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Soon enough, the guys said screw it and headed off I waited a while before I thought I was in the clear I pushed against the door, and it wouldn’t open So

My heart began to race inainst the door

I kept throwing ed So darker and darker with each moment that passed I hated the dark I hated it so much I sat in the corner of the space and pulledinto my wrists as I clawed at et out of my own head

What if they didn’t let me out? What if they didn’t co?

Over two hours passed, and I wasn’t let out

When the door finally opened, Ms Kelp was standing there, staring atin here?”

I looked up at her idened eyes My heart was still racing asfro I’d done

Ms Kelp looked down at my arms “Oh, sweetheart” She walked me out of the closet with my camera and my photos and sat me back at the table “Who did this to you?”

I didn’t answer It didn’t matter If I told on them, they’d bully me more when she left She was the only safety net I had, anyway Without her, I’d have nothing

I slouched in ot a first aid kit and taped up my wrists

“You got to tell us who’s bullying you, Damian Otherwise, we can’t help,” Ms Kelp said

I huffed and muttered under my breath

Telling on bullies only made them bully me worse

She sighed “I got your pictures developed Want to see them?”

I nodded, still slouching in the chair She handed h the my pictures made me feel a little bit better

“You’re extreood in this world,” she toldme with compliments that I probably didn’t deserve

I showed her one of the photographs My favorite one

She sht have looked at theifted, Damian”

I shrugged

It didn’t feel like I had any gifts