Aisling didn't know why he bullied her. Maybe he was insecure, or perhaps he chose to take out some of his anger on her.

With words that is. He never used his wrestling skills on her.

"She's such a bitch," he said to a couple friends of his as she walked by. He was at his locker with a crowd.

His crowd laughed once he said that.

She frowned and stopped in her tracks. "What did I ever do to you?" She asked him as loud as she could. "There was no need to call me that."

He shrugged. "Sorry. I just don't like seeing someone walk around, with their nose high, acting like they're better than everybody else. Too good to come to a football game. And too good to come to any school event."

She blinked back the tears that she didn't want him to see. "You're wrong. You're damn wrong."

"No I'm not." He looked to one of his friends for what seemed to be help. "Didn't she curse you out in P. E.?"

A guy from the crowd nodded quickly. "Yeah, for no apparent reason."

She scoffed at him. "Everyone has a reason for blowing up on somebody. You know I'm a reasonable person."

He and his crowd simply laughed at her, and decided to start talking among each other as if she weren't there.

♢

Aisling sat at her desk, staring at a blank piece of paper. In order to execute this well, she'd need to write a letter addressing everybody who decided to treat her a certain way, or chose to ignore her when she addressed them.

She was most certain that people would forget about her, and it would be a couple days until her dad and his girlfriend would call the house to check on her.

She focused on the letter more than she did her school work. She read some sentences over and over again to the point where she'd decide to edit them.

Once she was done with her masterpiece, she put the letter in her jacket and took one more look at her bedroom. She knew this was goodbye, and in some way she was sad to say goodbye. But being one of the ridiculed at school was hell.

And she kept on replaying over in her mind when she was called out by him.

Going back to school tomorrow, and expecting to keep some dignity seemed rather tough. Writing a letter addressed to all the people who'd bullied her (him especially) was what would keep her some dignity.

She exited her house, and crossed the street. If she turned right that would lead her to the bus stop. If she took a left, she would end up at the park. Maybe, the park was a better option.

So it was.

Aisling would forever be a mystery to everybody she talked to or knew. Why'd she do it? Most would ask.

Why did her father and his girlfriend Irene decide to keep things hush hush?

Why didn't Aisling think that there was a chance things could have gotten better?