• “You do that again, and we’ll seriously kill you next time!” she yelled.
    I coughed. “What did I exactly do-"
    “Shut up!” Stephanie yelled. “You know what you did!” and kicked me really hard once again.
    “And I told you I don’t know what I did!”
    “You tried to take our boyfriends again!” Stella hissed, lifting me as she held onto my hair. It hurt a lot. “You try that again and-”
    I yelled back. “I didn’t touch your stupid boyfriends!”
    “So you’re saying Jeff lied to me?!” Megan accused.
    “I would never-”
    “She’s obviously lying.” Stella snorted. “Listen, you ungracious bitc-”
    “Can’t you for once,” I said desperately. “believe me once in a while? He’s the one who asked me out despite him going out with you! Can’t you see he’s the one who’s cheating on you?”
    And I knew I was going to regret saying the truth.
    And who was the person that said truth never hurts?
    “Oh, that’s it.” Stephanie hissed. “We’ll seriously kill you.”
    Oh wow, because you know, those kinds of threats just scare me to death.
    But I knew action always spoke the truth.
    They started to kick me again as hard as they could, like they really wanted to kill me.
    This wasn’t fair, I thought through my tears. Their boyfriends were the ones that was going around and talking to me, not me! Why would I? I didn’t want a boyfriend in this school. They only thought of girls as their own little entertainment. I didn’t even like them!
    And it’s not like I’ve ever talked to them. I solemnly ignored them when they asked me out!
    They were finally done. I thought I was going to throw up from all the kicking on the stomach. I was lucky to come out without any broken bones. But I got up slowly just to make sure.
    Thank the Lord. I wasn’t dead yet.
    But I know it was going to be the same tomorrow with a different excuse to hit me, to bully me like this.
    Bah. How stupid can they be? They just don’t want to admit their boyfriends hit on me.
    Whatever. I’m so used to being beaten up after school everyday, it doesn’t even hurt anymore-
    Okay, maybe that one. But that’s about it. Well, Stephanie was wearing boots today. I should get one of those things the police officers wear, those vest thingies that protect you from bullets or something. What’s it called again? Bullet-proof vests?
    I grunted and got up after they were gone, using the alley brick wall as the support. I felt the blood on the top of my throat, and coughed it out. Ow.
    I felt like punching somebody. Oh, great. I was crying now.
    It wasn’t fair. Why did everybody hate me in this school? I never have any partners for projects, so the teachers always had to pick one for me, I always eat lunch alone outside, well, not during winter though, too cold out.
    I always tell myself school was only, only for education. But we all know we lie the loudest when we lie to ourselves. Gosh, I wish I had a friend. Everybody in this school judges me, and not in a good way either. They think I’m this big freak.
    And that’s just what I need, you know. Everybody thinking me as a freak.
    At least I had my books. Mythical creatures are the best. Books take me to another world where fairies and stuff lived. Inside the book was the place I could escape from the truth and lies, something like my sanctuary I supposed.
    I know, I know. No wonder everybody thinks me as a freak. They must think I’m this big nerd because I read. That’s how stupid they are. But the books tell you stories about friendships and love and those kinds of things everybody wants. A girl can hope, right? But everyone also knows books can’t come true. They’re just fantasies for nerds like me to fantasize about and have a little hope inside ourselves while we live the tough world.
    Well, at least I thought it was, until they all came true for me.