Quiet

“What did you do?” Kadin was asking me questions but I couldn’t understand. Everything was spinning and I didn’t know how we would get home.

“Casie tell me what you did.” He knew I couldn’t lie, something in my body just wouldn’t allow me to.

“Well, where should I start”.

She always did something to annoy me, big or small she was always there to tick me off. I was a bomb waiting to go off until I finally did. It started in 7th grade and now we’re in high school. It would be little things like leaving her arm on my desk and bumping into me occasionally then it progressed. It became more frequent and severe; ignoring me, purposefully getting me in trouble, copying my answers. Everything a school bully would do but this was worse for some reason. Maybe she didn’t like me because I always had something to say. 

I couldn’t help it, something just told me to always tell the truth no matter what. I got her in trouble for small things like talking in class and not doing homework. Little things that wouldn’t get her in serious trouble and yet she still hated me. I told her once that if she didn’t want to get in trouble she shouldn't tell me things. She continued to speak to me even after that conversation. I tried to warn her and she still spoke to me.

I can hold it in but not for long. I don’t know how people bite their tongue and keep quiet and don’t feel like they might explode if they don’t tell the truth. I don’t understand how people can lie so freely without feeling guilty. I tried to lie once and it was the only thing I thought about until I told the truth. Lies eat me up inside, they fill me up with an immense amount of pain that doesn’t release until I tell the whole truth.

We could see the red and blue lights flashing through the trees while we were talking.

“Casie we gotta go”. Kadin said while pulling my arm to run. By that time we saw multiple flashlights pointed in our direction. We started to run away from the yellow-tinted lights but we were soon met with them again. On all sides we had lights pointed at us.

★─────★─────★

“Hey, Casie”. I turned around to see Tara speaking to me. I was at my locker and tried to ignore her but couldn’t. I took a deep breath before turning around, “Hi, Tara”.

“So, do you like my shoes”. Why would she ask me that knowing I would tell her the full truth. They were an ugly shade of green mixed slightly with purple.

“Your shoes are hideous. They look like Barney threw up and made that monstrosity. What went through your mind when picking those to wear to school? They’re very ugly and I don’t like them. Sorry”. I said shrugging my shoulders. I was sorry I just can’t lie. I always felt bad when I spoke about my negative opinions. People either get mad or laugh it off most get angry and I’m left to deal with it. I also can’t say that it was a joke because that would be lying.

She didn’t respond verbally but she slapped me. A clean forceful slap to my right cheek. It made a noise and everyone turned to look at us. My face was turned to the left looking at everybody staring at me. I got embarrassed and ran.

★─────★─────★

“Come on just tell us what you know”. An officer was breathing hot air down my neck. I had been quiet the whole ride here. I didn’t want to say anything that might get me in trouble. I tried keeping quiet even in this poorly lit room. I constantly bit my lip and it started to bleed but I remained silent.

“Tell us and you won’t get in trouble”. I knew that was a lie so I stood quiet and refused to speak. The officer was about to speak before someone walked into the room.

“Let her go”, A man entered the room speaking directly to the officer.

“Why?”. I didn’t hear the rest of the conversation because they whispered but I was let go soon after.

I inhaled the cold air as I stepped outside and was escorted to a car.

“What’s your name”. The woman in the driver’s seat asked me. 

“Casie”. I answered abruptly, I didn’t want to spend time talking, I just wanted to get back to Kadin. I wanted to go home and stare at the ceiling while laying on my bed.

“My name is Jordan, nice to meet you”. She said looking back towards me.

“Not to be rude but where are we going”. It was dark and I couldn’t see much but the trees outside my window didn’t feel like home.

“Don’t worry about where we’re going just yet”. My eyes started to get heavy and I couldn’t respond to her.

★─────★─────★

It was like I could hear the fear in her steps as I chased her into the woods. She was fast but I was the one that had been on the track team. I was compelled to chase her down after what happened that didn’t. Not to exactly chase her but just scare her. I didn’t want to but I knew I had to. 

“Come on out you know you can’t hide”. I could practically hear her heavy breath as I got close to the tree she was hiding behind.

“Please, Casie”. She pleaded while looking into my eyes on the verge of tears.

“Please what Tara”. She was scared I could tell but I just couldn’t stop myself.

“This isn’t like you just let me go”. How could she possibly know me all she ever did was get on my nerves.

“Well, I can’t do that now can I”. I wasn’t planning on hurting her yet here we are.