Turns out the surprise was a trampoline park.
Yay.
As we’re getting ready to head out on the multiple trampolines that this place has, I notice a few boys from my school. I don’t know them of course but I still recognize them.
Whatever. I don’t really care.
I’m bombarded with the noises of glee and excitement. Squealing and screaming.
It reminds me of my own screams. Except those were out of fear and pain.
Aunt Jenna tries to get me to go on some obstacle courses but my hands feel clammy, goosebumps break out across my body and I’m drowning in the sound of people screaming. I’m gonna be sick.
While aunt Jenna is preoccupied talking to the safety person rather flirtatiously, I bolt. I reach the restroom just in time because I’m throwing up the moment I get to an open stall.
Vomit and tears stream down my face mixing together in the toilet water. When finally the tears are the only thing left leaking from my face I feel like I’m dying. Not in the figurative sense like Ms. Swan was using it earlier but it felt like I was actually dying.
Maybe if I do go, my parents will be waiting with open arms. Maybe Liam won’t even remember me. Maybe aunt Jenna will be relieved that she doesn’t have to deal with her depressed niece.
The tears have stopped but I just stay where I am. I think. I think about everything. I know that I think more complicated thoughts than kids my age. I mean what would a six year old have to think about so deeply. Our life’s ahead of us. We have adults make decisions about what we do. It should be simple. But it just isn’t for me.
A scream pierces through my train of thoughts. Not the type of scream of excitement but one born of fear. I’d know that type from anywhere, it’s one of the only things I’ve heard since that night.
It comes again and hop up in a crouching position and straighten until I’m standing. Then I dash out of the bathrooms, looking from where the scream could have possibly come from. I hear it again and it’s filled with such anguish I cringe back. I start running before I know what I’m doing.
People are starting to realize that that scream wasn’t an ordinary one and are looking around. I see people heading a certain direction and push past them until I’m at the site from which the screams have come from.
There’s blood splattered on the ground and I recognize who it's coming from. There’s a boy from my class, his face is battered into a bloody pulp. There are older children standing in front of him circling around him like vultures. I realized that they were the boys I recognized from earlier, they all go to my school though they’re in the higher grades than us.
“I said to bring double chocolate ice cream, not regular chocolate! You’re useless!” The boy standing in front of the other screams. He brings his fist down and it collides with the other boy’s face. This happens twice before I snap out of my stupor.
“Hey!” I scream as I’m running towards the fight if you could even call it that, it was more one sided than an actual fight is. This was more like a one sided beating.
I reach Ice Cream boy and kick him in the knee making him go down on one knee. He looks at me confused.
“What the hell-” he starts but doesn’t finish because I punch him in the jaw.
His head snaps back and he falls over scrambling to get up. I look at the other boys, who just look stunned. I guess they never thought they’d be interrupting in their little beating sesh. Especially by a girl, heck I don’t even know what I’m doing.
Ice Cream boy is still flailing around on the ground trying to get back up but I swoop down and grab his shirt before he could get up. I yank him forward by the shirt until our faces are inches apart.
“You think you can beat on some boy who is younger than you and there won’t be any consequences?” I seethe in a low voice.
“Y-y-you’re t-that o-one girl. T-the one w-with the s-scars.” He stumbles over his words and looks genuinely frightened.
“What’s it to you?” I ask, keeping my voice dangerous.
“N-n-nothing! W-we just d-didn’t k-know he was y-yours.” What the heck does that mean? Well whatever it means, it must be something to use to my advantage.
“Oh so you just assumed that he was free for the taking? How very confident of you.” I say.
He looks around frantically, searching I guess, for his buddies. I notice too that they're gone.
“Guess your buddies left you. You should get better friends.” I let go of the shirt and watch him fall back to the ground before he starts scrambling away from me again. “Don’t go near this boy again. Or else.” I leave the statement open for tension purposes.
Ice Cream boy stumbles upright and turns away to run. I look down at the boy on the ground and crouch down by him. He’s trembling all over. I put a hand on his shoulder and he flinches back like I’m going to hurt him.
“Hey. It’s okay now. I won’t hurt you,” I reassure in a gentle voice.
The boy looks up at me and I can see he has chocolate colored eyes.
“Y-y-you stood up for m-me. Why?” He asks.
I think about this because I, myself, have no idea why I did what I just did. Maybe because I saw myself in him just now? I mean 3 months ago I had men circling me out for my blood and to some extent, I could see the same happening here too.
“I don’t know yet. How about you prove to me that I didn’t make a mistake.” I answer, smiling.
His lips tremble before he starts bawling. I reach out for what, I have no idea. I have never been good at comforting but this boy seems like he needs to be comforted. When I reach out he immediately falls into my arms as if he belongs there. He does the same thing that I was imagining doing in the bathroom with my parents. I hesitate before I wrap my arms around him and hold him close.
I rock back and forth like my dad used to do to comfort me. I shush him and whisper assurances in his ear. Finally his breathing evens out so I ask:
“What's your name kid?”
“Charlie.” He says.
“Hi Charlie, I’m Scarlett.”
I look out in the crowd that’s still gathered around us. They are now taking pictures and videos so I angle myself to block out the view of Charlie. I see aunt Jenna in the crowd and she has the weirdest expression on. Her eyes are filled with concern for me but she’s smiling like she’s proud.
She’s proud of me.
Just then I feel parental pride in what feels like forever and it feels amazing.
Comments (0)
See all