Broken shards

the long version

At recess that day, nobody noticed that I sat alone in the grass next to the empty swing sets. I made it all the way through gym class without falling or puking. When shower time rolled around, I stripped automatically, not thinking until I heard the taunts from the girls: "Dawn got bloody, Dawn got bloody!" They failed to get a reaction from me, however, and soon left me alone. I stood under the stream of water, letting it hit me full in the face until I choked. I turned around the let the water hit me on my back, stinging my arms where the fresh bruises had formed, when I spotted the soap. I scrubbed myself over and over again until the gym teacher stuck her head into the shower to tell me I had missed the class bell. My world was a living nightmare, and I had missed the class bell. The enormity of it all hit me, and I began to laugh hysterically. I turned off the water and dried of quickly when I noticed there was blood on the towel. I shoved that into the bottom of the towels as well, grateful I had worn long pants that day. Still laughing hysterically, I hurried to my next class.