Even after a long day at work, my mother's hands worked tirelessly: chopping vegetables for dinner, stitching our clothes, whatever needed doing. I loved her hands and admired them. I wanted to be strong like her. But at the time, I couldn't be. I would have, and gladly, if I weren't so bruised and sore I'd try my hardest.

I shiver, ice packs cover my broken body with a thin blanket between them and my skin. This isn't the first time I've come home from school bruised and bloody, no this is just the worst time. Once mother has finished the prep work for dinner, she walks over to where I lay on our couch in the living room. She checks under the ice packs then sweeps my hair from my face.

"What happened, Junie? What was different this time?" I have to look away, unable to look into her sad blue eyes. "Come on, June Bug. I thought you could talk to me."

I sigh, there she goes, guilt-forcing me into talking. "I asked for this. They were going to leave alone today. I thought that it was finally over, but no, they just wanted someone less broken to beat today. I saw that they were ganging up on the new girl, so I told them to hurt me instead. I asked for it." A tear falls from my eye and Mother wipes it away.

"Aw, June. Baby, that was the right thing to do. I'm glad you stood up for her." Mother rubs my cheek with her thumb, her subtle calluses moving across my skin. "If only someone would stand up for you."

The next day, when the clock tower tolls, I walk out to head home, bracing myself for my daily torment. "Hey, June! Where do you think you're going? You know what time it is!" I stop in my tracks and bow my head. I face the group of four, and will my body to feel no pain.

My eyes are sealed shut when a voice rings through the air. "Hey! What makes you think it's okay to hurt a girl?" The voice is deep and belongs to nobody I know.

I open my eyes to find the four bullies running away down the hill. I quickly turn to figure out who saved me to see a tall boy with short brown hair. Slowly, the girl I helped yesterday steps out from behind him and smiles.

"Hi, June. I wanted to help you after you helped me yesterday. My name is Nancy, and this is my big brother Anton." I look at the both of them, both wearing warm smiles and I walk over to my new friends.