3...

2…

1…

SLAM

Your hand stings and turns red as it slaps across the table but it was all worth it. For you got the card. The precious ace of spades. The last one you need.

“One up!” you shout with excitement before anyone else can. Now onto your next challenge. In your hands you hold two sevens and two threes. You glance up quickly and see both sitting there on the table. You know you need to act fast but what card do you go for. You have to make your move so you slap the table once more and grab the three. Only one more. You see the card slowly fall from your opponent's hand and with cat like reflexes you slap again.

“Two up!” only one more. In your last group, a six, a four, and two eights. You wait patiently until one gets placed down but your opponent is going for the same card. You have to beat them to it. Your hand moves so fast that you can barely see it and once it slaps the table it instantly turns red and stings again but now only one left. Out of the corner of your eye you see it. The eight of hearts, the final card you need. As you snatch it up quickly, you jump up and shout at the top of your lungs,

“STRESS!!!”

When you’re young, you see the world as this huge beautiful place and you think you can be anything you want. You don’t get judged for your hopes and dreams. Your biggest problem is when you'll be able to take a nap. You never fear what people think about you or if you look good enough. When we were young, no one cared what you liked to do or who you hung out with. Why now? Why does it matter what grades I have, why does it matter if I don’t hang out with people who you think are “popular”. Why am I called a teachers pet for listening and doing what i'm told?

I want to be accepted for who I am not forced to change. I don’t want people to freak out like it's the craziest thing that ever happened if they get a better grade than me or if I forget something.

I’M NOT PERFECT!

I want to go to school and do my best. I want to hang out with my friends and play cards and not have to worry about what others think. I want to not be afraid of what people will say when I make a mistake.

I’M NOT PERFECT!

I want to go to school and not get mocked and teased for trying my best and having pride in my work. I don’t want to worry about people trying to mess me up or destroy my work because they think its funny.

I’M NOT PERFECT!

So stop acting like I have to be. Stop judging me for everything I do.

What I want more than anything in the world, is for everyone to be accepted and respected. For no one to have to worry about what others think or say. For no one to be afraid of being themselves.

Please

You sweared you'll change, but what did you mean?

Promise, you said, but did you mean it?

Nothing has happened, nothing has changed.

Did you mean it, or was it another lie?

It’s been 2 weeks and you still don’t talk to us.

You still don’t acknowledge us.

You still haven't even apologise in person.

Is this what you think a promise is?

It’s been 2 weeks and you still haven't said a word to me.

You haven't smiled or waved to me.

You haven't even looked me in the eyes.

When will you change like you said you would?

When will you make an effort like you said you would.

You lied, again.

Maybe a promise doesn’t mean much to you but it does to me.

You gave me hope.

Hope that things could go back to normal.

Hope that we could be friends again.

Then you took it away just like you did every other time.

Maybe you didn't mean your promise, but I mean this,

I promise you,

I’m done.

You hurt my friends and destroyed friendships.

You hurt us, then said sorry,

But sorry doesn't always cut it.

You ignored us and said mean things to us.

You hurt us, then said sorry,

But sorry doesn't always cut it.

You lied to us and were rude to us.

You hurt us, then said sorry,

But sorry doesn't always cut it.

You said mean things about us behind our backs and told people not to talk to us.

You hurt us, then said sorry,

But sorry doesn't always cut it.

Sorry won't cut it this time. I've spent to much time with people who I thought were my friends then turned around and stabbed me in the back so im sorry,

But sorry won't cut it. Not this time.

You wake up in a new room, not as cold but still not warm. Its white, everywhere and clean. Quiet except for some weird beeping noises. You try to sit up but you can't, there is something holding you back at your arms. You look down sand see a silver chain by your wrist, you were handcuffed to the bed, and not just any bed, a hospital bed. Just then, someone walks in, a police officer. You couldn't take your eyes off the gun strapped to his belt, it had called to you just like in the room, you hadn't even noticed that he had started talking.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“What happened, why am I here, let me go,” you screamed, “I did nothing wrong!”

“Calm down, you'll get a chance to talk to someone later about what you did or did not do but im just here to tell you what happened. Do you know anyone name Mazey?”

The sound of her name makes your head jerk forward so fast that your neck hurts. “Mazey,” you say, “we were friends, best friends.”

“Well we found her body in an old abandoned shack. The only other things there were you, a gun with your fingerprints, and this doll.” he pulls out the doll as he speaks. On the inside you scream but you try not to let your fear show. The man continues, “the neighbors called when they heard a gunshot and found we a bullet in your back and one in Mazeys head.” it was there that your mind started to fade, he continued to talk about your treatment and talking to a layer and things like that but you couldn't focus. You just kept thinking back to the doll, could it be true, did the doll try and kill you? It must have but how? Would anyone even believe you?

You sit there for what feel like hours as the officer drowns on but you're barely listening. Finally he leaves and takes the doll with him. After the doctor comes in and takes a few tests you try to fall asleep. The bed is hard and the iv line keeps getting tangled so you barely sleep. In the middle of the night you wake up to the sound of the door slamming. You look around frantically but see no one, no one at all you lay back down and turn your head but right as you do you see it. The cold porcelain eyes of the doll staring at your face. You try to scream but nothing comes out. Then you feel a strange sensation, the same one you felt when you saw… the gun. You were frozen in fear as you watch the doll slowly climb up the chair by your bed but it wasn't until its mouth moved that you feared your life.

“It’s your fault,” the doll said slowly, “it's your fault i'm like this. You killed my body but my soul lives on… and I want revenge.”

“Wh-what?” you question in a quiet mumble.

“REVENGE!” the doll shouts loud enough that it feels like the whole building shakes beneath your feet. “I missed, but I wont this time.” the doll slowly lifts the gun again but you are confined to the bed thanks to these handcuffs. You hear the slight tap of the porcelain fingers on the trigger and see an evil smile on the dolls face. The last thing you ever hear… is a CRACK.

Some people want attention for their problems. Sometimes they make their life sound worse than it is. If you're reading this remember, sure you have your problems, but everyone goes through drama. Everyone has problems with friends, everyone's parents fight sometimes. Just be thankful for what you do have. Be thankful that your not sick and that you don't have to worry about your family, because many people do, even if they dont show it. Many people have struggles that eat them up and can ruin their lives. The person sitting next to you who may always seem cheerful, may go to bed every night worrying about if their life will ever be the carefree again.

Appreciate your life, because it could be a lot worse

This world is not perfect but what if it was?

What if every person was kind?

What if everyone got along?

What if no one ever got hurt?

Sometimes we hurt people and we don't even know it.

Sometimes people hurt us and they don't even know it.

But what if we could fix this?

What if everyone cared about others?

What if nobody ever wanted to cause someone pain?

What if the world was perfect?

This world is not perfect but what if we tried?

What if everyday we did one thing to make this world better?

Would it work?

Lets try it...

Cold, so cold, your freezing and you can barely open your eyes but how… why? Where are you, why is there a gun in your hand? The gun, it calls your name and you can't help but stare at it for what feels like eternity. Its mysterious and dangerous and beautiful all at the same time. In your hand you hold what could be the balance of life and death but why, why do you have it? In your other hand, a doll, a beautiful porcelain doll, you remember it but you can't figure out how.This whole room is full of mystery. Why is it dark, why do you have a gun, why do you have this doll, where are you. The dolls smile is so comforting, you stare into its eyes and then it hits you. Mazy. How could you not have noticed this before, the doll has her eyes and her hair and her smile, oh how you miss her smile, you dont remember how long its been since you've seen her smile but it's been long too long. There's something different about it now. She doesn't have that same joyful glow that she usually does. Mazy looks… almost crazy, but it can't be. Mazy is the kindest sweetest person you've ever met. you place her down ever so gently in the corner and start walk around trying to find something, anything. You look back at the doll and see the gun only a few feet away from the doll. You thought you left it in the middle of the room but there's no way it couldn't have moved on its own... right? You continue to look around then you hear a very faint voice,

“You never were a good friend,” it says as you look around frantically to see where it is coming from, “more like... a frenemy. You lied to me and you hurt me, and now I will hurt you.”

Now you are scared but then, you hear a loud, sharp, CRACK! Your head spins around so fast it could have gone flying off your head but the second it does, everything goes black.