18: Stuck
971 Words
~Rina~
Amelia’s silence had become louder than her words ever were. Every glance in my direction felt heavier, colder. The space between us, once filled with her chatter, now seemed suffocating. I tried to tell myself that I didn’t need her constant presence, but the hollow feeling in my chest said otherwise.
She had stopped talking to me the day after Callan checked on my bruise. Her smile, once genuine, now seemed forced, if it came at all. And Callan? He became more attentive, more present. He would always stop by to check on me, his concern genuine, and I could sense it made Amelia bitter.
But that wasn’t my biggest problem. No, the real trouble came from Cassandra and her crew. They had been restless since the day I arrived at the werewolf university, but now it was escalating. I knew what it felt like to be an outcast, years with my stepmother and stepsisters had trained me well…but this…this was different.
I walked down the hallway toward my locker, hoping to retrieve my sketchbook. The whispers followed me, giggles bubbling behind cupped hands. I ignored them, as I always did. But when I opened my locker, a cold, wet splatter hit my face.
Glue.
It coated the inside of my locker and dripped from the ceiling. Some of it had splashed onto my clothes, sticky and cold, clinging to my skin. I wiped at my face with trembling hands, my heart pounding in my chest. The sound of laughter erupted from behind me.
“Oops! Looks like the mute pig got a little sticky,” Cassandra’s voice rang out, dripping with mockery.
I turned slowly, my jaw clenched. Cassandra stood with her arms crossed, her friends flanking her, all of them smirking like they had just won the lottery. I couldn’t say anything. I couldn’t do anything.
“Come on, Rina. Say something.” Cassandra stepped forward, her grin widening. “Oh wait, you can’t.” She cackled, and her friends joined in. I took a deep breath and turned back to my locker, pulling out the few things that weren’t ruined by the glue.
‘Ignore them,Syl,’ I told my wolf. She stirred inside me, anger rippling through her like a storm, but she said nothing. There was nothing we could say.
But the glue incident was just the beginning. It escalated.
Two days later, I walked into class and sat in my usual seat, hoping the day would pass quietly. As soon as I sat down, I felt it the unmistakable stickiness. Glue. Again.
I tried to stand up, but my skirt was stuck fast. Panic bubbled in my chest as I tugged harder, but the glue held tight. The snickers started almost immediately, growing louder as more people realized what had happened.
“Looks like the pig got herself stuck!” Cassandra called out, her voice dripping with mock innocence. “Maybe we should call someone to unstick her?”
I could feel my cheeks burning, shame flooding through me as I struggled to get free. No one came to help. No one said a word. Finally, a couple of students took pity on me, lifting me from the seat along with the chair itself. It took almost twenty minutes to pry me loose from the glue, my clothes ruined, my dignity shattered.
Why are they doing this to me? I thought bitterly, as I trudged through the hallways. Syl didn’t answer, but I could feel her sadness.
Volleyball practice was no better. I had reluctantly joined, hoping to blend in, to be part of something. But it quickly became clear that I was the target again.
Every time the ball came my way, it wasn’t just hit…it was slammed in my direction, fast and hard, making sure I couldn’t dodge.
“Come on, Rina! Can’t you handle it?” one of the girls jeered as I barely dodged another hit. They were using their wolf strength, something I couldn’t match. I tried to keep up, but every time I reached for the ball, it seemed to fly past me, followed by laughter.
‘They’re pushing you,’ Syl growled. ‘You’re stronger than this!’
But I couldn’t push back. I couldn’t fight them. Every hit left me aching, every laugh made my insides twist tighter. I could barely breathe by the end of the game.
And then came the locker room.
I had just finished practice and was washing up, hoping to scrub away the dirt, sweat, and humiliation from the day. The water was warm, and for a moment, I let myself relax under the spray, trying to drown out everything else.
Then, without warning, the water stopped.
I froze, blinking the soap from my eyes, confused. I reached for the tap, but nothing happened. The pipes were silent. I wiped at my face, but I couldn’t see clearly through the suds covering my eyes.
I heard it then…laughter. Low and cruel, echoing off the tile walls of the locker room.
They turned off the water. Syl growled inside me, furious.
I stumbled forward, hands outstretched, trying to find something, anything. I couldn’t call for help, couldn’t scream or shout. My voice was trapped, just like always.
‘Do something!’ Syl urged. ‘Fight back!’
But I couldn’t. I was helpless, blind, and surrounded by their laughter. They had all the power. Just like my stepmother and stepsisters had, all those years ago. The memories flashed in my mind…being locked in the attic, being starved, humiliated. Nothing had changed. I was still powerless.
Tears pricked at my eyes, mixing with the soap that refused to rinse away. I sank to the floor, hugging my knees to my chest as the laughter faded, leaving me alone in the darkness.
No one was coming to help me.
- Writer
