I was Thirteen and it was Real.

They spoke as if I wasn't in the classroom laboratory with them. I felt my cheeks flush pink with anger and embarrassment. My fingers started to become clumsy as my eyes swelled with tears. I kept my head down so they wouldn't see. Their words were like hot irons, prodding exactly where it would hurt the most. It made me sick. I stood up, with a goal in mind. I turned to both of them and parted my lips to say something. The words escaped me. I stood there with my mouth gaping open, forgetting how to speak. I turned on my heal, walked past my teacher and grabbed my black and white backpack as I uttered under my breath, "I'm going to the bathroom." 

I couldn't even begin to imagine what they whispered as I ran out of the class. I had it coming to me. It was my fault. It was always my fault. I pushed open the bathroom door as I yanked out my phone to text the best friend I had never met. 
"My friends hate me. I hate me." 

I stood in front of the sink, bracing myself as if I could fall over at any minute. The droplets of mascara stained the porcelain white sink. I hated myself for crying. I looked up into the distorted reflection that sat above the sink. How could they call that a mirror? I could hardly see my reflection. Frustration with the school swelled up in my chest as a kid walked into the bathroom. I gave them a heavy blink and walked into one of the stalls. I slammed it shut and threw my backpack to the floor. 

I stood in the stall with my back to the door for five minutes after the kid left. I gritted my teeth together and screamed inside my head. I clenched my eyes shut and slowly sank to the dirty bathroom tile. I shook my head with disgust. Disgust with myself. Disgust with her and him. My hand balled into a fist as I pounded on the tile. 
"Why does no one care?" I called out to anyone that was listening. 

I tore open my backpack and found the stupid pouch my mom gave me for my girl stuff. I dug through about a dozen tampons before I found my only loyal friend. 

My phone buzzed.
"I don't hate you. I liek you. Things will be okay." 

Too little.
Too late.

Yours until the pigs fly,
Alessondra Marie