Broken Glasses [Ongoing]

Chapter One: Nice to Meet You Too

"I got off the ground, I stood up when you left and, baby, look at me now."

[Song: "Look At Me Now" - Emily King]

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Trigger Warning: Depictions of verbal/physical bullying, sexual harassment, and call for suicide.

I dropped my binder.

This was bound to happen when you have been tripped on your way to your next class. I crashed onto the floor, having a rough landing on my arms. I struggled to fix my glasses back in place but I already knew that my schoolwork was littered across the hallway floor.

I swear I'm not the clumsy type. I take pride in the fact that I have never broken a dish before in my life. I didn't merely trip over my shoelaces. The actual reason was that a single foot was in my way as I searched through my binder to check I had my notes for my next class. I ignored the laughter and comments surrounding me as I crawled on the floor trying to gather my stuff that had been scattered across the floor. Students that were passing by kicked them away as they walked or left shoe prints on top of them. 

We were barely a few weeks into the school year here in Dartwell high, home of the dragons, and the bullying was as persistent as ever. I had to give my peers some credit for being able to keep it up all the way to my final year in high school.

As I reached for the English essay I received full marks for, a shoe was suddenly on top of it. I was able to pull my hand back before it could crush it.

"Why hello there, Nerdy Naomi." I could hear the smirk in the voice. I knew that voice all too well.

The papers crumpled in my hand. Through gritted teeth, I responded, "Hello, Raymond."

I stared hard at the ground, refusing to look up at him, as I always did.

"Get up."

I didn't move.

"I said, get up."

I had no other choice. I began to stand up, but perhaps I was too slow for him because hands were suddenly on my shoulders and I was forced to stand up. I was roughly pushed back and pinned to the lockers. I felt the locks and door handles dig into my back. The football team's quarterback easily lifted me off the ground so that I could stare into his cold, brown eyes.

"I have to give you some credit," I bit out, wincing. "I never imagined this is how I would get swept off my feet. Call me a hopeless romantic."

"I'd say just hopeless- You read too many books," Raymond casually replied before letting go of his grip, causing me to land on my ass.

Grimacing at the pain, I attempted to stand up only for him to kick my feet from under me having me land back on the ground. This cycle was starting to get annoying.

"I thought we went through this before second period," I managed out, setting my head against the lockers behind me in defeat. "You miss me already?"

"Paper," he ordered, holding out his hand to me.

I threw my hands up in exasperation, waving at the mess around me. "Maybe you should've taken it before you did this?"

He glared at me. "It better not have been in that stupid binder of yours."