False Smiles – Chapter 4

Confrontation

                Prue looked at Piper; tears were flowing down her now rosy cheeks. Piper looked up at her big sister,

                "Prue I just… you weren't meant to…" she sniffed and attempted to wipe away the tears, "It's nothing I just cut myself in home economics… that's all, really," she looked at Prue hoping that she had bought her excuse, yet she knew that there was no way that she would have.

                "Bullshit Piper!" said Prue as she sat down in the desk next to Piper, she took her hand and looked deep into her eyes "No way would anyone get all upset about a cut they got at school. Now Piper I know that you don't exactly have the best life at school but I thought that you would put your trust in me and tell me what was going on… am I not a good sister or something, that you feel you can't trust me,"

                "That's right Prue it all has to be about you doesn't it!" yelled Piper pulling her hand away, "Did you ever consider my feelings? Or wonder why I cut myself in the first place…" Piper stopped when she saw the look on Prue's face,

                "I'm sorry, I didn't realise that you were this unhappy with your life, I thought that you were just a little bit shy or something, I should have noticed earlier,"

                "How could you?" said Piper walking around in circles, "I kept my life at school a secret… I couldn't expect you to understand anyway,"

                "Piper of course I'll understand… I get it you're unhappy with people bullying you," said Prue,

                "No Prue!" shouted Piper, "I'm miserable! Did it never occur to you that I had to hurt myself physically to dull the emotional hell that I'm living everyday… and hurting myself just made things worse. I know you think you understand but you don't you never could!" Piper looked at Prue, tears were spilling from her eyes,

                "Then explain it too me, how could I never understand?" asked Prue,

                "Because," yelled Piper and stormed across the classroom, "You have a good life at school, you're popular and you have people swarming around you all the time. You're never alone and you never get called names, you never get your books pushed out your arms, you never get tripped in the hall. Nothing… you're perfect. Everyone worships the ground you walk on, and I get teased and taunted everyday! Have you never wondered how someone can be sick twelve times in the month? Or why I eat lunch at the back of the lunch hall by myself and then spend the rest of the lunch hour hiding in the girl's toilets?" Piper paused and looked up at Prue, "How it feels to have a sister who doesn't even know you?" Prue looked at her little sister, how could I not have noticed? How could I have been so stupid?

                "Piper, I don't know what to say," she paused and walked towards Piper, "I didn't know how much you were hurting… no one did,"

                "That's because no one took the time to notice, I'm just the middle sister. I make the dinner and do the chores, I'm the nice girl the neighbours like but pity because I'm not as nice looking as you or Phoebe."

                "But Piper, why didn't you come to me and tell me you were feeling this way?" Asked Prue,

                "When did I have a chance, when you were talking about all the guys you date, or going to the movies, or talking on the phone… or picking an outfit to wear? You always seemed so busy and it just felt like…"

                "Like what?"

                "Like this was the only way I could get my feelings out… that if I hurt myself I would concentrate on that pain, rather than the pain I'm feeling in here," she finished and held her hand over her heart.

                "Piper," said Prue… a million things were going through her mind, why didn't I notice earlier… and why did I take her for granted, she my sister not my scape-goat! She walked over and joined her sister at the back of the classroom.

                "Its ok, we'll get you some help… we'll tell Grams tonight and get things sorted out, everything will be ok… I promise," said Prue as she took Piper's head and cuddled her into her shoulder.

                "No," said Piper quickly she looked up at Prue and pulled out of her grasp, "I feel dirty and wrong even with you knowing about things… I don't know what I'd do if Grams, or Phoebe ever found out. What would the think?" she asked

                "They would understand, of course they would… and then we could get you some help," said Prue,

                "No, I just I need some time to deal with this on my own… don't tell Grams," she said as she wiped the tears away and walked to the door, Prue stood up and walked after her, Piper stopped just as she reached the door handle and turned to face Prue,

                "Promise?" she asked, Prue looked around the classroom, how could she promise not to tell Grams what has been going on, what is still going on, she sighed and looked at her sister's helpless eyes,

                "Promise," she sighed and watched Piper walk from the room, and then she broke down into tears and sat in the foetal position cuddling her knees to her chest… even as the bell went and the next class filed in.