United States?”
Trembling, I said, “Leave me a―”
Without warning, her foot shot out and connected with my knee. I felt a searing pain shoot up my leg and the next thing I knew, I was shoved to the floor.
“ White bitch! You think you’re better than me?”
She stomped on my ribs, my arms and my legs.
“ Annie, stop it,” I pleaded. “Please…you’re hurting me.”
Her furious eyes narrowed and for a moment I thought she was going to let me go. But she dragged me into one of the stalls and plunged my head into the toilet.
I couldn’t breathe. I choked on bitter toilet water and my nose burned. I thought for sure that I was going to drown. My whole life of eleven years flashed before me. Mom…Dad…
I began to fight back. I scratched at her arms and stabbed my nails into her skin. When she let out a piercing shriek and released me, I stared at her, terrified of what she’d do next.
“ Annie…”
She crouched down by my face. “You’re nothing.”
My head smacked hard against the toilet bowl and blackness swirled around me. As I tried to stand up, a wave of dizziness overwhelmed me and I fell to the floor. Voices faded in and out, invading the thick fog of my mind. Blurry faces stared down at me, concerned and caring. Then someone lifted me up.
And I surrendered to the painful but welcoming darkness.
ten
“ Sssarah…”
I was a butterfly, wrapped in a warm cocoon. I snuggled in deeper, safe and loved. No worries, no fears…
“ Sarah, wake up.”
I reluctantly opened my eyes and blinked a few times.
The cocoon was gone.
My eyes drifted over my surroundings, recognizing the bay window, my swimming ribbons, my room. I was at home, safe in my own bed. My throat was raw, my head throbbed and every inch of my body screamed with pain. I tried to move, to sit up, but the pain was unbearable.
My father stood over me, a worried expression on his face.
“ Daddy?” I whimpered.
“ It’s okay, Sarah,” he said, pulling a chair to the bed. “Don’t try to sit up, just relax. You’re safe now.”
Memories of Annie’s savage beating engulfed me and I recalled her pushing my face into the toilet. I had thought my life was over. What had I ever done to deserve such treatment?
I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment. When I opened them again, my father was watching me. His eyes were red and puffy.
“ I hurt all over,” I murmured.
The door opened and my mother entered, carrying a tray. As soon as she saw that I was awake, she rushed to my side, set the tray down and kissed my cheek. I felt a hot tear land on my chin.
“ How are you feeling?” she asked.
Like I’ve been run over by a logging truck.
But I couldn’t tell her that. “I’m…a little sore.”
“ Nana brought you some of her special herbal tea. She said it’ll make you feel much better.”
Although the tea was sweetened with honey, it tasted somewhat peculiar. But if Nana said it would make me feel better, that was all that mattered.
My mother sat down at the foot of my bed. “Sarah, what happened with Annie today? Why would she do this to you?”
I hesitated.
“ Tell us,” my father said. “We need to know everything.”
So I told them about Annie’s bullying. Afterward, they sputtered and fumed, and my father paced the floor. He looked like he was ready to hit something.
“ Dr. Anders came to the house to check you over,” he said after he had calmed down. “You have a few bruised ribs, a cut on your forehead and some bruises. Other than that…you’re fine.”
“ You call that fine?” my mother asked, outraged. “Look at her, Jack. Annie almost killed her.” Her voice broke and she turned away.
My father walked to the window. “Annie’s been suspended from school for the next two weeks. You’ll be staying home for a few days, Sarah. After that…” He shrugged. “We’ll see.”
I eyed him warily. “What do you mean?”
“ Your mother and I’ve been talking. We think it would be
Trembling, I said, “Leave me a―”
Without warning, her foot shot out and connected with my knee. I felt a searing pain shoot up my leg and the next thing I knew, I was shoved to the floor.
“ White bitch! You think you’re better than me?”
She stomped on my ribs, my arms and my legs.
“ Annie, stop it,” I pleaded. “Please…you’re hurting me.”
Her furious eyes narrowed and for a moment I thought she was going to let me go. But she dragged me into one of the stalls and plunged my head into the toilet.
I couldn’t breathe. I choked on bitter toilet water and my nose burned. I thought for sure that I was going to drown. My whole life of eleven years flashed before me. Mom…Dad…
I began to fight back. I scratched at her arms and stabbed my nails into her skin. When she let out a piercing shriek and released me, I stared at her, terrified of what she’d do next.
“ Annie…”
She crouched down by my face. “You’re nothing.”
My head smacked hard against the toilet bowl and blackness swirled around me. As I tried to stand up, a wave of dizziness overwhelmed me and I fell to the floor. Voices faded in and out, invading the thick fog of my mind. Blurry faces stared down at me, concerned and caring. Then someone lifted me up.
And I surrendered to the painful but welcoming darkness.
ten
“ Sssarah…”
I was a butterfly, wrapped in a warm cocoon. I snuggled in deeper, safe and loved. No worries, no fears…
“ Sarah, wake up.”
I reluctantly opened my eyes and blinked a few times.
The cocoon was gone.
My eyes drifted over my surroundings, recognizing the bay window, my swimming ribbons, my room. I was at home, safe in my own bed. My throat was raw, my head throbbed and every inch of my body screamed with pain. I tried to move, to sit up, but the pain was unbearable.
My father stood over me, a worried expression on his face.
“ Daddy?” I whimpered.
“ It’s okay, Sarah,” he said, pulling a chair to the bed. “Don’t try to sit up, just relax. You’re safe now.”
Memories of Annie’s savage beating engulfed me and I recalled her pushing my face into the toilet. I had thought my life was over. What had I ever done to deserve such treatment?
I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment. When I opened them again, my father was watching me. His eyes were red and puffy.
“ I hurt all over,” I murmured.
The door opened and my mother entered, carrying a tray. As soon as she saw that I was awake, she rushed to my side, set the tray down and kissed my cheek. I felt a hot tear land on my chin.
“ How are you feeling?” she asked.
Like I’ve been run over by a logging truck.
But I couldn’t tell her that. “I’m…a little sore.”
“ Nana brought you some of her special herbal tea. She said it’ll make you feel much better.”
Although the tea was sweetened with honey, it tasted somewhat peculiar. But if Nana said it would make me feel better, that was all that mattered.
My mother sat down at the foot of my bed. “Sarah, what happened with Annie today? Why would she do this to you?”
I hesitated.
“ Tell us,” my father said. “We need to know everything.”
So I told them about Annie’s bullying. Afterward, they sputtered and fumed, and my father paced the floor. He looked like he was ready to hit something.
“ Dr. Anders came to the house to check you over,” he said after he had calmed down. “You have a few bruised ribs, a cut on your forehead and some bruises. Other than that…you’re fine.”
“ You call that fine?” my mother asked, outraged. “Look at her, Jack. Annie almost killed her.” Her voice broke and she turned away.
My father walked to the window. “Annie’s been suspended from school for the next two weeks. You’ll be staying home for a few days, Sarah. After that…” He shrugged. “We’ll see.”
I eyed him warily. “What do you mean?”
“ Your mother and I’ve been talking. We think it would be
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