Back to School

	The school gates that filled me with dread were much larger than I remembered. I could start to feel my stomach starting to churn as I tried not to think about another school year of torment. I had no friends or activities to look forward to and I could only hope that I wouldn’t get picked on as much this year now that I was no longer a new student. I nervously brushed my hair, it was still barely shoulder length despite having the whole summer to grow back. Well, here goes nothing…
	Getting called into the office was expected, as I had skipped the entire first week of classes. I kept my gaze at the tiled floor as I endured the lecturing. The vice principal’s voice droned on and on as he went on about my future but I was very used to blocking these things out by now.
	“...and since it’s today that you’ve decided to finally join us, perhaps you can also take care of this other student. I’m sure you two know each other quite well.” I lifted my head to see him gesture to the girl sitting a few rows down.
	I flinched as I saw her piercing eyes. Chloe’s gaze towards me was one of pure malice, even more hateful than all the times she tormented me the previous year. I expected her to stand up and was about to shrink in fear but somehow it never came. She didn’t get up, or rather, she couldn’t.
	The vice principal wheeled her to face me and I was able to get a good luck at the ringleader of my bullying the past year. I covered my mouth in shock.
	Chloe used to be about half a head taller than me but in her wheelchair her head only came up to my chest. The empty sleeves of her school uniform drooped sadly at her sides. She had been so proud of those long tanned legs of hers but their abrupt termination under her skirt now made her look smaller than ever. The only thing that didn’t change about her was that venomous look of anger in her eyes.
	“Now you girls should get to class. I don’t want either of you two causing problems for your teachers.”
	Dismissed as quickly as I had been summoned, I found myself pushing Chloe to our homeroom class. I wasn’t quite sure of what to say. I ventured a probe, “U-um, what-”
	Chloe turned her head to look at me and wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Shut it.” I flinched, an unfortunate habit I had picked up from her barbs in the past. “I don’t want your pity alright? Just...just do your damn job, brat.” She spat at me.
	“Y-yes…” I meekly replied, wiping my uniform off with my handkerchief.

	I ignored the murmurs and hushed whispers as I pushed Chloe to an empty spot in the back of the classroom. The lingering gaze of the other students never did let up, though it seemed that Chloe was bearing the brunt of it. I could see her gritting her teeth in frustration as she did her best not to be bothered but I could see her face getting redder and redder.
	First period, then second, and then third. The lecturer’s words seemed to melt together as it devolved from words to meaningless gibberish. I looked up from my empty notebook at the sound of the bell signifying lunch. I turned to look at the girl next to me but found her head lolled over, asleep. At least some things never changed. I hesitated for a moment before tapping her awake. She was visibly annoyed at me doing so.
	I offered her one of the two sandwiches I had packed. Packing two of them had become a habit now and I was more than familiar with what she liked.
	Chloe gave me an incredulous look. “What are you trying to do here? Do you expect me to pick this up or something?” Her empty sleeves swayed as she shook her shoulders to emphasize her point.
	“Oh. Right…” It was a bit awkward feeding someone else so I tried to ignore the gawking stares from surrounding students. A bite. Chewing. Then another bite and more chewing. My other hand cupped under her chin to catch any stray crumbs.
	“Water.”
	I did as Chloe commanded. I tilted my water bottle to her lips and watched her take a drink. A few gulps of water, but then Chloe coughed, sputtering water over my hands and the front of her uniform.
	“You idiot!” Chloe snarled, “Are you trying to drown me or something? How do you even screw this up?”
	I felt my face flush as I heard laughter from nearby. Before I could take out my handkerchief to clean up I looked up to see three girls walking past us, Chloe’s previous posse.
	“Haha!” The tall blonde one cackled, “Did you hear that? Maybe Meg is finally getting her revenge!”
	The shorter girl with the bob cut giggled. “Revenge? More like Chloe has degenerated with how much she’s been depending on that girl! Now she’s totally dependant on her!”
	“Totally dependent!” Repeated the third girl. All three of them laughed as they passed, making sure to give us a smirk.
I was used to being sneered at like this so it didn’t bother me too much, but I went to wipe the water around Chloe’s mouth-
	“Ow!”
	She bit me! It wasn’t particularly hard, but it startled me more than anything else. No blood was drawn but I could see the prominent outlines of her teeth indented onto my hand.
	“Hey, what was that for?”
	Chloe’s face was bright red and she was shaking with anger. I could see her blinking quickly. “Don’t...touch me.” Her reply was strained, as if she was barely holding back a torrent of emotions.
	Lunch ended in silence.

	The rest of the day was pretty much the same for me, with me not paying attention to any of the lessons. Out of the corner of my eye I could see there was a difference in Chloe though. Whereas she had slept through the morning classes or idled with a hint of annoyance, she was noticeably agitated now and her angry ragged breathing made it even harder for me to concentrate.
	“So, um, where am I taking you?” I tried making small talk after classes were over. My first day back to school and it was already more grueling than I expected. Chloe pretended not to hear me, her back facing me without a hint of movement. I tried again, “Where am I-”
	I shivered at a gust of wind rattled the branches of the tree above us. Some of the leaves had fallen from that and one in particular fluttered down, landing behind her ear. As I reached over to brush it away, Chloe spun her head around, knocking my hand aside.
	“DON’T! Don’t fucking touch me!”
	I was taken aback by her yelling and tried to explain myself, “No, there was this leaf-”
	“Don’t touch me! You think you’re better than me now? Are you enjoying this? I bet you’re finally thinking ‘she’s getting what she deserves’ right? Fuck you!”
	I didn’t know how to respond to the limbless girl screaming at me but I could feel my heart thumping in my chest as I felt something inside me snap from dealing with Chloe for so long. It was as if all the emotions I had bottled up from the past year bubbling to an exploding point and the loudness of my own voice surprised me.
	“All right then! Why don’t you ask your friends to take you home then? I’ve dealt with you for long enough! Bitch.” I gave Chloe’s wheelchair a shove so it was out of my hands as I left her in the school courtyard. I didn’t look back as I ran away.

	It had been months since I last cried in the farthest stall in the bathrooms but I found myself in there wiping my tears again. The memories of all the bullying came rushing back and before long I was sobbing, my wails echoing off the walls.
	Smack! Smack! I raised my head to hear droplets of rain smattering the roof. It was raining, and its intensity was picking up quickly. I had lost track of how long I had been in here but I remembered leaving Chloe alone. Could she still be-?
	Chloe’s tiny stature seemed even more shrunken and small. Her head was lowered and her clothes and wheelchair were completely drenched in the downpour. Wordlessly, I walked towards her, ignoring the chilling rain that was also enveloping me. Chloe raised her head a bit. Her long beautiful golden hair now seemed dull and the waterlogged locks covered her eyes.
	I reached out my arm and hesitated. I paused before gently brushing Chloe’s bangs to the side. Her emerald eyes that had so often gleamed from above me looked so unfamiliar when looking up at me.
	“Meg, I-”
	Chloe didn’t finish her sentence. We both understood each other.

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	The shirt Chloe was wearing was one that she had constantly made fun of me for. Perhaps that was the reason it had been stowed away in the back of my closet and only now unearthed as a clean spare. Still, it was large enough to cover her entire body now.
	Chloe didn’t say anything as I dried her hair, and I had nothing to say either. The only sound was the drumming of rain on the windows.
	A tiny wet spot appeared on the front of her shirt. Then a second, and a third. Wordlessly, I slowly wiped the tears away from the trembling girl in front of me.