Their Violence, Your Silence.

I sat gloomily on the couch in Katie’s house. She’d picked me up after school instead of Jared and drove me back to her house. I liked her parents and younger sister but I always felt like I was intruding.

Everything was picture perfect in the living and although Katie’s parents weren’t exactly wealthy they had more than enough to live from. With my old scruffy clothes I always felt like I’d make everything dirty.

Katie was angrily lecturing me. She’d caught me coming out of school while Caleb was bullying me again. She was mad I hadn’t told her.

‘Stupid geek, how old are you? You should be in elementary school… You look like you’re ten,’ Caleb’s jibes chased after me as I rushed through the corridors to the exit.

‘Hey answer me or are you mute as well as blind?’

I knew Jared wouldn’t be there yet but I’d do anything to get away from Calebs voice haunting me. He’d been following me since I’d grabbed my stuff from my locker, yelling insults at me and I really didn’t understand what I’d done to deserve them.

It wasn’t like the jibes Marley and her gang directed at me. They were all about the way I looked and they never purposely singled me out.

Caleb… He’d go out of his way just to hurt me.

I reached the parking lot and looked frantically around, there were students everywhere.
Getting in their cars, laughing, talking. It was so obvious I didn’t fit in here.

I was just about to dash in the direction of the road, thinking I might as well walk around for a while, when a strong hand wrapped itself tightly around my wrist.

‘Bitch! Don’t walk away from me when I’m talking to you!’ Caleb growled at me as he spun me around to face him.

I stared a moment in shock at him, surprised he would go this far in public.

‘This isn’t a conversation! You’re just shouting at me for no reason!’ I scoffed, trying desperately to free my wrist. He had it in a vice like grip that was slowly cutting of the blood circulation.

His green eyes had been boring into mine flashed in anger. ‘No reason! I have every reason, just the fact you’re breathing my air!’ he pushed me backwards so hard I stumbled and trip onto the hood of the nearest car.

Tears sprung to my eyes at the pain and I swallowed once. Black spots danced in front of my eyes and I blinked rapidly trying to clear them away.

Every student in the parking lot had fallen silent and was staring at me. I could feel their eyes on me. I knew what they’d be thinking.

I’m glad that ain’t me. I’m sure somebody will do something about it. She probably deserves it.

Caleb had already approached me again and I knew he was going to hit me this time. His clenched fist already raised and aimed for my face.

‘Winter!’ I was pulled to the side just in time for Caleb’s fist to miss me completely. ‘You
Asshole!’ Katie yelled at Caleb. She’d protectively pulled me behind her and all I could feel was relief.

Relief and shame. Relief because the pain hadn’t come. Shame because now Katie was dragged into this.

But Caleb just stared at Katie in surprise, he looked completely stunned. I wondered briefly if it was relief that flashed across his face as well.

Katie had pulled me into her car at top speed, ignoring everyone but me. I’d only been able to stare out of the window. I’d refused to answer any of her questions as I sat there. I felt so ashamed.

Why wasn’t I stronger? Why couldn’t I stand up for myself?

I was sure that if Katie had to wear my glasses she wouldn’t be bullied about it. She’d stand up proud and tell everyone to back off and shut up. And then she’d be friends with them.

‘Winnie! Are you even listening?’ I blinked and then looked up at Kate and shook my head.

‘I’m sorry… Please don’t tell my parents or brother about this. It’ll work out eventually. Caleb was just a little grumpy today that’s all,’ I rushed to say.

I really didn’t want to worry them, especially not Jared. He might do something rash.

Katie stared at me for a moment but then nodded, ‘You sure it’ll be alright? Didn’t look to
me like he was Just grumpy.’

I nodded enthusiastically, ‘I’m sure, really don’t worry about me! Can we go have fun now?’

Katie could only smile at that and she quickly launched into a detailed report of her date with her crush of this week.



That night I stood in front of the mirror in the tiny bathroom. The single light bulb made my image in the mirror shadowy. But the dark bruises from Calebs hands were clearly visible, they were yellow and green already a few days old.

The new bruises on my shoulder still an angry red, the left one clearly in the shape of a hand. A large hand at that.

I twisted a bit to get a view of my back. Old bruises nearly faded and new bruises still harsh and unforgiving crowded each other there.

I sighed quietly as I shrugged back into the large t-shirt.

I for one didn’t believe I deserved to go through all this. I didn’t mind the kicking and bullying, those were just a few people. But it hurt so bad… Their eternal silence.

Didn’t anyone care? How could they watch and not feel guilty? Did everyone agree with Marley and Caleb? Did everyone truly think I deserved all those words?

I stared at myself in the mirror. My cheeks a soft rosy pale a slight scattering of freckles across them and the bridge of my nose. My nose wasn’t abnormally large was it? It looked perfectly straight to me.

My hair was a wild mess of curls, red and blond and cascaded down my back in long tresses. I honestly didn’t believe any of those features were the problem.

I sighed again as I finally looked at my eyes. They seemed so abnormally large, the thick glasses enlarging them till they were the only feature dominating my face. My eyes a bland brown color.

A knock on the bathroom door woke me from my reverie and I opened it quickly.

‘Everything alright darling?’ asked my mother, a concerned tone already entering her voice.

‘Of course… Night mom,’ I said hugging her as I passed her. I hurried to my bedroom and threw myself under the covers, quietly hoping I’d wake in the morning and my eyes would be fine.