Lines in the Ice

Chapter 14

Dan walked away shaking his head. He muttered something like “crazy teens, I’ll never understand their logic” or something like that. It was pretty cold inside the rink but not as cold as I had felt after getting beat up. I shuddered a the thought and walked on the ice. I almost fell a few times but managed to get to the middle. I laid down right in the middle and closed my eyes. Why does life have to be so horrible?

After a few minutes my back started to get cold. There was a slight ache in my ankle and so I decided it was time to move. I rolled over onto my stomach and placed some shaven snow around my ankle.  I rested my head on my hands. It was peaceful being out on the ice like this. I stared down at the ice and looked at all the lines. I took my hand and started tracing one of the small grooves with my finger.

I don’t think I can manage another day of school. Tomorrow will come the taunting. Bianca will sit back and enjoy her handy work. I don’t know how someone could get enjoyment out of something so vile and degrading. People tend to look the other way for people with high social standing. I’m like a tiny guppy and I get eaten by the big fish, in this case my upper class men.

Poor Will. I feel really bad for him having to help me. I mean I totally had the situation covered when I was laying on the floor in pain. He didn’t really have to help me. Eventually Michael would’ve noticed I was missing and someone would’ve found me. Dammit, there’s Michael too! I hope he isn’t too upset with me once he sees how badly I was beaten. I should’ve hit back; I just didn’t have it in me. My mom was enough for a while and I really wasn’t expecting something like Bianca’s abuse.

Heavy footsteps and a lot of chatter dragged me out of my thinking process. I noticed that I had inched up ever so slightly with my finger still in the groove. I retracted my hand quickly and looked behind me. The hockey team was getting ready for practice. I pushed myself up and stalked over to the exit. I stepped off the ice. I tried to be sneaky and get away without anyone noticing me but that was really hard. I took one little stumble and all eyes were on me.

Tod was the first to emerge from the group. He looked tired and upset. He was probably coming to yell at me for getting his girlfriend in such a risky situation. He’d threaten me not to tell anyone and then maybe hit me too. I looked up at Tod as he loomed over me. I cursed myself for not being tall.

Tod’s mouth opened and he began to speak. I closed my eyes getting myself ready for his hurtful remarks and threats. “I’m sorry for what Bianca did to you.” My eyes snapped open and I stared up at him with my mouth gaping.

“What?” I couldn’t believe him.

“I’m sorry.”

“You’re apologizing for your girlfriend? You aren’t going to take her side.”

“I’m apologizing for my ex,” he said quietly. I bit my lip; this is my fault.

“I’m so sorry,” I gushed. He held up his hand, I bit my tongue.

“It had to happen. I knew that it was getting towards the time I realized that Bianca just wasn’t the one. After today I just knew I couldn’t be with someone who had the guts to beat someone else up like that.” Tears started to well up in my eyes. No one has actually apologized for someone else before. Except for Michael, but I don’t think he really counts in situations like these.

I gave Tod a big hug which he was hesitant to return. I stood on my tiptoes so I could reach his ear. “Thank you,” I whispered.

Coach came out of the locker room and I broke away from Tod. I gave a small smile as I started to walk away. A hand caught my wrist and spun me around. I expected it to be Tod or Will, not Coach. I stopped moving and looked at him with worry.