It all started when my only friend Claira got engaged. Now you would think it would be a happy occasion, but it honestly hurt me. We have always been an inseparable couple and now there was a wedge between us. We were often the odd ones out, but it never bothered us with each other. Now, since it appeared, the situation is starting to get worse. I mean, it left me torn apart from the rest of the world. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay But let's go back. I live in a small town called Helms Deep. Nothing ever happens in this town other than gossip. Everywhere I go I hear the whispers about me. Everyone has something to say. Especially the boys. Why don't they see me the way other girls see me? Why do girls tease and provoke? Why am I so different? Because they tell me ugly. Why can't a guy like me do it? All these questions run through my head every day. Why can't I be pretty like other girls? Like Claire. "Annabelle, wait!" says Claira, from across the hall. I start to walk away, I can't stand talking to her anymore. Now it is popular and everyone likes it. Now I'm the only one rejected. She grabs my wrist and turns me to face her. Madness boils inside me. “Leave me alone, Claira. Haven't you caused me enough pain already?" “Annabelle, I never intended to hurt you. Won't you be happy for me?" "I'm sorry Claira, even if you're adjusting, I'm the bullies now." so bad. It hurts. She struck such a low blow that I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive her. I turn around and I run down the hall. Since she left they ridicule me non-stop. The girls teased me non-stop for my “homely” face and my “terrible sense of style”. say, why would anyone make fun of you for the way you look. It's not like I can change the way I was born. My mother just tells me to deal with it, but my father says to defend myself. Oh, what to do, what to do. A couple of days later the murders began to appear in the newspapers. Too gruesome for the pictures, the newspapers simply stated that the victim's face was missing. However, they managed to identify the body and it was a girl from my class Hayden; she and I were no longer close, but we had been close at the same time. In fifth grade we were like best friends, but now we were enemies. She was a nice girl and all the boys liked her. And practically everyone liked it. I don't like her, maybe I was just envious of her. Why should she become cute? The loss certainly shook the city. Mom started telling me to be careful out there and even gave me pepper spray. The school began posting signs warning people to be careful of strangers. Everyone in school mourned his death and we even organized a school-wide funeral. If I were to die, would so many people care about me? No, I decided, no one would show up for me. We suspended school for a couple of days. This was nice for me. I could just sit and read and relax. Nobody to bother me. However, I definitely felt lonely without Claira. She texts me sometimes but I don't feel much need to talk to her. She dumped me for a boy. When we started school again, the shots came from all sides. It seemed like around every corner there was a new danger to contend with. New jokes about me. New mean comments. New legs stretched out. Look down and walk away, I always tell myself. It hurts so much with each new attack. The next day another one in the morning papernew murder made the front page. Once again a boy from my class. Adele, a girl I had class with every day. Another faceless victim, lost to the world. Adele and I had kind of a bittersweet relationship. I mean, she was never mean to me, but the whispers never took long to get back to you. And often I could see her staring at me and then she would whisper something and giggle at her little possy. However, I suppose there was something good about it deep down. Deep down, deep down. After all, she was a beautiful girl who always managed to win over a guy. The kids loved it. It had to be something, right? School has been suspended for the rest of the week. Which was nice. I guess sitting at home reading and watching movies wasn't so bad. All went well until another faceless victim was found the next day. This girl was also in my class, however she was never really nice to me. He often makes fun of me and behaves rudely towards me. I feel bad but I have no remorse for her. It had caused me so many problems in my life. For me the ultimate bully. Stacy had spread some terrible rumors about me in my past that still haunt me today. In just a year he had transformed me from a carefree and happy girl to a shy and withdrawn girl. It had caused me to spiral downward mentally. so, I guess I was a little happy to see it on the list. She may have been pretty on the outside, but on the inside there was nothing but ugliness. A couple of moments later my cell phone rang. I looked at the caller ID, it was Claira. I slowly reached for the phone, afraid to hear some story about her and her boyfriend. “Annabell! What are you doing tonight?" "Um, just relaxing, I guess." "Well, not anymore. Let's go to Olive Garden." "Really just you and me?" I was so excited. I hadn't spent time alone with her since she found her boyfriend. "well, not really, I invited my boyfriend and... someone else." "Who?" I asked bewildered. I don't really know anyone else we would hang out with. “Well, I invited Linus.” “What! Why! You know I've had a huge crush on him forever! He's way out of my league!” "Annabelle calm down. It's like a double date. If you go I'll buy you a new book. She knew my weaknesses. I'll go, but it better be a book of my own." pick me up around 6 and we would go there together. Once we entered the restaurant I saw him. Oh man, I had a crush on Linus. She approaches her boyfriend and I stand there, silently. He approaches me and smiles at me. He just melts me inside. He smiles, takes me by the arm and takes me to my seat. I've never had a guy so nice to me. Could it be that he likes me too? Could my life change? The dinner goes well. We talk and laugh around the table. What if Linus never talk to me again? He was really sweet today but… what if… As we walk out the door I see Linus walk up to Claira and say softly, “Have I done good enough for you? Can I have my $20 now?" I hear him whisper, "Shhh. Don't let her hear it. Keep pretending until we get her back." Claira whispered hastily. Oh my God. They were talking about me. She had bribed him to go out with me. This hurt. This really hurt me. I tried my best not to lose it right there. I put a fake smile on my face. Those come so easily these days. And I get into the car in silence. Linus sits next to me, looks over and smiles. He's a good actor, I'll give him that. But I guess what if?.