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.


Miara GOLD said...
on Apr. 15 2011 at 10:46 am
Miara GOLD, Ottumwa, Iowa
16 articles 0 photos 30 comments

Favorite Quote:
Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate.
Dying is a day worth living for.
The problem with being the last of anything is by and by there be none left.

I disagree.  Having her so young gives us a feel for what we are doing to those who merely want what we already have.

Jaybug BRONZE said...
on Apr. 15 2011 at 8:03 am
Jaybug BRONZE, Norwood, North Carolina
2 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
I'm ain't the best, but I'm not the worst either.

I really liked this especially the ending! Keep up the good work.

on Mar. 24 2011 at 7:12 pm
A_Jean PLATINUM, Citrus Heights, California
40 articles 0 photos 19 comments

Favorite Quote:
"we all carry these things inside that no one else can see. they hold us down like anchors and they drown us out at sea."
"i'm trying to figure out which parts of my personality are mine and which ones I created to please you"

It was amazing! I really liked it. Well done. :)

on Mar. 24 2011 at 4:49 pm
SomethingLikeFire BRONZE, Mchenry, Illinois
1 article 1 photo 47 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Pippin: What about elevenses? Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He knows about them, doesn't he?" -
-- The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring

great word choice.

the peice really makes u stop and think about why people act the way they do. its really powerful. Good job!


on Mar. 24 2011 at 12:19 pm
remembermeplz PLATINUM, Friend, Nebraska
36 articles 10 photos 230 comments

Favorite Quote:
"when the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace" -- Jimi Hendrix

Wow amazing!!

It made me cry =)very touching and the story line is perfect.


cieramist GOLD said...
on Mar. 24 2011 at 10:06 am
cieramist GOLD, Orlando, Florida
17 articles 2 photos 19 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right." ~ Henry Ford

I agree, too.  My sister is thirteen and no one at that age is usually like that.  Try maybe like 15 and up.  Then it would have more impact I think. But great job! i loved the way you write!

on Mar. 24 2011 at 8:39 am
DaBritt3 BRONZE, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
3 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
"It's better to write for yourself and have no public than to write for the public and have no self." - Cyril Connolly

This is so powerful and the word choice was amazing and made the story pop. I really like this.

on Mar. 16 2011 at 8:42 am
Thief_of_your_heart SILVER, Knox, Tennessee
7 articles 3 photos 34 comments

Favorite Quote:
live long and rock on!

this is great! not many people think why some one dose something. It's a great reminder!

Sandra said...
on Mar. 15 2011 at 9:27 am
Liked word choice interesting and powerful

bobhot6 said...
on Mar. 2 2011 at 10:39 pm
Powerful. Your rhetorical skills got the story across beautifully. I wish for myself; one day, I'll hopefully be able to write something like this.

domin0 SILVER said...
on Mar. 2 2011 at 10:37 pm
domin0 SILVER, Royal Oak, Michigan
6 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that it is hard to verify their authenticity"















- Abraham Lincoln

why did you write about this?

Its very good


on Mar. 2 2011 at 6:57 pm
Pia_HainzCiavelli SILVER, St.James, Other
5 articles 0 photos 28 comments

Favorite Quote:
Such is liife :)

wow...love how the characters personna changes..

lollypops GOLD said...
on Mar. 2 2011 at 6:29 pm
lollypops GOLD, Pilot, Virginia
16 articles 5 photos 218 comments

Favorite Quote:
Live

this was really sad but very well  written

on Mar. 2 2011 at 6:20 pm
StayClassy1 SILVER, Stockton, California
5 articles 1 photo 40 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Buy me food so i know it's real"

wow, this was painful to read. This happened last year with one of my enemies. I felt so bad for her and realized it wasnt right for me to hate her...it wasnt like i tryed to be nice to her. I just didnt hate her and talk about her...

on Mar. 2 2011 at 5:19 pm
destined_for_fame BRONZE, Privet Drive, California
4 articles 3 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Shoot for the moon, because even if you miss you'll land among the stars."

I agree. Thirteen seemed a little young...

on Mar. 2 2011 at 5:08 pm
AbigailElizabeth SILVER, Medina, Minnesota
8 articles 0 photos 79 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Scars are souvenirs you never lose" - Goo Goo Dolls

very powerful..although it would seem more realistic if she was a bit older than 13. maybe 15?

on Mar. 2 2011 at 4:10 pm
Kaity-Bear95 GOLD, Cave Junction, Oregon
12 articles 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
Love me or hate me, you're still thinking about me.

Wow. Just wow. This piece is so truthful. A lot of people don't realize that when somebody acts bad or sometimes just different, there's quite often a reason why. I'm a super shy and nervous person, quite often described as emo, and people don't realize that I'm like that because of my past, because of being pushed around and some harsh situations. I may not have the same exact situation as this girl (I'm on the opposite side of teh spectrum) but our situations are very similar. Great writing, keep it up.

on Mar. 2 2011 at 1:20 pm
MhsAnonymous SILVER, Morristown, New Jersey
7 articles 0 photos 15 comments

Favorite Quote:
Life is like a dream. Its perfect until you wake up into reality.

WOW!!! this is just utterly, absolutely amazing! I love how you twisted the story to explain why this 13 year old behaves badly. It changes my mind about girls in real life that are like that. Maybe they are in the same situation, hopefully not.

on Mar. 2 2011 at 6:29 am
SilentlyRising GOLD, Decatur, Georgia
13 articles 0 photos 100 comments

Favorite Quote:
"My pen is the barrel of the gun. Remind me which side you should be on."

Wow!!  That was really good.  The only thing I can say is that I really hope that isn't based off of a true story.  Though, it probably IS somewhere.

Lillie GOLD said...
on Feb. 26 2011 at 7:29 pm
Lillie GOLD, Omaha, Nebraska
16 articles 24 photos 23 comments

Favorite Quote:
"My gelding was sold to me as a gentlemen. He is. Whenever we go over a fence, he insists on ladies first."
-Unknown

That was fantastic!  THe only thing I would comment on would be, that I think it would be more believable if the characters were a little older.  But that is just me nit picking because of how GREAT it was!