A Wish For Her | Teen Ink

A Wish For Her MAG

By Anonymous

“Is that her?”
“What? Who?”
“Shh … here she comes.”

“Oh … her.”

We avert our eyes as she walks by. We clutch our books tightly to our chests, stare down at our sneakers, and hold our breath as she passes. Whispers follow her like shadows as she scurries up the stone stairs, through the metal doors. Lisa and I exchange looks. The bell rings in our ears, and we head inside.

“Who’s she with today?” Lisa asks at lunch.

“Toby,” I scoff, biting into my ­sandwich.

“Figures. Apparently they had a great time at Jack’s apartment last weekend.” I make a face.

“Disgusting.” Lisa laughs.

“I bet she has all sorts of diseases.”

“I bet she’s wearing his sweatshirt. The one that smells as bad as he does.”

“I bet she’s gonna be one of those girls who never goes to college and ends up on the street.”

“I bet she’s gonna be a …” I look around to make sure no teachers are listening, “whore.”

That’s her new name. It spreads like a foul disease around the school, through the hallways, passed from one lip-gloss-smeared mouth to the next. Some kids just call her “The W,” or “The H” for the stupid ones who can’t spell. It’s what she is. It’s who she is. And none of us like her. None except Toby and Mitchell and all those guys who are too dumb to see her for who she really is. We see her kissing guys in the alley after school each day, like she doesn’t even care, like she doesn’t even know.

Don’t worry, we’re gonna make her realize who she really is. We’re gonna make her feel so bad she’ll shrink like a little mouse and learn her lesson and stay away from all of them, especially Devin, who liked me all of sixth grade ’til she stole him last summer.

We isolate her. We don’t speak to her, not even when she asks what the homework for last night was. Find it out yourself, stupid. We leave notes in her locker, and we snicker as she walks by.

Have you learned your lesson yet, princess? Are you ever gonna stop wearing so much lipstick and eyeliner and skirts that are way too short? Are you ever gonna put out that cigarette or throw out those bottles? You’re 13 – what’s wrong with you? Didn’t your parents ever teach you what’s right and wrong? Half the grade hates you. Sticks and stones, you say, but soon it’ll be real. I will smash up your pretty face if I have to. I’ll break your bones. I could snap your neck over my knee.

***

I walk home from Lisa’s house, and I take the long way because I want to look at the moon and the stars. I want to cross the cornfield, because once I saw a shooting star. I have to walk through the sketchy neighborhood to get there, though, but I should be okay if I hurry.

Suddenly, I hear a man’s voice ­coming from one of the houses, the one with the shingles falling off and the rusty car in the driveway. He is yelling. I rush behind a tree, heart ­racing so loud I’m sure he can hear. Suddenly I see a familiar figure. It’s her. She and the man are yelling at each other. He lashes out at her, and I wince. I can hear the slap.

And then the door closes. She is alone, and she sits on her porch steps. And she cries. I’ve never seen her cry before. Alone, with no boys, out in the cold night, crying, crying, crying so hard she can’t breathe. Her tears make ugly black lines down her face. And suddenly, she looks up, and our eyes lock. I run.

I run past the houses and the deli and the gas station with the creepy owner, and the ice cream store where we get really great slushies. I cross the street, my heart racing, out of breath and into the lush grass of the cornfield. I collapse on the ground, my arms and legs spread apart, trying to catch my breath and hold back the tears, though I can’t understand why they’re coming.

She was so alone. So sad. She is loved by no one but those boys. And I’m not sure they even really love her.

Suddenly I look up and see something sparkle across the indigo sky, a little explosion of white like a firecracker on the Fourth. I close my eyes.

And I wish for her.



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This article has 546 comments.


on Jan. 4 2012 at 3:48 am
rolzpolz98 BRONZE, Pune, Other
2 articles 2 photos 9 comments

Favorite Quote:
my favourite movie is my life! ( i dont think that is even a quote but still i just like saying it)

wow!!!......

on Dec. 27 2011 at 10:45 pm
Def_Leppard_fan120 SILVER, Lake Lorane, Florida
5 articles 0 photos 72 comments

Favorite Quote:
If you want your dreams to come true, Make them come true. If you want to win, Make it a win.
The only one that is stopping you from accomplish your dreams is YOU.

Check out my article called THE BATTLE by Def_Leopard_fan120 and leave a comment on what you thought about it

on Dec. 13 2011 at 8:32 pm
otherpoet SILVER, Wayland, Massachusetts
6 articles 9 photos 254 comments

Favorite Quote:
"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." - Audrey Hepburn

Stereotypes are hard to look beyond sometimes, you do a great job at portraying the narrow-mindedness of a 13 year-old. Thanks for the story!

Unknown0_0 said...
on Dec. 13 2011 at 6:44 pm
Unknown0_0, Valrico, Florida
0 articles 2 photos 253 comments
It is so hard not to judge and look in between the lines. It is hard to accept. Beautiful work. :)

on Dec. 13 2011 at 9:39 am
Countrylife4 GOLD, Maine
11 articles 4 photos 118 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Someday soon we're gonna catch that dream we've been chasing"
"Seven days without a horse makes one weak."
"The worst part of riding is when you dismount."

Insult my clothes, I say, “Okay, thanks for the compliment.”
Insult the way I look, I say, “Thanks for notifying me.”
Mock me and say riding isn’t a sport, and I’ll say,”You say that ’cause you can’t ride.” But before you make fun of my horse, make sure you have “911″ on your speed dial.

That was AMAZING!! :D Keep on the good work!

on Dec. 13 2011 at 6:59 am
NohaBooyan BRONZE, New York, New York
4 articles 3 photos 27 comments
Really good. =D Can i read more?

StarStrukk said...
on Nov. 29 2011 at 9:47 am

This story is short, but great. I love it. Cheers to you! I like how you relate it to things that happen in real life, and the ways that girls deal with every day things.

 


on Nov. 21 2011 at 7:32 pm
animaleana BRONZE, Gresham, Oregon
3 articles 0 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life's too short so run naked."

I love it! You should really write a sequel

SmileyFace13 said...
on Nov. 21 2011 at 5:58 pm
very powerful, amazing message! i have goosebumps 

Ekf07 GOLD said...
on Nov. 21 2011 at 5:56 pm
Ekf07 GOLD, Huntersville, North Carolina
16 articles 0 photos 27 comments

Favorite Quote:
“The expert at anything was once a beginner.All writers are crazy. So never mind what the editors, your family and your critique group tells you. Submit your manuscripts and keep submitting until you get an offer. Then you can be crazy, with a payc

wow thats sad and cool at the same time. Great piece and it so deserves to be in the magazine!

on Nov. 21 2011 at 5:30 pm
Michellebrain GOLD, Brooklyn, New York
12 articles 0 photos 62 comments

Favorite Quote:
“A wise girl kisses but doesn't love, listens but doesn't believe, and leaves before she is left.”
-Marilyn Monroe

AMZING STORY! could you check out some of my pieces too? thanks that would be very much appreciated!

on Nov. 21 2011 at 2:24 pm
MarissaWhitecloud SILVER, Oskaloosa, Iowa
7 articles 0 photos 84 comments
I was kind of sad at the beginning becuase everyone hated her, but when someone finally saw what she deals with at home they feel bad for her. I loved it.

on Nov. 21 2011 at 10:07 am
clumsyteardropper SILVER, Roslyn, Pennsylvania
8 articles 0 photos 87 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You can't help others, if you yourself need help" -my sister ;) love it!

woah that was amazing... man i wish that i had come up with this.  great work!!!  really powerful!!! love it! :D

on Nov. 21 2011 at 7:50 am
Belief_Among_Unrest SILVER, Russell, Massachusetts
6 articles 0 photos 3 comments
Wow, this is truly amazing. You're such a talented writer!

FULLSTOP GOLD said...
on Nov. 21 2011 at 4:26 am
FULLSTOP GOLD, Skipton, North Yorkshire, Other
13 articles 7 photos 103 comments

Favorite Quote:
forever and ever and ever and ever will never be enough

wow i think that it's a good piece of fiction, and that it gets across what you r trying to say in that chapter, Amazing.

on Oct. 30 2011 at 8:23 pm
Sweet, simple, and powerful...Great job!

Fia-fia BRONZE said...
on Oct. 30 2011 at 1:52 pm
Fia-fia BRONZE, Bethesda, Maryland
4 articles 1 photo 157 comments
This is beautiful and it makes you think abou the reason why. Please continue to write more.  :)

on Oct. 26 2011 at 9:53 am
Musicalartist, Xxxxx, Other
0 articles 0 photos 144 comments
good message and nice writing style.  write more for this story!

on Oct. 23 2011 at 4:57 pm
Rocinante SILVER, Wexford, Pennsylvania
7 articles 1 photo 386 comments
I just read this again, and it's lost none of its sparkle...my goodness this is just...wow PLEASE whatever you do, KEEP WRITING!!!

starrfishy said...
on Oct. 14 2011 at 4:14 pm
starrfishy, Omaha, Nebraska
0 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose" -Joci Mulherin (aka...my fabulous and adorable little sister.)

I agree! Keep writing!!!