High school trauma

Anxiety pounded in her chest as she slowly walked into the place she once called hell. Her heels tapping against the wooden gym floor. The room filled with all of her class mates that she’s never spoken to before in her life.

“Melissa over here!” A familiar voice yelled from a table in the corner of the room. Melissa turned her head slightly to see who summoned her. Her blunt cut brunette hair bounced so gently. Her tight red dress hugging every curve. “Melissa!” An old classmate walked up to Melissa with a slight frown. “So I’m guessing you weren’t gonna speak? You’re still just as shy as you were when we were younger! I thought you weren’t going to show up.”

“Oh my gosh. Anna how are you?!” Melissa leaned in to hug Anna.

“I’m doing better than ever! I have three kids now and I’m married...I also...” Anna rambled on and on about how great her life has been going since they graduated from high school 15 years ago. Melissa was now 33 and hasn’t had any kids and she has not gotten married. While Anna was speaking, Melissa slowly started backing away. “Where are you going?! I haven’t asked you how you’ve been! Kids? Married?” Anna asked.

Melissa’s palms began to sweat. She rubbed her hands on each side of her dress and pulled her purse up tightly over her shoulder.

“I am not married..no kids either.” Melissa let out a nervous laugh.

“HA I KNEW YOU WERE ALWAYS GOING TO BE LONELY!” Anna yelled and began to laugh at Melissa. Melissa’s eyes widened. She looked around to see if anyone witnessed what was just said to her, but instead everyone was still partying and talking.

“What did you say?” Melissa asked.

“I said you’ll meet the right person in due time. Are you okay? You don’t look too well.” Anna asked Melissa.

“What? Yes, I’m fine. If you’ll excuse me I’m going to use the restroom.” Melissa stumbled as she walked out of the gym holding onto the wall and gasping for air. Once Melissa walked into the bathroom she looked into the mirror and splashed her face. “Why did I come here.” She began to tear up. She then heard a young girl crying from the last stall of the bathroom. Melissa wiped her eyes and turned from the mirror. “Hello?” Melissa called out.

“HEY I KNOW YOURE IN HERE.” A younger Anna came storming into the bathroom punching all the stall doors open until she got to the last one. Melissa stood and observed. Her eyes large. She stood there in complete shock and terror. “COME OUT PISSA.” Younger Anna yelled.

“No!” Younger Melissa yelled from behind the last bathroom stall as she cried.

“I’m gonna tell everyone you peed on yourself. You’re a 15 year old girl peeing on yourself!” Younger Anna teased younger Melissa.

“Please stop.” Younger Melissa cried.

“Melissa are you okay?” Anna walked into the bathroom. Melissa jumped and turned around toward the door to look at Anna. She turned back at the stall and didn’t see younger Anna anymore. “What’s wrong?” Anna asked.

“I need some fresh air.” Melissa stormed out of the bathroom to the front of the school. Melissa heard car tires screeching then a loud thud. She saw a body flying through the air before falling hard on the concrete. A younger Anna stepped out of the car from the drivers seat. Students rushed over screaming to see if the person hit was okay. Melissa panicked and rushed over. “OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD!!!” She yelled right before noticing the girl on the ground unconscious was the younger her. MeIissa stumbled back in terror. Bumping into a parked car. The students bantered younger Anna who at the time was now 17.

“CALL THE POLICE!” One of the students yelled.

“She’s not breathing!” Another student yelled.

“MELISSA! Hey should I call the police?!” Anna yelled while running out of the school building toward her.

“No!” Melissa yelled as she began to walk toward her car and leave the high school reunion.

“I was so happy to come here and see you. I know we didn’t end high school on a great note but I’m different now. If that’s why you’re acting weird. We are in out thirties now. I don’t see why we can’t drop the past.” Anna said. Melissa paused. She inhaled deeply. And exhaled deeply before turning around and facing Anna. Melissa began walking toward her. Anna saw anger in Melissa’s face and began to slowly back up.

“You think you could fix 4 years of hell you put me through in one night?” Melissa asked. “You are absolutely pathetic. You tortured me endlessly all my years of high school. Started a rumor I peed on myself, stole my prom date and HELL YOU PUT ME IN A COMMA FOR 6 MONTHS AFTER YOU PURPOSELY HIT ME WITH YOUR CAR. I couldn’t walk at graduation and I had to take physical therapy for three years to recover. And you have the nerve to tell me you’re happily married and you have kids?! YOU DON’T DESERVE HAPPINESS ANNA. YOU ARE THE DEVIL.” Melissa yelled at the top of her lungs. Anna stood there in absolute shock.

“You‘re right. I just thought I could fix this. I didn’t mean to do any of that. I’m a changed person Melissa. I specifically came here to apologize. My husband Daniel thought it would be the right thing to do.”

“Daniel? You married my prom date?” Melissa asked.

“Yes. We’ve been together since high school.” Anna replied.

“UNBELIEVABLE YOU DO NOT DESERVE A HAPPY ENDING. YOU DONT DESERVE ANY OF THIS.” Melissa yelled.

“what do I have to do for you to forgive me?” Anna asked while crying.

“KILL YOURSELF.” Melissa yelled and then walked away feeling fulfilled. Anna shook her head in disbelief before walking to her car while tearing up. The next morning Melissa walks into the kitchen and makes some coffee and turns the tv on to the news.

“We have incredibly disturbing news this morning. A former resident who came back to visit town for a high school reunion, Anna Sinclair was found dead at four O’ clock this morning. Police say she flew her car off a bridge and the car was flipped over on the ground at the bottom of the bridge, by the lake when they arrived at the scene. The only things that were intact is what seemed to be a letter and a chilling audio of her final words. The letter wrote, “I was never a good person. No matter how hard my family tried to depict me as the perfect Angel I was nothing of the sort. I was a liar, I was manipulative and I was disrespectful. I don’t deserve my loving husband or my children. I truly don’t deserve to be here.” very chilling letter. And we are now going to play the audio.” In the audio Anna sounds extremely emotional and distraught. “The fact that I tried to live a good life like I did everything perfect is wrong. The fact that I thought apologizing to someone I hurt 15 years later would give me a clean slate is disgusting. Melissa Nolty I am so sorry for all the horrible things I put you through. Just like the bullying traumatized you, For 15 years I’ve been living with the guilt of knowing I ruined your life. The life I’m living should be yours but I snatched it all from you. I was young and ignorant. I was jealous. Everything you had I wanted. I wanted to be you. This high school reunion was supposed to be a beautiful thing and I thought I could fix everything but instead I gave you PTSD. Please don’t let me ruin your happiness. I’m sorry I bullied you so much I turned you bitter and angry. I belittled you so much you thought you weren’t worthy of having kids. I stole your first love and you couldn’t find anyone else you’d rather be with. Most of all, I’m sorry for the high school trauma I caused.”