Connected By a String

Chapter 1

Olivia was fucked.

Let me explain. She's a lower class man in high school, a sophomore, and she gets bullied. Some dick just shoved her in a locker, not even hers, and the bell just rang. She's late for class, stuck in a small locker, can't yell for help because she's mute, it's almost the end of the day, and she can't get out. She's tried. How she fit in that locker, she doesn't know.

No one is patrolling the hallways at this moment for runaway students, straggling to class. She is trapped. The locker seems to be closing in on her. She feels like her air supply is running out even if she can see many air holes. She is suffocating. She tries to move in her limited space. Her heart is pounding. But, over the incredibly loud noise of a heart pounding, she hears footsteps. A savior! She tries to make noise, but she can't move. On a last whim, she repeatedly bangs her head on the side of the locker. She can hear noises of confusion but then realization, while she starts to get a headache while hitting her head.

"...Hello? Is someone there?" This kid asks.

Another head bang

"Are you in a locker?" Another head bang.

He knocks on the locker door. "Are you in here?" Another head bang.

"Lemme go got a janitor! I'll get you out of there!"

I hear retreating footsteps and I give a sigh of relief. I'm saved. My head hurts like hell, but I'm saved.

I wait about 5 minutes, until I hear faint talking.

"...I know they are around here somewhere. Hey! Which locker are you in? I can't find you!"

Against my throbbing head, I bang my head against the locker door as hard as I can, so they can hear me. I see stars, and it sends my pain level reeling, but I can hear them running! I'm saved.

After a few seconds, locker door opens and I topple out. Before I can hit the ground, a sorta familiar face looks back at me. I think she's in some of my classes.

"Hey! Are you okay? You have a big bump on your head!" She says.

I can hear the janitor writing something behind us. I can guess a hall pass. "Kelsey, can you take her to the nurse? I want to have her checked out. That's a pretty nasty bump." She nods.

"C'mon. Let's get you up. Off to the nurse we go!" The girl, Kelsey, I'm guessing hauls me up, and puts my arm around her shoulder.

She practically drags me to the nurse. Before we go in, she says, "You're mute right? I don't mind. My cousin is mute." I just look at her in shock. Usually when I don't respond to people they either get offended, and storm off; or call me rude and/or an obscenity... and storm off. Not like this. So this is a surprise.

"Your name is...... Olivia? ...Palmer? Am I right or wrong? I'm not good with names, sorry." she rambles. I nod and give her a thumbs up and a smile.

"Oh great! You don't look like you have a lot of friends, would you like to be mine? I don't have many either." I'm shocked. I would never have thought someone could be this nice. I stare for a moment before I hesitantly nod. She smiled and nods back. Finally we head into the nurse.

I sit while the nurse comes out of the restroom.

"Hello! Oh lord. That's a nasty bruise sweet pea! What's your name?" She says in some sort of southern accent I can't recognize.

I was about to write it down, when Kelsey answered for me.

"Olivia Palmer." She recites carefully while she sneaks a glance at me.

"...ooookkkkaaaayyy? Can she talk? Is she okay? How did she get the goose egg on her forehead?" The nurse inquires.

"She's fine. Just mute. I think someone shoved her in a locker. I got the janitor and got her out!" She states proudly. The nurse softened her gaze. "Oh hon. Who shoved you in a locker?" I just shook my head. The nurse takes a quick look over, and bandages up my head.

"Not a concussion, its just going to be a very bad headache. Y'all might want to stay here til the end of the day. If you want. You can go home. You got parents hon? Anyone we can call?" the nurse asked.

I sat there for a moment before sadly shaking my head. The nurse tilted her head like she was trying to understand something.

"Are they at work?" She asked. Kelsey looked over quizzically. I shook my head. "Out of town?" Again, I shook my head. "Well where are they?" I sat there hesitantly, before slowly putting a finger gun to my temple. My hand was shaking. My vision started to go blurry, and before I knew it, I was crying. I heard both sides try to hide gasps, but failing horribly. I looked down. Before I knew it, I was engulfed in two warm pairs of arms. I could take a guess of who they were. I tapped the nurse on the shoulder. She looked at me with sad eyes. With my hand, I made a writing motion. Kelsey seemed to understand. "I think she wants to write something down." She said. The nurse nodded curtly and scrambled to get a piece of paper. She handed it to me.

My boyfriend is a senior. He can take me home.

"What's his name sweetheart? We can call him over the PA."

Peter. Peter Clarke.

She took the paper, nodded and left.

Kelsey looked at me. She sighed and gave me a hug. I stiffened at first, but soon accepted it. She whispered in my ear, "I'm so so so sorry." I looked at her as if to say, 'why?' I guess she got the message. "I could have never coped with what you have gone through. You have gone through so much, and I can't even begin to describe how sorry I feel. Do you have a phone? I want your number. So we can talk." She said earnestly. At this, my heart and my string rung. It feels great to have someone who cares about you enough to want your number to check on you. I nodded wildly. She retrieved another piece of paper, and I wrote down the series of ten numbers to let her in my life.

Then, the nurse walked in. Following her, Peter came in. When he saw me, he speed-walked and threw his arms around me.

"Olivia! I was so worried! Are you okay?" He said to me. I could tell be was worried. I nodded quickly. Lately, he's been a little spaced out and distant, so every bit of attention I can get is worth it.

"C'mon. Let's get you home" he said to me.

We walked together, and I waved goodbye to Kelsey and the nurse. They waved back. We got to his car, and I got in the seat. The drive was quiet, but not overly awkward. When we got to Mrs. Watson's apartment, we hopped out and went inside. He hugged me and I went inside. We said our goodbyes and he left. I walked into the kitchen, and saw a note.

Olivia,
I went out for food. I'll be back around 4. There's a snack in the fridge, and freshly made lemonade.
- Maria

I ripped the note off the fridge, and walked into my room. The last thing I remember is falling on my bed, then passing out before my head hits the pillow.

How did I do? Not so shabby, eh? First actual part of this story, and I already have plans. I love it. Thank you to all who liked and reviewed. If you are coming from my other story, say hi! Ummm, give some suggestions in the comments, and I don't have a reviewer, so please tell me what typos I made. Love you all!

Also, Mrs. Watson's first name is Maria

Word count: 1361