The Weight of Words

After her shift ended, she left the restaurant and walked for 15 minutes before arriving at her flat. She collapsed onto her bed, closed her eyes, and sighed in exhaustion before realising that she still had assignments to complete. She then inhaled deeply and started working on her assignments.

After finishing her assignments, she went to sleep. She awoke at her usual time the following morning and prepared for school without eating breakfast because she had nothing to eat. She encountered her bully when she arrived at school.

"Where is my assignments?" Alaric, her bully asked.

Ava gives him his assignments. He took the assignments with him and walked away. Ava felt grateful that she was spared today's harsh remarks.

Ava pays rent on her flat on a monthly basis. Her mother passed away while she was a young child, and her father abandoned her. She doesn't have any friends.

She bumped into her bully, Alaric, while she was lost in thought while strolling down the school hallway during lunch.

"What the hell do you think you are doing!?" Alaric, her bully shouted in anger.

"I'm sorry, I didn't saw you coming. I'm really really-"

"Shut the hell up!! I know girls like you just trying to get the attention of the-"

"No. It's not like that. I was-"

"How dare you cut my sentence? Get on your knees and apologize!" he said, smirking at her. While her Alaric friends were making fun of her, she scolded herself inside for bumping into him and got on her knees to apologise.

"I'm really sorry" she said while kneeling infront of him. He bend to her level and grabbed her jaw tightly making Ava wince.

"Dont ever dare to cut my sentence or bump onto me. Not even by mistake. Now get lost and die, no one needs ugly bitch like you." Ava was left behind with her thoughts after he uttered those unkind remarks and went away.

Later on that day, she was still reflecting about what Alaric had said to her. What if she actually passed away? Nobody would be sad, right? No one will be aware? Isn't her death a good thing? It will put an end to her suffering.

Be careful when you speak since you never know how often it will be replayed in someone else's head.

The next day, while she was retrieving her belongings from her locker, she was pushed against the lockers by her bully.

"Where are you going?" said Alaric.

"Who are you to ask about where I go?" She said mustering all her courage.

"Woah... so loser got tongue to speak...listen girl... Don't ever dare to talk back to me, understand?"

"And why am I going to listen to you?" She is unsure of where she has gotten the confidence to speak.

"Because I don't believe you want to be harmed, right?"

"Why do you want to make my life hell? What do you get my bullying me?" Ava said, trying hard to hold onto her confidence.

"Then why are you living in this hell? just go and die!" He uttered those harsh comments without realising their seriousness and effect.

He laughed with his friends after using such unkind comments, then turned around and left. A silent tear came to Ava's eye as she stood there paralysed, but she immediately brushed it away.

Alaric believes that no one could commit suicide for the only reason that she is being bullied at school.

After that, she skipped class and immediately went to the rooftop, standing on the edge and ignoring everyone who had been there earlier.

"Mom I'm really sorry, but I've had enough and I'm giving up." She said softly.

When they noticed her standing on the edge of the rooftop, the kids who had been there before raced to call the teacher. When Alaric heard about it as well, he was astounded to see how seriously she was taking his remarks. He dashed to the roof, but it was too late; she had already jumped. He observed her as she lay motionless in a pool of her own blood.

He was left feeling guilty after she committed suicide. Ever since that day, whenever he tries to go to sleep, he is haunted by visions of Ava's lifeless body.

You never know how long your words will stick with someone, even if you've forgotten you spoke them.

"Before you say something, consider how you would react if someone said it to you."