Over the next few weeks I did everything I could to avoid Vanessa. I walked down different halls, sat in a different lunch spots; I even took the late bus home so I didn't have to see her or any of her friends. But nothing stopped her. I would find notes in my locker saying the same things that she would say to me, the only difference was it was signed "secret admirer". I knew it wasn't from an "admirer" because why would an admirer say my clothes were ugly and tell me to get a new hair style. It was obviously from Vanessa.
Everyday the bus would drop Vanessa off at her house before it would drop me off at mine. We lived in a small town so the bus took us directly to our houses. There was just one strange thing about where Vanessa got dropped off at. There was one huge house, and right next to it was a tiny barn that always had a car parked outside of it. I wondered who lived there.
I was so curious who had lived there I got the courage to walk up to her when we all got onto the bus the next day and asked her who had lived there. Right when I asked her she got as red as a burning stove and looked away. No one had ever asked her that question because everyone just assumed that she had lived in the huge white picketed fence house that she had got dropped off at everyday. After a while of getting the silent treatment I calmly asked, "does your maid live there?" She firmly answered "I don't have a maid". I asked her a series of questions hoping to get the answer of who had lived there, I don't know why, but I was beginning to get more and more curious as to finding out the answer because Vanessa wouldn't tell me.
We were almost to Vanessa's drop off and I wasn't letting her leave without getting an answer. So I turned to her and asked her my final question, "Do you live there?" Tears went flying off her face as if they were scared to touch her skin. All she did was nod her head yes and drop it down in embarrassment. I was completely shocked, I literally did not know what to do. Was I supposed to laugh? Was I supposed to say sorry even though she has made my life miserable? I was frozen in shock. "Please don't tell anyone!" she said. I knew that she has literally made my life horrible but for some reason deep deep down, I kinda felt bad for her. I told her that I wouldn't tell anyone and she had a relived look in her eyes.
The next day at school I was ready for the usual name calling and slapping books out of my hands like always. Except when I walked by Vanessa she was silent. I was so surprised, Was it finally over? Was all the bulling finally done? I was asking myself all those questions throughout the morning but I knew the answer at lunch. I did my usual and bought my lunch and was walking back to the table I usually ate lunch alone at. Vanessa yelled my name before I could sit down. She told me to come sit with her and her friends. One of them mumbled "What are you doing inviting that nerd over here?" Vanessa kicked her from under the table and told her that I would be eating lunch with them from now on. I honestly couldn't believe my ears. I thought it was a joke. But it wasn't, she was being serious.
When the lunch bell rang to go back to class Vanessa told me to hold on a minute and talk to her. So all her friends left and I was left face to face with one of the people I thought I hated the most in high school. "I'm not doing this just because you know the biggest secret of my life. I just wanted to let you know that. I'm doing it because you're trusting and none of my other friends would keep that secret". I told her that I understood and that I would never tell anyone her secret. After a couple minutes of talking she apologized to me for everything and told me the only reason she had made fun of me was because she just judged me on my appearance but now that she actually knew the real me she wanted to be my friend.
I never thought the day would come that Vanessa and the "Fab 5" would stop bulling me. But it finally had, and i was so glad it did. It took a huge weight off my shoulders. Now I didn't have to be afraid to go to school and I didn't have to change who I was as a person either. Vanessa was now my friend because of the person that I real am. Ever since that day Vanessa told me that she lived in a tiny barn and was very poor, we've been best friends ever since.
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