Finding Me

Chapter 5

"Nothing," I snap.

He walks over to the chair across from me and sits down. "It didn't look like that. It looked like someone posted a mean thing about you."

I smirk. "Wow, you must feel so proud."

He frowns. "You think this is a joke? Bullying isn't a joke, and you're being bullied."

I roll my eyes. "It isn't bullying if you feel absolutely fine after you see it, which I do, so I would appreciate it if you would leave me alone."

He raises an eyebrow, "You can't seriously not be affected by their words."

I ignore my thoughts of him being right and say, "I can. Now, please leave me alone."

He sighs and stands up. "Bullying isn't cool, and you need to tell someone if it's bad."

"I'm seventeen and can deal with a lot of stupidity. I'm perfectly fine. Now, please leave me alone with my laptop and music."

He sighs again and slowly walks out of the building. I sigh and quickly pack my things. He just ruined my perfect afternoon. I say goodbye to the owner and quickly walk down the street as soon as I get out of the bookstore.

"I can't believe the loser is out here in broad daylight, especially when nobody can bear to look at her in the face," Cassandra's voice taunts from behind me.

I resist every urge to stop and turn around. She wants to get a response from me, and I can't let her get what she wants. I can't.

"Too afraid to speak? Must be because of that article in the high school newspaper. Did I mention I wrote it? It's probably the most accurate story I've ever written. Don't you agree?" she pushes.

I don't answer as I stop at my uncle's office. I don't know why, but I open the door and step inside. Cassandra doesn't follow me inside, making me take a deep breath.

"May I help you?" I look up and see a young woman staring at me with a look of contempt on her face, letting me know that she knows exactly who I am.

"Is my uncle here?" I ask.

She raises an eyebrow. "Who is your uncle?"

"Samuel Erickson. I wasn't sure if he had left the house today or not, so I thought I would check," I hear myself saying for some strange reason.

"How would you know him?"

I roll my eyes. "Look, I just said I wanted to see my uncle. How much dumber could you get? Just let me know if he's here; I don't have all day. You'll be sorry if you don't let me."

Her mouth opens wide at my words, and she reluctantly presses her intercom button. "Mr. Erickson, there is a girl here claiming you're her uncle."

My uncle's voice says, "Send her in."

"Yes, sir."

She turns to me and glares at me before signaling me to go back to his office. I roll my eyes at her and walk to his office. Instead of being a normal person who knocks, I just barge in because I have already accepted the fact that I'm not normal.

My uncle looks up at me and signals for me to sit down as he points at his ear, telling me he is on the phone. I nod and sigh and sit down across from him. I have never really been to this office, so I look around. Only two pictures are on the walls, and his desk barely has anything on it.

"Alright, thank you very much. I'll talk to you later. Goodbye," my uncle soon says into the phone.

I look back at him and see him taking the phone thing out of his ear. He sets it down on his basically bare desk and smiles at me. I don't bother smiling back at him. He almost frowns but stops himself.