Keep On Fighting

I'm Here For You

4 Days Later

It's finally Saturday! I woke up around eleven and ate breakfast. I faked a smile and acted as if everything was okay; meanwhile my mind kept racing with it's own thoughts.

The sticky notes were thrown in the trash and I wished the thoughts were disappear just the same but they didn't. The sticky notes stuck in my mind repeating over and over again on repeat.

Crying myself to sleep and fighting the words in my mind has been an everyday thing. As that happens, my body struggles with keeping up with all my school work. I feel like I'm in a different body and not myself.

As I eat my oatmeal I hear a knock at the door. Carter gets up and answers it and I look to see Reggie standing at the doorstep. He knocks on the door.

"Hey, Reggie wants you Gabby," Carter announces. I get out of my seat and quickly walk over to the door. Carter leaves and I go outside, shutting the door behind me.

"What are you doing here?" I questioned.

"I thought you were homeless," Reggie explained.

"This is only temporarily," I clarified. Reggie faced his phone at me showing a picture.

"Have you seen this yet?" I stare at the picture of myself, digging into the dumpster. I struggle to breathe as all I can do is stare at the picture.

"Where did you get this?!" I demanded for an answer.

"Some guy posted it on his Snapchat story and my friend shared it to me," Reggie vindicated. I fought for air as I looked up at Reggie. His eyes filled with worry as I didn't know what to say or do.

I didn't feel like crying yet I felt like screaming. I grabbed my chest trying to breathe. I placed my hands around my waist taking deep breaths in and out.

Eventually, Iris walked outside and I ran inside. I ran up the stairs into the bedroom I slept in. I sat on the floor in a fetal position. I started to sob. How many people saw the picture? Who took the picture and posted it?

I rocked myself back and forth trying to relax.

"Knock knock," Iris said as she knocked on the door. I wiped my tears as fast as I could and looked at her. She sat down beside me placing her red hair behind her ear.

"What happened out there?" Iris wondered.

"Oh umm nothing. I'm fine," I lied.

"I'm here for you so when you're ready to tell me, I'll be here," Iris informed. I took a deep breath before explaining everything. From all the bullying to the very moment that Reggie showed me the video.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Iris urged.

"I thought I could get over it. I thought I would be able to deal with it until it vanished but it's hard it's really hard," I confessed. I then broke down in even more tears. I cried and cried as Iris rubbed my back.

"You can't always push things aside and deal with it. Sometimes in life we need just someone to vent to and I know you won't be staying here for long but we aren't sure when you'll find a new home but until then Carter and I are going to love you and your siblings as we love our own children," Iris delineated.

I looked up at her smiling. "Thank you."

"No, thank you for opening up to me," Iris said, standing up. I got off the ground with her, picking at my fingernails. Iris placed her hand grabbing mine. "Don't pick at your nails, it can be bad for them."

We both laughed and she gave me a hug. I smiled in Iris' arms as I smelt the smell of her cherry perfume.