“Puppet” Thousand Foot Krutch
I stared at the Facebook screen. I swallowed hard and tried to stop the burning in my eyes. This was happening.
I tried to breathe, trying to block out what I had just read. My hands were shaking. My usual smile was faded from my face. Everything was gray.
Life seemed surreal.
I shook a bit more and then logged out, turning off the computer in one easy motion.
I headed to my bed and crawled under the covers, shivering even under the warm sheets. My body started sweating, but still, I was just too cold.
My sister came in then, “What the fuck, why didn’t you tell me?” She whispered.
I looked up at her and she brushed some fallen tears that I hadn’t realized were falling. “Because.” I turned my back to her and stared at the light purple walls of my room.
She rubbed my back, tracing patterns with her fingernails. It soothed me, made me forget of the hell school would be tomorrow. “I’ll fuck him up.”
“Nah, he’s a bastard. Just forget it.” I said, my voice shaking. I knew that if I dragged her into it, everything would just be worse. I’d just get more hell.
People could be so damn cruel sometimes.
She wouldn’t have it though, “Remember how Dom wanted to beat him up before? We could let him… Dom would pound his ass in, he’s a street fighter you know?”
I shook my head, “I just told you, just forget it.”
“But it’s not okay if they’re doing that.” She murmured.
“Shit happens.” I muttered, slightly pissed. Why couldn’t she just let it drop?
“Chad wanted to beat him up too. We can have him help Dom.”
“He doesn’t have to- there will be no beating up of anyone. It’ll make things worse.”
“He’s a fucking douche.” My sister said. “You don’t understand how pissed I am. He’s pathetic.”
I thought of how many likes it had gotten, not a lot, but still… What had I ever done to those people? “Fuck him.” I muttered.
“Exactly. Just punch him in the face. Kick his balls- well, the ones he should have if he really were a boy… You could still make his vagina bleed.” She chuckled.
Normally, I would have laughed a bit but instead I stared blankly at the wall and blinked once.
“Don’t worry, I’m gonna have a talk with a few people tomorrow at school. We’ll fix this.”
“There’s nothing to fix. I already knew they hated me, it’s just… my thoughts are proved correctly now.”
She sighed and rubbed my back, “They’re idiots. They’re stuck here. They’re jealous you have a family. I’ll punch their faces in myself. I want you to listen to me, if they ever say that sort of shit again, tell me. It’s not okay with me, and they better know I won’t fucking stand for it.”
I didn’t say a word; I let the tears fall silently. I was blessed.
“Okay?” She needed reassurance.
I nodded, and forced a shaky, “’kay.”
She stood up, the bed creaked a bit, “Don’t bother giving a shit what they think. And I’m being serious, they do it again… They won’t know what fucking hit them.”
I smiled a bit at the thought of my petite sister beating up someone. I knew she could do it. And I had this feeling there would be people backing her up, backing me up.
She was slipping out of my room, “Hey?” I called silently, my voice was steadier. She had made me feel more secure.
She stopped but didn’t say anything.
“Thanks.” I muttered into the darkness.
I could almost see how she’d be smiling. She didn’t have to say anything. She slipped out the door and it clicked softly behind her.
