I never knew my parents, the moment I was born I was sent to an orphanage. When I was little I didn’t have many friends due to me always running off and playing with my ‘imaginary’ friends, the other kids eventually got tired of it. The only friend that stuck around for me moved away when I was seven years old. He was the only kid who seemed to snap me out of the imaginary friend stage, so when he left the ‘stage’ started up again. I could never make friends with any of the new kids since they were all warned by everyone else. By the time I turned 11 people started bullying me at school, they had discovered enough things to make fun of me for.
It was one of those really dreary days the sky was rumbling and the clouds were crying. I had to walk of course since I was what the orphanage called close enough to the school. As the building got nearer the rain gets heavier and my feet move faster, I round the corner and run straight into a girl about my age. I immediately avoid any contact and just keep running straight through the doors and to my first class. As I step in everyone turns and stares as my coat starts to sag under all the weight and my hair drips everywhere on the floor making a pitter patter noise.
“Go dry yourself off in the nurse's office AnMarie,” the teacher says.
I nod my head slightly and head towards the door when Eliza’s foot jumps out in front of me and gravity pulls me to the ground. The whole class erupts with laughter as I try and hold back the tears.
“Did one of your imaginary friends trip you or something?” Eliza ask.
“Eliza, quiet or else I’ll send you to the counselor and see how she would like to handle the situation. Now are you okay AnMarie?” the teacher questions.
“Yeah I’m fine, tripped over my shoe lace that’s all,” I mumble.
“Okay then off you go.”
I pick myself back up and walk to the nurses as I pass the bathroom a girl hollers in my direction but I ignore her every word, as if she isn’t even there.
The nurse is giving me clothes to borrow until mine are washed and dried, but the only thing she has are two sizes to large for me so I look like a marshmallow.
“Psst An, are you okay what did that girl do to you, you should have stood up and told the teacher,” Annabelle says.
“Yeah I know but-”
“But what she will only get her way if you don’t say anything, plus the only reason she bullies you is because she doesn’t know we’re real since you can only see us.”
“Maybe they’re right though, maybe you guys are just part of my imagination.”
“Don’t you dare say that, you have seen us for how long, and now you’re saying we’re not real, not acceptable.”
“Honey, are you okay?” the nurse ask.
“Yeah why wouldn’t I be?”
“Nothing,nevermind.”
I grab my bag and rush out the door,why did she ask that, she thinks I’m crazy?! I thought this was supposed to be a safe place away from all the rude and judgmental people! I rush to the bathroom tears rushing down my face smearing my vision, little did I know that I was walking into the boys not the girls. I stumble out seeing the urinals and run straight into the worst person of them all.
“Hey AnMarie are you finally admitting that you’re a boy, or did one of you ‘friends’ lead you in there on a treasure hunt?” Sami ask.
I attempt to rush past her but she blocks me and I run into her shoulder and fly back stumbling in shock.
“Hey I asked you a question, are you gonna answer me or are you to stupid?”
“Punch her, you don’t deserve to be treated like that, I know you have it in yourself,” Alice yells from the bathroom.
I look straight at Alice and remember what Annabelle says. I clench my fist tightly and look Sami straight in the eyes and swing my arm up hitting her in the chin and knocking her back. Shocked at first Sami recovers and runs at me, I fall to the ground tumbling and hitting my head on against the wall, she then moves and  sits on my stomach and punches me. Annabelle appears by my side and Alice runs over to help, they both try and pull Sami off but they go right through her. A woman from the office runs out and grabs Sami off of me.
“You two to the principal's office with me now!” the woman screams.
Sami explains the whole thing leaving out the part where she makes fun of me, but seeing the camera feed the principal was able to see everything. She is sent outside the door to wait as he questions me.
“Why did you hit Sami?” He questions.
“Sh-she made fun of me because I went into the wrong bathroom a-an-and Alice told me to do it. Also Annabelle told me earlier I needed to stand up to my bullies, I figured this may be one way for them to back off.” I whimper.
“Violence is not the answer, and who are Annabelle and Alice?”
“Uh-um Alice is the one always in the bathroom and Annabelle is the girl that follows me around everywhere, they tried to stop Sami but they couldn’t do anything.”
“Honey there were no other girls there besides you and Sami.”
“Yes there were!”
“Why don’t I send you to the counselor she can deal with this.”
“No, it’s fine just punish me and whatever else needs to be done, I’m tired of people saying they’re imaginary!!!”
“AnMarie calm down, fine I won’t but what are you talking about?”
“Haven’t you heard about me, I’m the one everyone makes fun of because I still have imaginary friends, but I don’t they’re real.”
“Okay why don’t you go to the nurse and get cleaned up and head back to class.”
I get up and drag my feet to the door picking up dust from the carpet and head to the nurses.
“Hey sorry I couldn’t stop that girl from hurting you I really tried,” Annabelle says.
“No it’s fine you’re just imaginary anyways I mean all you guys do is talk to me you don’t help so, you can’t be real.” I whisper to her.
“Wh-what? How could you say that we just aren’t strong enough, I’m sorry but please don’t do this to me again, please.”
“Just leave me alone, you’re not real, you’re not real, you are only my imagination!”
Annabelle starts to fade and I can see the tears fall, I hold back my own and save them for my time alone at home. As I press up against the nurses door I hear a small voice.
“She’s growing up and becoming like...” the voice whispers and drifts off into silence.
The nurse treats my wounds and sends me class with some ice, luckily I don’t have class with Eliza or anyone else I need to worry about. I go and take my seat at the back of the room and listen as the teacher drones on about some stupid project. After what feels like hours the bell dismisses us to lunch. I go to the office and sign out, ignoring the front desk lady as she screams at me saying it’s not allowed. The police officer catches me just before I get off the school property, and he drags me back in.
“Why did you try and leave school?” the officer ask.
“I just want to go home can I please, call the orphanage or something, I-I just want to go home,” I mutter.
“Why don’t I go talk to someone and you stay here, I’ll see if I can get you a ride home.”
I wait in his office as he walks off, I can see the worried look in his eyes, he probably thinks I’m crazy or need help mentally and maybe I do but I don’t really care. He comes back in around fifteen minutes later.
“They said it was okay to let you go home, we called the orphanage also they said if you came home you’d have to babysit when they go and get the other kids, is that okay?”
I nod my head and he drops me off at my house. As I walk towards it, an old woman steps out from the house next door.
“Where are your friends AnMarie?” the elderly lady ask.
“Um, what friends, how do you know my name?”
“Annabelle and those other ones that stop by every so often? I helped out there when you were little don’t you remember?”
“No, sorry, and they aren’t real they are just imaginary.”
“No they aren’t Annabelle was your older sister she died in a car crash and that Alice girl that came by one day from the school was killed in a fight at the school in the bathroom.”