Sandra’s Mistake

by B. McIntosh

(If you think the characters in this story sounds familiar you’re quite right.  They made an appearance in A Teen’s Dilemma)

Sandra pulled her jacket tighter to her chest as she tried to ignore the stares and whispers that followed her down the hall.  It had been that way since she came back to school.  Sandra had once been the most popular girl in school.  She had been the head of the cheerleading team, president of the debate team and a honors” student, but that was last year.

            “It’s amazing how things can change so quickly,” Sandra thought to herself as she walked into the restroom, which thankfully was empty. “One date changed my entire life!” 

Sandra had felt flattered when Dion, the captain of the basketball team called her up on the spur of the moment one Friday night and asked her on a date.  She had quickly agreed.  However, the date had been a nightmare from beginning to end.  Dion drank constantly from a bottle he had slipped into the theatre and made derogatory remarks about a girl named Elaine, whom Sandra knew vaguely from school.  Dion seemed quite upset that Elaine had stood him up at the last minute.  It hurt Sandra to know that she was only a fill in date but she still didn’t speak up.  In fact she pretended to be having a good time although she began to feel a sense of trepidation as Dion’s hand moved from the back of her chair and dropped disturbingly close to her chest.

Sandra casually shrugged her shoulder and managed to move his hand all the while wondering if anyone in the theatre could see them.  A few moments later she felt the hand again, this time she took it quite firmly and placed it on the armrest.  A few moments later she felt him rest it on her thigh.  “What have I gotten myself into?” Sandra thought desperately to herself.  Finally after moving Dion’s hand from where it had strayed up her thigh yet again Sandra stood up, not caring that the movie wasn’t over and asked him to take her home.  She knew she should call someone instead of getting in a car with him since he had been drinking so much but she figured that it was only a fifteen-minute drive, what could possibly happen.

            As Dion drove recklessly through the street Sandra grew more and more terrified.  She breathe a sigh of relief when they approached the corner that would lead to her house.  Unfortunately, Dion did not stop at the stop sign.  Sandra’s last memory was the bright headlights coming towards her then total darkness.

            “I can’t believe it’s been three months!” Sandra thought to herself as she came back to the present. “People are treating me as if I’m some freak show.  I’m still the same person I was last year.  Sandra stared at her reflection in the mirror.    Tears began to pool in her eyes are she stared at herself.  The right side of her face, once unblemished, was covered with tiny scars from the broken glass that had cut her.  “No wonder they think I’m a monster she thought,” as she looked away and limped out of the restroom, wishing she could be invisible so she didn’t have to face the stares and whispers again.

 (I really don’t know what’s going to happen with Sandra.  Any suggestions? )