text: Morgan Johnson Left Out 
   
   
     
   It's all kind of a blur, really.  I remember sitting in the rowboat with my parents, the fin, and those enormous white teeth.  All that blood, has scarred my mind.  Then, I remember waking up in the hospital.  I remember a nurse telling me my parents are dead.  I have to walk with crutches for the rest of my life.  Ever since that shark attack, my boyfriend left me and now no one's my friend.  It's always a bad thing when someone gets me as a partner.  Soon, I became emo.  I mean, what's the point of being happy when you have no friends and only one leg?  I have to live with my Aunt Betty.  She's trying to quit smoking, but she's too obsessed.  I don't bother telling her to stop or hide the lighter, she'll just smack me in the face.  She doesn't give a damn about what I wear, so at least I get to wear what I want.  "Nikki!  The damn bus is here, so get your ass outside!" Aunt Betty called.  "Coming!" I yelled grabbing my backpack.  I rushed downstairs to give Aunt Betty a hug.  "Love ya, now get outside already!" I snatched my lunchbox from her hand and went outside.  I got on the bus.  Polly moved over to the seat across from the one she was sitting in.  "Sitting alone again," I thought.  Aunt Betty was outside.  She waved to me.  I waved back.  At least she loves me.  I had gotten used to the yelling by now.  The bus stopped at the last bus stop.  My ex-best friend came on.  When she saw that I was sitting in the only free seat, she sat with the fourth graders.  I sighed.  This was not going to get easier in middle school.  The bus pulled up to school, and I was the last to get off again.  "Hey pogo-stick!" Ash called.  They all call me pogo-stick.  It's my stupid nickname now.  His girlfriend Alayna cracked up.  They kissed.  I rolled my eyes and stuck out my tongue.  I rushed to my classroom.  I sat down and unpacked my bag.  "Hey looky ere'!  If it isn't pogo-stick!" Quincy laughed.  He's Ash's friend.  Part of his little "group."  I put my backpack near the coat rack and sat down again.  When everyone was here, Mrs.Sheldon gave us our reading tests back.  Another F.  Great, my forecast?  A slap in the right cheek and possibly cigarette smoke.  I jammed it in my folder.  "Okay, I also have everyone's math tests," Mrs.Sheldon said.  I felt good about the math test.  I felt a high C is coming my way.  Mrs.Sheldon gave me my test.  I picked it up with high hopes.  I frowned.  A 59%.  My right cheek is gonna be really red tonight.  Just another reason to frown.  My grades really piss Aunt Betty off.  Once, my grade was so bad, I had to sleep in the doghouse.  Literally.  My Aunt Betty used to have this huge Great Dane, named Missy.  I had to sleep in her old doghouse.  Mrs.Sheldon came over to me and knelt down.  "Sweetie, your grades are so bad, that you won't pass the fifth grade unless you pass the next reading test," she whispered.  I frowned.  I at least need a 70 on it.  I nodded.  Mrs.Sheldon patted my back and walked back to her desk.  I sighed.  "Ooh, looks like pogo-stick's in truuu-blllle!" Quincy whispered.  "Shut up bitch," I whispered back.  He chuckled.  I lived through another day of bullying at school.  I have a new record.  Now, some of the fourth graders are calling me pogo-stick.  Of course Ash's little sister and some of her friends.  "Hey Aunt Betty," I said as I got home.  "Oh, hey Nikki," she said, not even looking up from the mail.  "Get invited to any birthday parties, did ya have an egg race and win, or uh, well what did you do today?"  "I got an F on my reading test and a 59 on my math test, so basically I got two F's today," I said.  Aunt Betty came over and slapped me, real hard.  "You little idiot!  You can't even try to get good grades?!  Give me those damn tests," Aunt Betty yelled.  Trying to hold back tears, I gave the tests.  She scribbled her initials on them and threw them at me.  I put them back.  "Anything ELSE I need to know?!" she asked throwing her hands in the air.  "Well, Mrs.Sheldon said I won't pass the fifth grade unless I get at least a 70 on my next test," I said, scared that she'll hit me again.  "UGH!  GO TO YOUR ROOM!" she screamed.  I went upstairs and lied on my bed.  Life is not easy for me.  I took a short nap.  An hour or so later, Aunt Betty opened my door.  She had a cigarette in her mouth.  "Hey kiddo, sorry for screaming at you earlier.  I just want my only young relative to have a good life," she said sitting next to me.  Truth is, she's my mom's sister, and I have no siblings.  We don't know about my dad's side.  "It's okay, I guess I should try harder, especially since I'm possibly going to middle school next year," I said giving her a big hug.  She hugged me real tight.  I ignored her cigarette smoke.  "Dinner will be ready in ten minutes, so you have some time to yourself.  Love ya," Aunt Betty said walking downstairs.  "Love you too," I said.  I had some cuts on my arm from when she threw my tests at me.  I decided to get out of the house for awhile.  I grabbed my jacket and went outside.  I saw a boy picking parts off of a leaf.  I went over to him.  "Um, hi," I said.  He didn't even look up.  I flicked his shoulder.  "Um, hello?  Are you ignoring me?" I said angrily.  The boy stood up.  "Sorry, I'm deaf, but luckily I can read lips.  Actually, I can't even hear what I'm saying right now," he said.  "Oh, um, I'm Nikki," I said, mouthing each word.  "Thanks, you made that a lot easier," he said smiling.  "My name is  Brandon by the way."  He glanced at my leg.  "Sorry to ask, but what happened?" he said sitting down again.  I sat next to him.  "Well, early this year, my parents took me out to the beach.  I wanted to see the fish so we went out in a small rowboat.  We saw a fin, but we thought it was a dolphin.  We were way off.  Now, I'm living with one leg and my Aunt Betty," I said taking a leaf.  I ripped it.  "Oh, I'm so sorry," he looked at me with sympathy.  "Hey, you have pretty eyes," he said.  "Thanks, but they're just blue," I said.  "They seem to me like a clear sky," he said, giving me a crooked smile.  I tucked my hair behind my ear and blushed.  Aunt Betty walked over to me.  "Oh, there you are!  Come on let's eat dinner!" Aunt Betty said grinning.  "Okay, well I have to go Brandon.  Meet me here around the same time tomorrow," I said.  Brandon nodded and smiled.  Brandon has shaggy brown hair and brown eyes.  It's like he's not deaf at all.  I wonder if I could ever be his girlfriend.  I sat down at the table with Aunt Betty.  I choked down my tofu and washed it all down with some pink lemonade.  "Done already?" Aunt Betty asked with her mouth full.  I nodded.  When it was time for bed, I hugged Aunt Betty goodnight.  "Night sweetie," she said jamming her box of cigarettes in her pocket.  I got in bed and dreamed of Brandon.  The next morning, I got up and washed my face.  I was in my room picking my outfit when Aunt Betty came in, "Hey Nikki!  I packed you a lunch today." she said.  I smiled.  I pulled on my Doc Marten boot.  (I only have one leg, so I only need one shoe.  That's given me a lot of closet space.)  I went downstairs and made my breakfast, toast and a granola bar.  After breakfast, I brushed my teeth and went upstairs to my room.  About 20 minutes later, I heard Aunt Betty yell to me, "Nikki!  Get your ass down here!  The bus is here!"  I rushed downstairs and hugged her.  I grabbed my lunch and went outside.  It was the same thing, getting bullied all day.  "Okay, everyone, here is your final exam.  Get at least a 70 and you can pass the fifth grade," Mrs.Sheldon said handing out the packets.  Quincy raised his hand.  "Yes Quincy?"  "What if we get a 69?" "Um, I don't know, but don't try to find out," Mrs.Sheldon said.  "You can start, class."  I tried to concentrate,  but Quincy was always tapping me and calling me 'pogo-stick'.  I had enough.  "Cut it out, you little turd!" I  whispered.  "Whateva'" he said.  When I finished, I gave it to Mrs.Sheldon.  She smiled at me and crossed her fingers for luck.  After school I found Aunt Betty with some dude, smoking of course.  "Hey Aunt Betty," I said.  "Oh, hey Nikki," she said hugging me.  "This is John, we were just talking about you."  John smiled at me.  I gave him a weak smile.  They continued to quietly talk about me.  I decided to go to that tree a little early.  I sat down and took a leaf.  Later, Brandon came and sat next to me.  We talked for a bit, then he asked, "Nikki, I know this is sudden, but will you be my girlfriend?"  My face lit up.  I nodded real fast.  He smiled and hugged me.  We got up and held hands.  "Aunt Betty, we're gonna go to the park," I said.  "Okay, are you sure you can hold hands and walk with crutches at the same time?"  I nodded.  She winked at me.  Brandon and I walked hand in hand.  Maybe, my life got a little bit better.  I know someone I can relate to.  I smiled.  This is great.  Maybe I won't mind being called 'pogo-stick' anymore. 
   
   
   Publication Date: June 2nd 2011 https://www.bookrix.com/-puppyluv11