Shayna leads us to a tree in the corner of the school yard just like she does every day during morning recess. Like minions, eager to do her bidding, Liethe and I follow her. Our feet go – thud, thud, thud – as we walk. Standing four feet tall, Shayna is filled with an evil that only a little girl could ever get away with. When she looks at me, I feel her pert blue eyes cut my skin like knives. Shayna’s personality is like fire because every word that she spits out gives me a second-degree burn. Shayna is the best gymnast in our year and I want to be her best friend more than anything, but unfortunately, so does Liethe.
Liethe and I stand against the big, aspen tree sizing each other up. She’s shorter than me but much rounder around the belly. In contrast, I stand across from her long and thin like a string bean. She glares at me, her dark features knotting up to convey her distaste. I look a way to stop myself from crying. My mom always told me to be a lover and not a fighter. But what happens then when you have to fight for the one that you love? I hated that we have to do this but I Ioved Shayna so much.
“I hate you,” Liethe snarls, “You’re going down.”
I don’t know how this thing started. Little girls aren’t supposed to do bad things like this. I think about all of the images that I have seen on TV or read about in books. I think about what a ten-year-old girl is supposed to look like and act like - I am pretty sure this isn’t it. At that moment, Shayna nods and gives us the go ahead to start forcing me out of my reflective state. Liethe aims her leg right at my shin. She doesn’t stop kicking until I hit the ground. I attempt to throw a punch at her but I miss because I am lying down and she is standing up.
“That wasn’t much of a fight.” Shayna complains. “But I guess rules are rules. Liethe you won today’s fight so you can sit with me at lunch.”
Shayna extends her hand out to Liethe and the girls walk away to the swings together arm in arm. I can hear them giggling as they walk. I cringe at the thought of them acting like best friends. I make an attempt to nurse my stinging shins by curling up into fetal position. My heart is broken. There are many other kids still on the playground, however, they pale in comparison to her. I am so lonely.
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