The Mistake

Nightmare

I've always hated those uniforms. Looking down, I saw I had that same uniform on. That was weird.

A girl was walking beside me. No, not just any girl. My best friend. Amanda. It seemed like not long ago that we were little kids, neighbors playing around. She always had my back.

Sharp pain suddenly cursed through my arm, making me drop all my books to the floor and cry out in pain.

Everything went quiet as the sound of books falling to the floor echoed on the ground. I looked around to find myself completely alone. The small hallways were empty, only ghosts of the students who talked just a moment ago remained.

I looked down at my arm and frowned when I saw a word, seared and woven into my skin.

Slut.

Trembling, my other hand shot out in front of me.

Desperate whore.

I looked up, and I wasn't at school anymore. No, I was at a party. People stood around me, Menacing eyes fixed on my body. Booze and wine and beer were all over the place.

"Everyone saw what you did, Sam. They all know." Amanda's voice came from across the room, and I turned around to look at her.

"What are you talking about?" I whispered, frightened and confused.

"Don't play dumb. You know what you did. And now everyone hates you for it."

Words caught in my throat. People started laughing, my friends, people I've known for years were snarling and mocking me, they called me so many things. Things I never knew could hurt so bad. What was happening? It was a mistake. I never meant for this to happen.

"Man-stealer!"

"Bitch!"

I opened my mouth to scream, but no words could come out. My feet stayed stuck into place as I looked helplessly at all the people surrounding me, drowning me. Their stares and words were like daggers into my skin, making my heart pound against my ribcage.

My eyes flickered to look at a girl. Blonde short hair framed her face. Hatred reflected on her dark black eyes as she stared back at me. My blood ran cold. "You can't run from this, little Sam. Not so innocent now, are you?"

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry." I croaked out, and I collapsed to the ground. The names got louder, the whole room was packed with angry people and shattered words. With each word, a new burning sensation carved the words onto my skin, breaking me. All those insecurities and all that hatred branded on my body, visible to anyone who looked close enough.

And all I could do was stay on the ground and wonder how I could be so stupid. I brought it all on myself. It was all because of me...

I woke up sweating through the sheets, body trembling, dazed in the darkness. This was almost becoming a routine I didn't want to get used to.

Nightmares haunted me night after night, all slightly different reminders of how I screwed my life up that day.

How everything turned downhill since that mistake, and I was never the same. The guilt and the pain had a strong hold in my mind. Would I ever be able to let it go?