A Wish For Her | Teen Ink

A Wish For Her MAG

By Anonymous

“Is that her?”
“What? Who?”
“Shh … here she comes.”

“Oh … her.”

We avert our eyes as she walks by. We clutch our books tightly to our chests, stare down at our sneakers, and hold our breath as she passes. Whispers follow her like shadows as she scurries up the stone stairs, through the metal doors. Lisa and I exchange looks. The bell rings in our ears, and we head inside.

“Who’s she with today?” Lisa asks at lunch.

“Toby,” I scoff, biting into my ­sandwich.

“Figures. Apparently they had a great time at Jack’s apartment last weekend.” I make a face.

“Disgusting.” Lisa laughs.

“I bet she has all sorts of diseases.”

“I bet she’s wearing his sweatshirt. The one that smells as bad as he does.”

“I bet she’s gonna be one of those girls who never goes to college and ends up on the street.”

“I bet she’s gonna be a …” I look around to make sure no teachers are listening, “whore.”

That’s her new name. It spreads like a foul disease around the school, through the hallways, passed from one lip-gloss-smeared mouth to the next. Some kids just call her “The W,” or “The H” for the stupid ones who can’t spell. It’s what she is. It’s who she is. And none of us like her. None except Toby and Mitchell and all those guys who are too dumb to see her for who she really is. We see her kissing guys in the alley after school each day, like she doesn’t even care, like she doesn’t even know.

Don’t worry, we’re gonna make her realize who she really is. We’re gonna make her feel so bad she’ll shrink like a little mouse and learn her lesson and stay away from all of them, especially Devin, who liked me all of sixth grade ’til she stole him last summer.

We isolate her. We don’t speak to her, not even when she asks what the homework for last night was. Find it out yourself, stupid. We leave notes in her locker, and we snicker as she walks by.

Have you learned your lesson yet, princess? Are you ever gonna stop wearing so much lipstick and eyeliner and skirts that are way too short? Are you ever gonna put out that cigarette or throw out those bottles? You’re 13 – what’s wrong with you? Didn’t your parents ever teach you what’s right and wrong? Half the grade hates you. Sticks and stones, you say, but soon it’ll be real. I will smash up your pretty face if I have to. I’ll break your bones. I could snap your neck over my knee.

***

I walk home from Lisa’s house, and I take the long way because I want to look at the moon and the stars. I want to cross the cornfield, because once I saw a shooting star. I have to walk through the sketchy neighborhood to get there, though, but I should be okay if I hurry.

Suddenly, I hear a man’s voice ­coming from one of the houses, the one with the shingles falling off and the rusty car in the driveway. He is yelling. I rush behind a tree, heart ­racing so loud I’m sure he can hear. Suddenly I see a familiar figure. It’s her. She and the man are yelling at each other. He lashes out at her, and I wince. I can hear the slap.

And then the door closes. She is alone, and she sits on her porch steps. And she cries. I’ve never seen her cry before. Alone, with no boys, out in the cold night, crying, crying, crying so hard she can’t breathe. Her tears make ugly black lines down her face. And suddenly, she looks up, and our eyes lock. I run.

I run past the houses and the deli and the gas station with the creepy owner, and the ice cream store where we get really great slushies. I cross the street, my heart racing, out of breath and into the lush grass of the cornfield. I collapse on the ground, my arms and legs spread apart, trying to catch my breath and hold back the tears, though I can’t understand why they’re coming.

She was so alone. So sad. She is loved by no one but those boys. And I’m not sure they even really love her.

Suddenly I look up and see something sparkle across the indigo sky, a little explosion of white like a firecracker on the Fourth. I close my eyes.

And I wish for her.



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This article has 546 comments.


TRMunchkin said...
on Mar. 9 2020 at 2:30 pm
TRMunchkin, Frankfort, Kentucky
0 articles 0 photos 4 comments
This made me want to cry...

This is great. Excellent. I love it.

on May. 12 2017 at 5:39 pm
HereSheIs BRONZE, Wellesley, Massachusetts
3 articles 0 photos 187 comments

Favorite Quote:
"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." -Plato

Amazing writing. Amazing message.

on Mar. 29 2017 at 8:41 pm
The_Protecter,
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"Never quite on life! Always love others, And don't let anyone get to you!"

Its like really really good! Awesome job! Hey, why don't u right books for me ? lol!Or become an Author? That was awesome!

joe_devola said...
on Mar. 29 2017 at 8:22 am
joe_devola, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments
No, I think I do understand, after re-reading a couple times. Very nice.

joe_devola said...
on Mar. 29 2017 at 8:20 am
joe_devola, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments
I don't know what it means, but I like it.

surya_k BRONZE said...
on Jan. 22 2017 at 12:19 am
surya_k BRONZE, Chennai, Other
1 article 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies ... The man who never reads lives only one. - George R R Martin

This story was really good!!!

Escipeace said...
on Jun. 16 2016 at 10:11 am
I think that this is an important story for everyone to read. Especially if they're in high school with all the gossip that goes on. Everyone is fighting a battle of their own, and this story also brings light to the fact that often times if a teenage girl does not have a good father, they will go looking for approval and affection from other boys, and often it is not the right ones.

on Apr. 11 2016 at 1:32 pm
LittleRedDeliriousPrince SILVER, Parma Heights, Ohio
7 articles 0 photos 100 comments
Amazing!!!!!

on Feb. 5 2016 at 8:18 pm
KayeIsWriting SILVER, Oxford, Alabama
9 articles 0 photos 43 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself!" - Franklin Roosevelt

It makes you wonder what problems all the freaks, weirdoes, crazies, emos, crybabies, angry people and attention-seeking drama queens and kings face at home.....

MADDO SILVER said...
on Dec. 1 2015 at 5:11 am
MADDO SILVER, MUMBAI, Other
7 articles 0 photos 37 comments
Good work.. keep it up...Goodluck.:)

on Nov. 9 2015 at 10:01 pm
ThisIsPuGGy SILVER, Yokohama, Other
9 articles 0 photos 7 comments
Wow, thats an awesome fiction story! I need help with my story, so can you please help me? Or anyone?

on Oct. 18 2012 at 4:22 pm
writer3499 GOLD, New Bedford, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 196 comments

Favorite Quote:
"it's impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might has well not have lived at all-in which case you fail by default."
-J.K.Rowling

Wow I wasnt expecting the ending at all but that's why it's so great! Amazing story...would you mind commenting on some of my  work? Thanks!

Trees BRONZE said...
on Oct. 18 2012 at 3:17 pm
Trees BRONZE, Billings, Montana
3 articles 0 photos 35 comments

Favorite Quote:
Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die. How is that?

Great story!  

on Oct. 16 2012 at 7:22 pm
comfortablynumb7, Charlotte, North Carolina
0 articles 0 photos 27 comments

Favorite Quote:
" You want too much. you expect too much then when your hero disappoints you, your poor little heart gets crushed" <another quote>"If you don't earn respect when you're alive, you don't deserve it when you're dead."

I love your work. Keep on writing!!

on Sep. 24 2012 at 12:17 pm
prettysoccer_girl34 SILVER, Park City, Utah
5 articles 0 photos 28 comments
This is an amazing story! Incredibly detailed! Keep writing :D

on Jul. 20 2012 at 4:52 pm
juicyfan6 BRONZE, Mount Laurel, New Jersey
1 article 0 photos 46 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." - J.K. Rowling

This is awesome! Great job! 

on Jul. 20 2012 at 2:05 pm
leatherina GOLD, Sicklerville, New Jersey
19 articles 0 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
“A hero is someone who rebels or seems to rebel against the facts of existence and seems to conquer them. Obviously that can only work at moments. It can't be a lasting thing. That's not saying that people shouldn't keep trying to rebel against the facts of existence. Someday, who knows, we might conquer death, disease and war.” -Jim Morrison

You did an amazing job!

on Jul. 20 2012 at 2:05 pm
leatherina GOLD, Sicklerville, New Jersey
19 articles 0 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
“A hero is someone who rebels or seems to rebel against the facts of existence and seems to conquer them. Obviously that can only work at moments. It can't be a lasting thing. That's not saying that people shouldn't keep trying to rebel against the facts of existence. Someday, who knows, we might conquer death, disease and war.” -Jim Morrison

You did an amazing job!

on Jun. 6 2012 at 10:32 pm
RoseAndThorn BRONZE, Mena, Arkansas
1 article 0 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
Find out what's really out there. I never said to be like me, I say be like you and make a difference. - Marilyn Manson

Great piece, well worth the award badge it carries. I love how to told the story and made the point that you should not judge through the person who was doing the judging. Sometimes that is even deeper than the wise unlooker. And this is exactly how people are; the worse that somebody is, the worse their influences and/or strugles.