumed to be, his friends along by his side.

He was maybe an inch or two taller than me. I had my bag slung over my shoulder. He glanced at his two friends, like how the bully does in the movie, which I'm sure is what he is, and I'm the bullied.

He pushed my chest, causing me to stumble.

"Loser," he spat. He took my backpack and unzipped all the pockets. He turned the bag upside down and let all the items inside fall to the ground. It consisted of rolled up and wrinkled white papers, a few notebooks and some broken pencils and pens.

His friends laughed at me and then turned to walk away. I looked to my left and right and saw a few people giving me questionable stares. I bent down to lift my backpack and its contents back onto my shoulder.

I sighed.

Just like last year.

...

"Hey, I saw Connor push you in the halls." Ryan whispered towards me.

I didn't answer him.

"You know I-... I know you were bullied last year, man."

Again, I kept silent.

"It sucks." He gave me a small nod and sat back onto his stool firmly.

I swallowed nervously, unable to understand what he meant. He couldn't possibly have been bullied. Ryan was the popular guy here. I was the same old Kyle Hastings, the punching bag in a way.

I kept writing down notes about our lesson and continued on with the rest of the class, not sending Ryan a single glance. I tried not to think about last year, and the year before, and the year before that.

I guess I wasn't completely better, but I wasn't having the thoughts anymore, well, not many of them at least.

After class, we had lunch, and I had it alone, like always. I couldn't stop thinking about Connor's approaches with me, the way he'd push me, or call me a name. When Kory left, everything got worse. There wasn't a brother to protect me. I was actually thankful for Kory when he was around.

After he left, I started to get lonely. Kory was my best friend. Now, it seems like I've kind of closed him off, and it's true. I can't blame my brother for leaving though, its college. He had to go.

I guess its selfishness; I was angry with Kory because he left me to fend off for myself. I was angry with him because he was so much better than me, so much smarter and wiser, better looking and funnier. That was my brother.

I kept thinking about sixth grade, seventh grade, eighth grade, freshman year. I sat at the table, not touching my food at all. I held my head in my hands. I was feeling it again. I was then engulfed into a horrifying flash back that I'd been working so hard and thought I had successfully forgotten about.

"Hey! Hastings!" I heard behind me.

I didn't turn. I knew who was talking to me.

"I'm talking to you!"

"Turn around you chump!" another voice said.

I kept walking, quickening my pace.

I felt my shirt being tugged back at the collar and I choked from the material against my throat. He kicked me in the stomach. The wind was instantly knocked out of me. I fell to the ground. He knelt down and punched my face. Blood spurted out of my nose. My lip was already swollen.