Ninth Grade Summer
I finally was finished with my depression counselling and everything seemed to be looking up, like a sign from heaven preaching to me that everything was going to be okay. I was on a diet of depression and anxiety pills. She,whose name I can't speak, scarred my life and left behind burns across my heart, still making me remember every second of what happened, whenever we cross paths. It started with an innocent invitation to a sleepover, and I accepted, knowing that I am as antisocial as a rock.
Her house was smaller than mine and messy, making me feel even less at home than I do at my own. As the night turned darker and her family absconded to their rooms, we brainstormed for my novel, then drifted to sleep. I wish that was true.
I was laying on my side, and watching the clock. 10:20 pm, and I just got the news that my friend was in love with me. Silence was the only thing I had managed to keep, while she took everything else. My innocence, happiness, serenity. All gone. I was frozen, like a puppet, as she played with the strings. All I was to her was a map to chart, and then to get rid of. I didn't realize my eyes were closed until it was over, her hands off of me, and I shakily looked at the clock through fearful tears. 11:00 pm. Closing them again but never succeeding to get sleep, I eventually watched the moon fog over outside, disturbing and grievous.
The next morning, I thought of her face and what she did. The stories I've heard of innocent children being molested and raped were actually happening in the world. People just like me trust others too easily and get hurt, more than anyone expects.
Sydney Walters, a friend next door, caught me on the way walking to our car, two weeks later, to go to school. "Hey DeAnna, did you see the segment on the news about the girl who faked getting raped?" I shook my head in silence and got into the car while she babbled the whole way about the story, not having a clue there was a victim sitting in the pleather seat next to her.