A DARKER SILVER LINING

BAILEY'S POV

The heart is the size of a fist because we are born to fight for what we love.

...

Recess was the most favorite part of elementary school. I loved it when we all went out to play together. Nate, the class's freak was always being teased by everyone. On this particular day, they made a circle around him and started to chant...

Nate the ugly!!!

He was a freak. With a hunch behind him and a rather disfigured face, he looked more  beastly than human. I didn't care though. He was so kind nonetheless. If only they took time to see how beautiful his heart was...how humble he was ... And his voice...as he sang... They would stop teasing him for what he looked like.

One time in music class...he had sang me a song ...his own lyrics...

What if I told you I feel something
Would you take me
Would you open your heart
Let me in so I can see

...

The words had faded though I still remembered that part... and when he sang them I knew they were true.  Somehow.

Walking towards the football pitch on that Monday, I ran into her.
The biggest bully.
All she did was bully and hate on anyone.
Being the smartest kid in the class ,she always picked on me
Apparently because I made all teachers make a comparison on us both.
Yeah...she was dumb af... literally stupid.
She only got A's in bullying and talking shit.

At sixth grade, she was rather too big. A head or two taller than any of us. She scared the hell out of me. Most times.
If she wasn't bullying Nate,she was at me. I figured she and her minions we're done teasing Nate and were now on me.

Amber Little...
An only child from what I had managed to gather from people. I bet she must have been the black sheep in her family...if at all she had any siblings.
I wasn't one to dig around and obviously people wouldn't want to hang out with the girl who was friends with Nate the ugly. So ...much information was withheld from me.

At least I had Nate and he was a real friend.

I hit her chest head-on and fell to the ground. My head literally span around. Almost like I had suffered a concussion.

Without even waiting for my head to settle, she picked me up... By my collar...

Can't you look at where you're going to?

She asked ruthlessly. Saliva followed back after her words. She looked like a caged wolf... she was literally foaming in the mouth.

I'm sorry Amber...I didn't mean to. Please stop... you're hurting my neck...

My pleas definitely fell on deaf ears. She had every intention of punishing me for just hitting her. She was trying to satisfy a growing hunger for revenge.

She threw me down on the soccer pitch. I could feel the pain surging through my then little bones to every part of my body.

Her minions were busy cheering her on. Nobody could save me from this. A frown etched her face as she prepared to punch my face. An anger, chaotic and untamed, raged through the bones of her body...I could feel the anger radiating from her.

I let out a scream...followed by another...

I woke up before she could hit me. I could still feel her presence in my room. I could hear my heavy breathing.

Bailey dear...are you okay?

Deby was banging at my bedroom door. I must have been dreaming. The screams must have caught her attention.

I woke up in a haze... gazing at my alarm clock...it was way past eleven am...

Yeah Deby... I'm okay...it was just a nightmare...

Okay dear... If you want to talk about it we can do it as you have your breakfast...I'll just warm everything up for you...

Thanks Deby...I'll be down in a few...

I wasn't okay. I felt scared all of a sudden. It had been over 10 years since that incident. But suddenly, it felt so fresh in my mind. My hands were still sweaty and my sheets had creases all over. A clear indication that I had been tossing and turning the entire time.

Nate...
Could it be him?

No way... This Nate was different...
And when we moved to Hex... Nate had already been to juvee. He had been given a life sentence for murder. Besides this Nate was different...finer to be precise.

Mostly in self-defense... I hadn't been brave enough to tell the story exactly how it had happened... There were no witnesses except Amber's minions who were too shaken to say anything...

It couldn't be him...
I brushed all my thoughts away... probably I was just over thinking owing to the time we had spent together the previous night.

As he walked me home, I had felt a certain feeling of calmness and peace. Like some sort of solitude. I had seen him in a different way that night...like a light that was only supposed to exist in the dark.

More like an unhealthy drug...the one that put my mind into a frenzy of sparkles. I probably needed to call Jason. I hadn't heard from him since Friday...

Dialing his number on my phone... I waited on him to pick up on his side. His phone was off. Very unusual.

At least I had somewhere to go sit my fears most times. My best friend. Figured I'd not smoke this one out like I did with all my problems most times.

I didn't even have time to take a shower. The situation at hand was much more pressing. Grabbing onto a pair of ripped jeans and a black crop hoodie I plodded down the stairs.

Deby was seated at the dining table, munching at some chicken parmesan.

Dear...you could at least first eat and talk about your nightmare...

Sorry Deby... I really have to go talk to Jay...I'll be back with him for dinner. I love you.

I figured Jose was in the backyard taking care of the orchard.

I slipped into my pair of Odessa suede and walked towards Jay's house. My hair fluttered in the air as I walked. I felt as if I  was on course to feel who I really was at my core.

Trying Jason's phone again...it was still off.

Still working on Nate's and  Jason's look...
Remember this is the beginning of the end...
I love y'all...❣️
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