She sat alone in the corner of the room, picking at the bottom of her fading dress. Her hands shook slightly. Her light brown hair hung in strands, hiding her face. I wanted her to look up so I could see her eyes. But she wouldn't. Not even when Teacher called on her. She didn't answer. Everyone turned to look at her. Teacher said her name. Lia. She looked up, showing a large purple spot on her right cheek. It reached from right under her eye to her ear and all the way down to her jawline. Teacher asked what happened. She just shrugged her shoulders. She said that she fell. Teacher believed her. I didn't.
She sat alone in the corner of the room, the frayed edges of her dress sticking out in every direction. She wore a dirty white sweater, the sleeves long enough to cover her hands as well. There was a red stain on her shoulder. She wouldn't look up until Teacher called on her to answer. She looked up and quickly answered before hiding her face again. Her blue eyes were red and puffy. I looked back at Teacher, wondering if she saw. Teacher didn't see it. I did.
She sat alone in the corner of the room, staring out the window. Her sweater had more red stains on it. Teacher wasn't in the room. I slowly stood up and walked over to her. I said hello. She jumped back, her eyes wide. I smiled at her. She smiled back. She had a pretty smile. I told her my name was Angel. She said she was Lia. I already knew that though. She was really nice and smiled. But then I asked her about her bruises. Her smile disappeared. She glanced around, fidgeting with her hands. She whispered something that I will never forget. She barely breathed the words Daddy did it. A tear fell down her cheek. I rose my hand towards her face to wipe it away. She jumped back again but let me wipe the tear off her cheek. I pulled my purple jacket off and gave it to her. I told her it matched her dress. She smiled. I told her tomorrow I would bring in a dress for her. She hugged me. I hugged her back. Teacher came in and told me to sit down. Teacher didn't know. I did.
She wasn't sitting alone in the corner of the room anymore. I sat with her, my arm always wrapped around her shoulders and her leaning against me. She cried a lot. Quiet crying though. Teacher didn't hear. I did.
We sat together in the corner of the room. She was wearing my dress and jacket. She told me purple was her favorite color. I said my favorite color was purple too. Every day she had more purple and blue spots. She told me that she was scared. She didn't want to go home. She asked if she could come to my house. I said I would have to ask Mommy. I told her that she would be okay. She didn't know.
I sat alone in the corner of the room, watching the classroom door closely, and waiting for her to come in. I asked Mommy if she could come over and Mommy said yes. But she wasn't at school. I felt scared and sick. My stomach twisted. Where was she? I asked Teacher. Teacher didn't know. I didn't either.
I stood alone next to her coffin, resting my hand against the smooth wood. There were purple and white flowers on top of it. I told her that even though she might be gone that she was my best friend. I told her I was sorry that her daddy was mean but I knew she was safe now. Her mommy told me that they were going to bury her in my dress and jacket that I gave her. I was happy. I knew that she probably couldn't hear me but I talked to her anyways.
I sit in the corner by myself. A lot of people would think I am alone. But I'm not. She sits right next to me, smiling in my dress and purple jacket. She didn't have any more bruises and her hair was clean. Her blue eyes shone with happiness. She was safe now. I knew that. I did.