Joey's Friends

The sun was bright that winter day
as Joey walked down the street.
She was on her way to high school,
so that her friends could meet.
She had longed for them to get along,
but they ended things with a fight.
"Today's the day," she told herself,
"that things will turn out right."
Every step she took made her
regret the next one more.
She had the visions in her head
of her best friend crying on the floor.
She'd seen it one too many times,
the anger, the defeat.
She remembered it upon her face
when she knew that she was beat.
Step by step she made her way
slower than before.
Every step she took
made her heart break and feel sore.
Now she feared her first day back.
She wanted to run right home.
She'd open the door, run up the stairs
into her sacred dome.
There she'd feel safe--she'd feel secure
until she was forced to leave.
She knew she had to keep going though,
so she let out another heave.
On she trudged, now feeling good;
for she knew she could sort things through.
What she didn't know what that in an hour
she'd be on the floor, no knowing what to do.
An hour later, at first break,
she walked into the hall.
She saw her friends getting along,
but, past her, walked them all.
When she went to question them,
she saw them turn to leave.
She silently fell to the floor,
for she had been deceived.
Now three years later, she find the hurt--
the pain it all flows back.
She sees it clearly in her mind;
her friends and their attack.
The whole time they weren't fighting,
but planning their approach.
And only when she saw their gang
did she know her "best friend" was the coach.
She relived them beating her
to the floor.
One more kick
and she'd be no more.
Now her face is all scarred up,
her legs are cut and bruised.
Although the marks are invisible,
she knows she was abused.