3. Arya

"Slow down, please!" I practically beg, my fingers digging into the leather seat. "Seriously, Sam! You're scaring me!"

As soon as the words leave my mouth, Sam slams down on the breaks. The wheels squeal against the concrete and Sam pulls the steering wheel to the right. Honking cars and angry drivers all around us would usually have me spiraling into a panic attack but right now my focus is on my cousin. Fury radiates off him. His fingers clutch to the steering wheel hard enough to cut off circulation and color his knuckles white, while his face twists into a mask of frightening anger. 

"Let it go, Sam." I whisper breathlessly, wiping my sweaty brow as Sam finally cuts off the engine.

"How am I supposed to fucking let it go?" He bursts out, slamming his hands onto the steering wheel. "That son of a bitch! He deserves... I should've... I could have killed him right there!"

"Don't be an idiot!" My voice comes out high pitched and shaky. I should be convinced that that is an empty threat but I've only reconnected with my cousin recently and by this reaction, I would think he's capable of a lot more than just empty threats.

"He is like all the other pubescent, teenage idiots. I am used to it but I'm not going to let him get to me, Sam. I have changed, grown up and this is going to be different this time." My words are not only meant for his comfort.

If I've learned anything in these past couple of months, it's that bullies are always going to be a part of my life. If you're fat, especially if you're a fat girl, you seem to have a target on your head no matter how hard you try to blend in. Now, Seth Smith seems to be one of those people that never let anything go and that could mean serious problems coming my way. He's one of those people that once they've got their claws in you, they don't let go until you bleed out and I have no idea if I am ready for that.

I had only recently started to gain some confidence and trust in myself.

"You know, that's what I thought last time and the time before that." Sam admits, blowing out some air. "But these assholes just can't seem to leave you alone. Maybe you should try the home-schooling thing..." He's better off avoiding eye contact because if looks could kill, he'd be dead.

"And who is going to teach me? You?"

"Don't be silly... We could get you a teacher."

"I don't fucking need home-schooling, Sam." I spit venomously, knowing that I'm overreacting but I can't stop the words that follow. "I'm not giving up my life because of some stuck up idiot who thinks he owns the world!"

Anger of my own now boils up inside of me. "I'm not going to drop out of school and I am not talking about this anymore... In fact, I'm walking home."

I unlock the door and pull it open.

"Have a nice drive and try to calm yourself down!"

Slamming the door on my way out I start walking, already regretting my decision. Not only am I quite far away from Sam's house but I also don't really remember where exactly he lives so the chances of me getting lost have just skyrocketed.

Half expecting Sam to drive up next to me and convince me to get back into the car, I turn around, only to see him speeding off, leaving nothing but a cloud of dust behind.

Great.

I start walking into the direction he drove off and find myself completely lost in this neighborhood. As if my day hasn't sucked enough already; now this.

Honestly, I have no idea why Sam is so interested in my well being all of a sudden. It's not like he ever really gave a fuck and now he seems to feel like it's his place to play the overprotective, older brother. Hopefully he will soon get bored of that and start minding his own business. I have enough to do, dealing with my own problems.

When I decide to make a right turn, thinking that I might actually know where I am, I suddenly feel like someone is watching me. When I glance over my shoulder though, no one is there. I furrow my eyebrows and quicken my step. Just in case.

It's the middle of the day. Calm down, Arya.

After a couple of seconds, the feeling returns and I stop walking and fully turn around. Letting my eyes wander over the scene behind me, I finally know where my paranoia comes from.

A group of teens not far behind me.

I groan inwardly and wish I could somehow conjure up a genie to grant me my wish of getting home at once!

My phone vibrates in my jean pocket and I quickly snatch it open, pressing it to my ear. Sam's panicked voice echoes from the device.

"Where the hell are you!? It's been half an hour!" He yells down the line.

"Well, genius, I don't really know where I am since I've been in this town for exactly... oh yeah, two days!" I snap back, equally as angry. I shouldn't be angry as I made the decision to get out of the car myself but for some reason I still am furious with him.

"Stay where you are. I'm coming to get you." He sighs and hangs up the phone without waiting for my response.

My phone is back in my pocket as quickly as I have pulled it out. The group of teens slowly approaches and I feel myself getting dizzy as I know what's coming. For some reason, teens feel compelled to pick on anyone who doesn't fit the norm... whatever that norm may be.

Frantically looking around for a place to hide, I probably look like a chicken with its head cut off but I don't care. I am not up for another confrontation. I don't have it in me. I might put on a brave mask, but I really am not all that feisty and for today, I have had enough action.

"MAN THE HARPOONS!" One of the idiots calls and I cross my arms in front of my chest, turning my head to look away.

Some of them jog ahead of me, walking backwards to face me.

Just don't look into their faces. Maybe they'll leave you alone.

"What are you doing here?" A snide female voice asks.

"Causing earthquakes, what else?" The guy from before hollers, bursting into laughter.

"She might be trying to make some extra money by..." When I look up at the girl, she chokes back disgust. "You whoring yourself out, fatty? Might do you some good. Those clothes are a fucking disgrace."

"HEY, YOU! Give up! Nobody's coming to pick you up!"

Ignore them. Ignore them. Ignore them. Ignore them.

"I think she's about to cry!" A new screechier voice pipes up and I really do feel tears welling up in my eyes.

I just want Sam to show up and pick me up already! Never again do I want to cry in front of bullies. This will only make me feel like a failure and a loser... As soon as I start believing that I am either one of those, I will become it. I won't let that happen again. I know who I am and how strong I am. I don't even know these people so they can just piss off!

I straighten up a bit and turn my back towards the group.

"Damn. She's got an attitude." One of them mocks.

The group has now formed a circle around me and there's no way for me to get away.

"It's probably this 'If I ignore them, they'll leave me alone tactic'," a tall blonde girl laughs, sounding so much like a wild animal, I wonder if she might just be part hyena. "I wonder how long her flab will shake if I slap it. Maybe it really will cause an earthquake!" As everyone else joins in laughing, all I can hear is hyenas.

The blonde pokes her finger into my hip and I feel a shiver go down my spine, trying not to punch her into her face.

"Oh my god, guys! It's so weird. Feels like jello!" The hyena squeals and the urge to punch her grows stronger and stronger as her minions laugh hysterically.

I will never understand how people can get pleasure out of hurting other people. What happened to treating others the way you want to be treated?

"How could you even touch that, Leena? That's so fucking disgusting!" Another girl sneers at me.

Then she steps so close to me, I can feel her sickeningly sweet breath on my face. She's at least two or three inches taller than me and her long blonde hair looks like it's been styled to perfection. Her features are cat like and her manicured nails look more like claws if you ask me. Hyena definitely suits her. She scowls down at me and pokes her finger into my belly, her face turning into a victorious grin.

That's enough!

I grab onto her hand and twist her arm until she yelps in pain. Her posse stares at me in shock and I just glare at each and every one of them. I have nothing to say to them but instead I let go of the girl, dropping her arm like a hot potato and start walking.

Sometimes you just have to be your own knight in shining armor.

"YOU'LL REGRET THIS!" The hyena barks after me and I can't help but flip her off.

Best feeling ever.

I have no idea where the confidence bursts come from but after my experience at the last school, I'm sick and tired of being the poor victim who can't defend herself. I'm sick of being bullied and I'm sick of people disrespecting me. I'm a person like everyone else and I deserve to be treated that way.

Sam finally finds me and takes me home wordlessly.

Now, I'm sitting in my room, on my bed, doing absolutely nothing. Actually, I'm trying to avoid Sam as much as possible and I'm waiting for it to be late enough to go to sleep. That's one thing that sucks about not having friends. You have nothing to do and are forever bored!

I used to constantly change schools because of my parents so I never had the chance to make friends and now I'm alone and friendless and my cousin, who I currently live with, is an annoying over achiever.

"Arya! Dinner!" The culprit himself calls from downstairs and I groan loudly.

This is going to be so much fun!

"I didn't know you could cook." I crinkle my nose as I enter the kitchen "Something smells burned."

"I can't cook." He deadpans. "Now sit and eat. This is all you're going to get." He mutters and leans against the kitchen counter, nodding at a plate on the table. Its contents look like... macaroni and cheese? It's hard to tell.

I dig in wordlessly and it actually doesn't taste as bad as it looks so I just keep my mouth shut. I know Sam's about to drop a bomb as I can feel his constant staring and it's making me really uncomfortable. He seems to want to talk about something but can't get it out.

"Do you want to talk at all? You know, I know how you feel." His voice is barely a whisper when he finally speaks up and my whole body tenses.

Not this again.

"I don't want to talk about it." I push my plate away from me and get up, ready to leave.

"Look, you can't bottle this shit up, it will only bring you down. You can't deny what happened. You can't deny the fact that they're--"

"SHUT UP!" I yell and run off without listening to another word he says.

I don't care if he understands. He can try as many times as he wants, I'm not talking to him about them!

"ARYA! Don't shut me out." He comes jogging after me. "Come on! Don't be a baby! You have to admit this to yourself. They're dead! They wouldn't want you to deny their deaths like you clearly are! You didn't even show up at the funeral! You'll have to talk about it one way or another."

I slam the door to my room into his face and drop down on my bed, face first, tears spilling from my eyes uncontrollably.

"Therapy was part of the deal and you clearly don't plan on going." Sam walks into my room like he doesn't care about my privacy (which he probably doesn't).

"You have to admit it to yourself." I just cry to myself as he sits down next to me on my bed and starts caressing my back, sympathetically.

"It makes it real." I sob, "I don't want to think about it... or talk about it. I just want to forget it and move on!"

"Shh... I know. I'll leave you alone for now but we'll talk about this. I promise, it's not as bad as it sounds. We can get through this. I love you, little cousin, okay? I love you." He kisses the side of my head and I try to calm my breathing.

Maybe this whole older brother thing isn't so bad after all...