6. Bully
Rachel doesn't miss the irony as the ice cold slushy runs slowly down her face. How did her protector from all those years ago turn into her tormentor?
They had bonded due to being outsiders. Nobody wanted to play with the small, Jewish girl with two fathers and they didn't want to play with the feisty Latina with a bad attitude either.
*Flashback*
Rachel was sat on her own at a table in the corner of the classroom. She had a gold crayon in her hand and was furiously coloring in a large star in her coloring book. She had once told her fathers that she was going to be a star.
Rachel loves how bright stars are and she loves the way they light up the sky at night. She had spent many nights lying on a picnic blanket with her fathers underneath the stars.
It didn't matter how cold it got, her fathers would sit there with her for as long as she wanted. They would even bring her hot cocoa and sleeping bags just to keep her warm.
They were the best fathers in the world and that's why Rachel couldn't understand why other people didn't think so. Even at her young age she noticed the looks people gave her family. She had asked her fathers about it once and they just told her not to worry about what other people think. The only thing she can do is be herself and to be proud of who she was.
That's why when she started kindergarten she was her usually fun loving self. She tried everything to make friends, but the other children ignored her. That's why today just like every other day she was sat by herself.
She places the crayon on the table and takes a moment to appreciate her artistic creation. Unfortunately, she didn't see the arm stretch out and grab her coloring book until it was too late.
"Nice coloring freak, but you went out the lines."
"I did not" Rachel argues as she tries to get the book back.
"Please David, I want it back."
David laughs as he pulls the page away from the book. He throws the coloring book on the floor which Rachel hastily picks up and holds up the picture of the star Rachel had spent her time coloring in.
"Here you go" David says holding out the picture but retracts it quickly as Rachel reaches for it.
He laughs at the short girl in front of him, who he can tell is close to tears. He scrunches the page into a ball and tries to throw it towards Rachel but a hand on his arms stop him.
"Dave, don't be mean."
Santana gives his arm a tight squeeze for effect and grabs the paper ball out of David's hand.
"Now go away" she shouts.
David doesn't attempt to argue, he just turns as quick as he can and runs to the other side of the classroom. Even at a young age Santana had a look in her eyes that told other people not to mess with her.
"Thank you" Rachel whispers.
"Are you okay?" Santana asks.
"He ruined my picture."
Santana looks at the crumpled piece of paper in her hand and takes a seat next to Rachel. She unfolds the page and lays it on the table trying to smooth it out as much as she can.
"It's not perfect but it's okay" Santana says.
"Do you want to help me finish it?" Rachel asks.
"Okay."
Rachel hands Santana a dark blue crayon so she can help her color in the sky. Once they finish Santana picks up a pen and messily writes Rachel in the middle of one of the stars. Rachel takes the pen from her new friend and scribbles Santana in the other star.
*End Flashback*
David had never bothered her again. Rachel and Santana had stayed friends until first grade and then Santana met Brittany. They played together as a trio for a while but Rachel felt like she was slowly fading into the background as Santana protective side was veering more towards Brittany.
When they became friends with Quinn in middle school, Rachel had lost all contact with Santana and Brittany and it was only when high school started that so did the bullying.
The slushy slowly drips down her face and joins the rest of the ice covering her sweater. Luckily she was standing in front of her locker at the time so she could easily access her slushy kit.
She opens her locker door and grabs the small pink bag she keeps an extra sweater and a towel in. When she removes the bag from her locker it reveals a piece of paper stuck to the back of her locker.
It's still slightly creased and is worn with all the years that had passed but you could still clearly see the two stars with names written in them.
It was a reminder that one day Rachel will be a star and even the person that tries to tell her otherwise, once believed that she would be too.
Rachel slams her locker shut leaving both the picture and the memory behind.