Lucy Fabray walked into Bellville Middle School; trying to stay alert. She's dreading coming back. It's now January, and Christmas break just ended. Nobody likes her. She's overweight, frizzy-haired, big nose, glasses, acne, and just plain ugly. At least that's what everyone in school tells her.
Lucy can't stand attending this hellhole. She really wishes she could switch schools, but she only has alittle bit more to go. That's what her parents tell her. Lucy's older sister, Frannie, went here, and her parents want Lucy to be just like her. Frannie is really successful. Lucy doesn't think she'll ever be like her sister.
Frannie was really popular, and she's just not. Another thing about Frannie, she always got straight A's. Lucy can't do that beacuse no one wants to be her lad partner in her science class. Let's face it, Lucy's parents are way disappointed in her. Lucy knows she has to do something about it, but what can she do exaclty?
She gives up trying to think and just begins walking to class; ignoring all th rude comments as she passes. She's learned to ignore them, and it usually works well. But after a break from it, coming back to it, it seems worse. Lucy feel like she could start crying at any moment.
So, instead of walking to class she makes a turn and heads to the bathrooms. She can feel the tears welling up in her eyes. She refuses to let them fall. She's always been stubborn, and she hates crying. It never gets her anywhere.
Lucy sniffles and sets her hand on the bathroom door; about to open the door. That's when she can hear someone in there. She freezes. She doesn't want to go in there when somone else is in there. They could make fun of her. So instead she presses her ear up to the door. That's weird, she thinks, it sounds like somones crying...
Lucy knows what crying sounds like. She cries alot, despite her hatred for it. But the only time she hears someone, aside herself, crying is when they scrap their knee or something like that. This is different though. It wasn't one of those cries when you get physically hurt. It was like when Lucy cries. Like when she gets bullied. Do other people get bullied? she wonders.
For a second, Lucy gets hopeful. She doesn't like being alone all the time, and if she isn't the only one being bullied... well then she just might have a friend. She pushes the door open, ready to sing with excitment.
But, then she sees a girl, sitting on the floor in the corner sobbing her eyes out. Lucy's face falls, along with her heart, She feels so guilty. How could anyone want to make this girl cry. She's so small. How do people not feel like dying when they see her cry? Lucy could feel the tears forming once again in her eyes.
The tiny girl has dark brown hair and bangs covering her forhead. Her eyes are all red and puffy. Her eyes look like they're chocolate brown. She has a bit of a tan, and her nose is slightly bigger than most. Lucy thinks it just makes her look adorable. Lucy thinks her own big nose amkes her look ugly.
Lucy can't get over how small and tiny and fragile looking she is. And she looks more small than she probably is since she's curled into a ball. Lucy just wants to hold her close, and tell her it's okay.
Lucy approaches her with caution, as if she was a bird that would fly way if she got too close. The weeping girl didn't seem to notice her, then again who (aside from bullies) do? When Lucy reaches her she takes a seat next to her. Nervous, she pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose. She scoots alittle closer.
"Excuse me? Miss?" She asks, not sure what to call her. The girl's head snaps up when she hears that someone is talking to her. She falls back slightly, and her eyes grow wide with fear. Lucy watches as the girl looks her over. Lucy gulps, she not sure what the girl's next move will be. The girl wipes away one of her tears, and sniffles.
"Are you going to hurt me?" The girl asks. Lucy can't help but notice how beautiful her voice sounds. It's louder than Lucy expected, but still nice. It was also terrifyed. Lucy recognizes this terrifyed feeling the girl has. Lucy relaxes and shakes her head.
"Of course not. I just-" Lucy pauses for a moment, wondering what she should say to her. The two girls are staring into each others eyes. Lucy finds her eyes incredibly distracting. She can't think straight when she's staring at her like that. Lucy can't come up with anything to say, so she just asks,
"Why are you crying?" She doesn't mean to say this, it just comes out. She quickly tries to explain, "I was just wondering, you know, why you would cry?"
"Oh."
The girl sounds surprised. She relaxes some, still a little tense though. And Lucy can't think of a single person in the world who has ever looked more beautiful than the girl. Then the girl clears her throat, and sits up straight.
"Well, it's my first day at a new school, you know? I came here because bullies were really awful to me, but when I come here they're not any different. Maybe even worse than my first school bullies."
Tears run down the girls cheeks as she tells her story. Lucy scoots closer again, but this time she puts her arm around her.
"Hey, it's okay. I get bullied too; your not alone." Lucy says, trying to comfort her. She rubs her back. The girl gives her a sympathetic smile and sniffles again.
"Why do you get bullied if your so nice?" She asks her, confused.
Lucy is taken aback by this comment. Nobody has ever asked her why she gets bullied. When she tells people that she gets bullied they already know why. That's why Lucy doesn't normally tell people. Because when she does they just make a discusted face at her.
Lucy breaks eye contact, and drops her gaze to the tiled flooring. Tears threaten in her eyes. Push them away. Away. Away, she tells herself. She still opens her big mouth. Apparently she has to tell this strangr everything.
"Just look at me, I'm so ugly and fat." She whispers so that her voice won't crack. The girl gasps when she hears her say those mean things. This girl keeps surprising Lucy, will she ever stop? Lucy looks up at her, rubbing her eyes. The girl looks horrifyed. Great, Lucy thinks, Now that I mention the ugly she notices it.
"Why would you ever think those horrid awful terrible things?" The girl asks, moving closer to build dramatic effect. Lucy nearly falls over when she hears those words. This girl is unbelievable!
"Are you blind? Look at me! I'm probably the most hideous person alive! Everyone I know says that anyway. Why should I not listen when everyone is saying the exact same thing to me?"
The tears finally escape, tainting the ground like acid.
The girl is silent for a second.
Lucy waits for her to agree with everyone else.
"I don't think that." Is all she says, voice barley above a whisper. The girl wipes one of Lucy's tears off her face, and smiles lightly at her. Lucy doesn't say a word, so the girl continues, "It's okay. You don't have to think that ever again. Do you know why?" The girl asks, leaning closer. Lucy shakes her head, body going still.
"Because I, Miss Rachel Barbra Berry, think that you are the most beautiful, kind-hearted, lovely person that i have ever had the pleasure of meeting. You should be proud of yourself for not giving up yet."
Rachel is staring directly into her eyes, staring into her soul. Lucy doesn't know what to say. hearing Rachel say all those things about her out loud is making her heart grow. It makes her believe that what she says is true, that all those things other kids say about her all the time is wrong.
Lucy used to want to change herself, but now, somehow, she just wants to be herself. Right not she just wants to kiss this girl. So she does. They both close their eyes, and lean forward. When their lips press together it feels even more special than the words. Their mouths move together with such love, and Lucy's never felt loved before.
Now she feels it though. Kissing Rachel, she can feel love zooming through her veins and pumping her heart. They break apart, but continue to stare at each other, breathing deeply. their fingers lace together, and the two stand up. They smile sweetly at one another. There's no more room for sadness in Lucy's heart. Rachel's filled up the sadness in her heart with kindness and love.
"If I can ask, why would people bully you?" She asks Rachel, as they begin to walk out of the bathroom. Rachel blushes.
"Well, um-"
"Lucy."
"Well, Lucy, I was bullied because I love singing and performing and competing. I also love to talk and share my opinion. People aslo hate the way I dress. With my animal sweaters, and knee highs. They think I dress like a geek."
Lucy's eyes widen, "You can sing?"
Rachel's grin spreads across her face as she nods.
Lucy grins as well, "Maybe you can sing for me somtime."
"I'd love to."
Both girls are so happy to know that they aren't so alone after all. Now they have each other.