April was still in her room. It was a safe zone. There was no one there to remind her that school had, once again, meant isolation, highlighting just how different she felt. There was no place to hide there and , some days, she just couldn't take it. On top of her bed, her life raft, she could see all from a safe distance . Being a high school teen is not fun and what goes on outside was never as serious as what went on in her head.

That was where April was mentally, in her head. Physically, she was all curled up, embarrassed about how her parents had found out that she was being picked on. It was not that she thought they cared. April knew they did but did not truly get what it meant for her. At first, they had brushed it off as "kid stuff". That was when she knew she wanted to keep the rest of the incidents from them, because they had no intention of helping. They were not on "her side".

The bullying had gotten really bad lately. In the hallway, other students saw what was happening but kept quiet. They were thankful it ,"wasn't them". She had no choice but to tell her parents. Once it came out, their reaction wasn't so different from the first time. Then, chaos and hysteria. Her mother trying to call the Principal and her father yelling,

"Tell me their names, April!! ," he blasted into her face.

This would solve nothing and only cause more problems.

"They have worse coping strategies than I do", thought April.

After the storm of crazy stopped, April was laying on the bed. She was all curled up.

That was when Papi had came in the room and hopped on the bed. April turned her attention towards Papi and puther arm around him. She gave him a sad look, and, Papi started whimpering which had made April turn around again,

"I know...just having issues to deal with in school.", explained

April.