[marysa-15-loveme]

PREFACE :

"Is this how I want it to end? Is this honestly how I want to end my life?"
None of those thoughts were running through young Nikki's head as she cautiously pulled the sharp knife, glintering in the mooonlight, from the bottom of her green duffel bag. She knew it all had to end tonight.

Chapter one: Meeting Nikki

It was the first day back after Christmas break, and everyone in my rowdy kindergarten class was still giddy with the excitement of the holiday. Everyone except Nikki. She was talking quietly to Mrs.Monroe, our kind but exotic kindergarten teacher, tears rolling down the sweet little girls rosy pink cheeks.

"Don't cry!" Mrs.Monroe said, trying to soothe the little girl, "You'll make lots of friends here, no one is going to hurt you."

Nikki sniffed and wiped her nose on the sleeve of her blue, long-sleeved fleece sweater. She nervously glanced around the room, and then back to Mrs.Monroe. "Promise?" She asked meakly, her watering eyes with a questioning expression in them.
Mrs.Monroe smilled, "I promise."
"Okay..." Nikki sighed.

She was then led to her seat, right next to me at my table, by our young Teachers Assistant.

"Alright class! We have a new student joining us!" Exclaimed Mrs.Monroe, gesturing towards Nikki, "Nikki, sweetie, if you'd stand up please."

She stood up cautiously, looking at the ground, and shyly waved, quickly sitting back down.
She was different, timid and afraid, which was most likely caused by lack of love and care from her abusive parents. Throughout that whole first day, she just sat and listened as Mrs.Monroe taught, exactly the opposite of what the rest of the rambonctious class.

"Hi!" I said in my friendliest voice. "I'm Katie."
She looked at me, almost shocked. "Hi..."
"Do you want to be friends?" I asked the shy girl.
Nikki hesitated before she spoke. "Ya, okay."
"YAY!" I was estatic to have found a new friend, I gave her the biggest hug I had ever given anyone. I was most certainly not anticipating her response.
"OW! STOP IT! YOU'RE HURTING ME!"She screamed, tears welling in her deep, blue eyes.
"...I was just hugging you!" I exclaimed.
"Well, DON'T!" She screamed.

Before I could respond, Mrs.Monroe was rushing over to our table, a concerned expression on her pretty face. "Girls! What on earth is going on?!"

"She HURT me!" Nikkie sobbed, "I didn't even do nothing to her, and she HURT me!"
"No I didn't!" I exclaimed, "I just HUGGED her!"
"NUH-UH!" Nikki hollered.
"Girls!" Mrs.Monroe said in a hushed voice, a hint of anger in it. "Please follow me into the hallway."

Uh-oh. I was in trouble now, and I didn't even do anything wrong! All I knew, or at least thought I knew, was that it was all the new girls fault.

"Okay," Mrs.Monroe said, trying to be calm, "who wants to tell me their side of the story first?"
"I will." I said quietly. "All's I did was hug her, she's my friend now, I asked her to be my friend. I didn't even hug her that hard, and she said ow."
"Nikki?" Our teacher asked.
She wiped the tears from her eyes. "It really hurted. Right here." She said, pointing to her upper arms.

"Here, let me see." Mrs.Monroe said, gently rolling up the sleeves on her fleece sweater, only to reveal her arms covered in black and blue bruises. "Oh my.."
"I didn't do it!" I said worriedly, "HONEST! I didn't do THAT!"
"I know sweetie, I know." she said, trying to comfort me. "Just go back into the class, Katie. Nikki, please, come with me."

TOO BE CONTINUED.