1 Chapter 1 Them

I grew up in a small town in South Carolina called Cotton Valley. It got it's named from the cotton mill near the end of town. I was the middle child of three, and my name is Pria Du'Vale. I have an older sister Danielle, but we called her Dani. A baby brother named Jordan. My mother Cicely worked nights at the local hospital while my dad Joseph worked days at the cotton mill. I was a quiet kid with not many friends. Actually, I didn't have any friends at all until Sky Vassallo moved down the street from me. It was a hot day in June of 2012 when she walked down the street. I was drawing with my new chalk my dad bought the previous day. "Hi," she said. "Hello." "I'm Sky," she said holding out her hand. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Pria Du'Vale." I smiled as I shook her hand. Sky was the only child and very pretty. Her mom was black and her dad was Italian. I was black. Well, light skin. We both had thick curly hair and dimples. We became best friends until 8 years later. Sky had become distance, but she promised that we'll hang out today. She called me as I was headed out the door. I was excited to know she called. "Hello?" "Hey P," she said dryly. "Hey Sky. Are you ok?" "Yea. Can you meet me by my locker today" "Sure, are you sure you're ok...." Dial tone. That was weird. I waited by her locker before the first bell. Sky came around the corner with a group of girls I called "Them". They were the popular girl at Cotton Valley Junior High and everyday I was bullied. There was Jessica Alexander, their fearless leader and the twins. Kyra and Kera Snubbs. plus Sky. "We'll talk later," Jesse said bumping me. "What did you want to talk about?" She took a deep. I KNEW it was bad. "This is not easy for me to say so I'll just say it." Searching her eyes, it became clear. "You don't want to be my friend anymore?" "Come on P. It's not like that. You're.... boring." ".....and Jesse's exciting?" "Don't make this hard." I shook my head. "Whatever. Have fun being one of them." I said walking off with tears in my eyes. I was crushed, and it was the last day of school. Everyone was gathered around their friends. Guess where I was. Sitting in the back of the class quiet as a church mouse, watching the clock. One more minute until it was time to go. 5....4....3....2....1. Ring!!!! The bell rang and all the kids raced towards the door. As usual, I took my time. Climbing on Mr. Esten's bus and found a seat at the back. Jessie watched me like a hawk. Was I that interesting to her? Then , like the big bad wolf that she was. Jessie walked to the back and sat with me. "Hey, I heard you had a crush on Brandon Crewes." I got up. She pulled me by my shirt so hard. I flopped down. "If you as so much look at him, I'll black those pretty little gray eyes." "Leave me alone, Jessie. I haven't did anything to you." "Make me." she said getting in my face. I attempted to get up again, but she pulled down again and punched me in the stomach. I leaned over in pain. She then started punching me in the back. I felt like she was angry with me, but why? I quickly grabbed her hair with my left and hit her twice in the face. Her nose started to bleed. "My nose!" she wailed. Kyra looked back. Ms. Track star got to the back so quick I didn't see her. She tackled me and the twins and Jessie jumped me. I looked up at Sky. She turned her head. All the kids were yelling FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! When it should have been yelling, LYNCH! LYNCH! LYNCH! The bus came to a stop. "What the hell is on going back here?!" Mr. Esten yelled. Them back off allowing me to get up. I held my head down. "Pria?" I raised my head up slowly. "Oh my God." Lifting the lever to the back door, rolled out. "Pria wait!" Once off the bus, I started running. Hot tears blurred my vision. Starting towards home. I thought about it. When he saw my face, it had to be bad. Plus blood was on my shirt. I was for 3 blocks when I saw Ms. Tulley pull into her driveway. She climbed out looking my way. "Is that you little Ms. Pria Du'Vale?" "Yes ma'am." "Well, don't just stand there. Help me girl." Ms. Tulley had a deep southern accent. She sounded just like the woman from A Streetcar Named Desire. Lowering my head. I approached her car. "My my. What have you gotten yourself into?" "I got into a fight." She tsked. "Let's get you cleaned up." Her house always smelled of lavender. No kids at the age of 34, and she looked amazing. She kept her hair cut short. Today she wore a navy blue short spaghetti strap dress and white flip flops. I sat the bags on the counter and took a seat at the bar. Ms. Tulley opened the cabinet and grabbed the first aid kit. Taking a seat beside me she asked, "It was those girls again?" "Yes ma'am." " Why do they hate you do much Bright Eyes?" I shrugged. Bright Eyes is the nickname she gave me due to the fact that my eyes were a light gray. After she fixed me up. I asked if I could us the bathroom. "You know the way, shug." Standing in the bathroom with the lights off. I was afraid. Afraid that maybe they had scarred me for life. Letting out the breath I had been holding. I flipped the switch. My top was swollen with a deep gash in it. That's where the blood came from. I walked in the kitchen where Ms. Tulley was on the phone. "I think it's because she's prettier than them. I know. Pure jealousness." I sat down and she placed a plate of brownies and a glass of milk in front of me. "Yea, I'll bring her. Goodbye." "My mom?" "Yep." "She was mad?" "She just wants to know why they can't stop bothering you." I looked away. I wanted to know the same thing. After helping her out around the house, she gave me $50. She always paid me that much, but my mom found out and said it was too much money for house work. Ms. Tulley didn't care. She gave me the $50 bucks anyway and made me promise not to tell my mom. She drove me home. Turning on my street. I saw Jessie sitting on Sky's porch. When she saw me. She started laughing. We pulled into my driveway. I climbed out and she grabbed my arm. "If you need me. I'm here Bright Eyes." "Yes ma'am." I walked in the house where my mom had Bootsie Collins blaring. It was her off day. I entered the kitchen and she was patting out burgers. "You're making bacon burgers?" "Yes," she said looking at my face. "It's not that bad and your lip will go down." "Sky's new besties did it." said Dani from the living room. "And how do you know that?" my mother said placing her hand on her hip. "Michelle told me. Her cousin sat a couple of seats above Pria. Said she was quiet as usual when Jessie came to the back and started messing with her" "I'm calling her parents. What's her mom's name again." "No mom. You'll just make it worse." She hung up the phone. "EVERYDAY Pria! Stand up to them." "She did. That's why they jumped her." I looked at Dani as if to say "Can I speak?" My dad was working late and told me that Jessie's dad worked under him. "Fire him Dad." said Dani. "Let's not be rash. He's a good worker." "What do you suppose we do, Joesph?" "I can talk to him." "Daddy no. Just..no." Later that evening, my mom sent Dani and Jordan to the store, while she worked the grill. I was in my room throwing watching TV. "Pria, come on." my mom called. We finished our burgers with the bacon wrapped around it, and now was eating ice cream. The doorbell chimed. "That's Michelle." "And?" "And. You said I could go to the summer fair tonight." "One condition. Let Pria go with you." "No problem. Let's go kiddo" I got out my chair and opened the door. Michelle walked out. "You're still adorable," she said giving me a hug. "Hey Mrs. Du'Vale." "Hello Michelle. How's the folks?" "They're good." "Tell your mom to change Bingo to Saturday." "Yes ma'am. Y'all ready?" "Yep." We climbed in Michelle's brother's car. It was a dark blue Cadillac. He was proud of it because he'd paid for it with his own money. He pulled up to the entrance. "Be standing out here at 10:45," said Derdrick. "Yeah yea." "I'm serious. I'll leave you and your friends up here." "Alright. Dang." After paying, we were greeted by blaring music and neon lights. "Pria, let's get on the Dropper." The Dropper was like the Drop Zone but it spun around as it came down. Next, Michelle pulled Dani over to the Bumper Cars. "C'mon Pria." Standing in line. I heard two familiar voices. I turned around to see Jessie and Sky. "I don't want to ride anymore." I told Dani. "But why? You love Bumper Cars." I shrugged my shoulders and eased out of line before they saw me. I leaned on the railing and twirled one of my French braids around my finger. I heard a SNIP! One of my braids fell to the ground. As I picked it up. I heard laughter. I looked up to see Jessie holding a pair of scissors. I watched as they made their way to the Gravatron. "Now that was fun," said Dani. She looked at me. "What's the matter, P?" Michelle saw the lonely braid in my hand. "Who did this?" she said snatching it out of my hand. "You already know." At home, my mother cut my hair to make it even. It was now a little passed my ears. My dad walked through the door. "Well," said my mom. "She said didn't do it." "I wouldn't lie mama." I whined. "According to Sky were nowhere near Pria." "That's a lie! I saw Jessie walk towards P, but I didn't see what happened." said Michelle. "Go to bed girls. We'll sort this out in the morning." I laid across my bed and cried myself to sleep. The next day. A local church was picking up kids to go to Lake Wonderfall. I didn't want to go. I had no friends. Dani and Michelle had summer jobs. Jordan...well....Jordan was too young. "Go ahead honey. Have some fun," my dad said walking me to the van. So I went. Just my luck. Jessie and Sky were there. I sat at the back. Sky whispered something to Jessie. She looked back at me and laughed. Once at the lake. Everyone poured out the van, joining their friends. I didn't move. What for? If I fought back. I'd get jumped. It wasn't fair. Why did Sky have to be like this. I understood that she was the more outgoing between the two of us, but she didn't have to join in and bully me. The driver, 18 year old Mira Ranci sat beside me. "Pria? Don't you want to join your friends?" "They're NOT my friends." "Well, you didn't come all this way to sit in a hot van did you?" I sighed then climbed out. I made sure to keep my distance from Them. I found a spot at a picnic table and took a seat. I watched the other kids have the time of their lives. Next week thing I knew. Ash was being dumped all over me. "Nice haircut," said Sky running off. I gave her one of the dirtiest looks I could muster up. Mira walked up. "Pria what happened?" "What do you think?" "Let me help you." she said attempting to dust me off. "Stop!!" I screamed in frustration. "Just stop." It took 30 minutes to get the ash off, or least tried to. "And the last time I stayed at her house. She peed on me." Sky. She lied. She peed on me and I covered for her so she wouldn't get into trouble. "What is she, like 4?" said Jessie laughing. "Gotta pee." "I'll be over by the swings." I dipped into a stall before Sky walked in. She checked each one. It would be so easy to kill her. I thought. What was I thinking. I couldn't kill a fly!! How could I kill a human being. I exited out the stall and washed my hands. Sky came up behind me and pushed me so hard. I slipped on some water hitting my head on the sink as I fell. "Klutz", she said laughing. As I watched her leave I decided right then and there. I was going to kill my bullies.