Noah and Richelle: love prevails

Why Are You Doing This to Yourself?

I can tell she's staring to dance but stops when she realizes I'm not dancing with her. "Noah? Come over here, we need to rehearse!" She tells me, but I just slightly shake my head, still facing the corner. No way am I going over there. What if someone sees? "Noah," Richelle sighs and I can hear walking towards me. Oh shit. "Noah, what's wrong? I know somethings up, just tell me," she starts to plead with me. I just shake my head but more viciously this time. "Nothing's wrong," I try and convince her, "just- just drop it, okay Richelle?" She doesn't say anything for a while and I think she's finally let it go. Suddenly, I hear her ask, "are you hiding something?"

Oh no. Ohhhhhhh crap! She's on to me. "Wh-what? No!!" I say, cursing myself for stuttering. Why can't I lie to her for just once in my life. "Noah, you're obviously hiding something. Come on, I'm your best friend, you can show me!" By now, I can hear the others looking at us from a distance. "Richelle, I thought we agreed to drop this," I hiss raising my voice a bit in annoyance. "No; YOU wanted to drop this. I however, I'm not done with this!" She tells me angrily, starting to raise her voice a bit.

The other A-troupers are starting to mutter to each other, and I really don't wanna stir up a fuss, but Richelle just so damn- persistent! "Richelle, drop it please....." I say, feeling my embarrassment and annoyance starting to build up. "Not until you tell me what's wrong!" She says stubbornly. "Nothing's wrong!" I growl in frustration. "Really? Then get out of the corner."

"No!"

"Well why not?!"

"Because I just don't want to, okay?!!"

"What's wrong with you today Noah? Your acting so- so strange!"

"Drop it, Richelle......"

"First with the sweater, and now you won't come out of the corner! What are you hiding from me?"

"Drop. It. Richelle....."

"What is it, Noah?! Why can't you just tell me?! TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG?!" Richelle yells in a few pleading sort of way, and I hear her walk towards me. I try and shuffle out of her reach, but it's too late; she's already grabbed my arm.

I hiss and pain, and whip around to face her, yanking my arm out of her grasp. "I. SAID. DROP IT RICHELLE!!!!!" I shout angrily at her. She takes a few step back, the fear evident in her wide eyes, instantly making me feel bad. Her eyes then look at my arms and she gasps in shock. "Noah......" She murmurs and shakily pints a finger to my arms. My eyes widen. Shit. This is exactly what I DIDN'T want to happen.

Gasps are soon evident form the other A-troupers as well. I start to breathe heavily and I glare at Richelle. "Happy?" I ask her in a calm tone, yet the anger is clearly there as well. "I- I-..." She starts to stutter but I just shake my head and storm out of the studio, walking passed a clearly confused Riley. I hear her gasp a hit though, so she must've seen my arms as well. It only encourages me to walk faster.

I run as fast as I can to the practice room, and sit on the floor with my head in my hands. This is just perfect. Now everyone knows. Everyone knows I cut. They must think I'm some suicidal freak now... Though that's not too far from the truth. Remember when I said it was torture whenever I walked to dance? Well it's because I get beaten up by bullies every time I do. And at school, and it's because I dance ballet. It's my best style.

People I used it go to school with tease me as well. I mean sure I could take them on, but I've never quite been the physical type, I'm more shy than anything. But that doesn't stop them. Nobody knew what happened, not even my family- well until now. I feel a tear roll down my face. "Stop crying you idiot," I hiss to myself, quickly wiping it away though another one is quick to replace it. Soon, I end up giving up altogether, letting the stream of tears roll down my cheeks all the way to my chin.