Sam walked into school slowly as heads began to turn her way. She knew this was coming, but she didn't know it would be so hard to ignore. After everything that had happened to her this summer why wouldn't they stare? After her dad died, Sam was all alone. How else was she suppose to make enough money to provide for her brothers and her?
Sam walked through the hallways, trying to navigate her way to her new classes.She could already tell this year was going to be hard. Nobody would talk to her because she was "that girl". That girl that lost her dad. That girl that had no mom. That girl that worked at a strip club to make ends meet. Sam was that girl!
Whenever she walked into my classroom everyone let out a giggle. Her hair was thrown up and her clothes looked as if they were decades old! Nobody wanted to be sitting by her so we all moved to the other side of the room whenever she sat down. She stared at me sulkily and I just knew that I had to talk to her.
Despite all the looks I got, I got up and sat by Sam. As she began telling me her life story and past trouble a tear rolled down my face. Nobody knew the real her. She was so strong and brave. She told me her mom had died from an overdose on drugs and her dad got into a bad car accident this past summer. She lived at home with her two younger brothers and, and she was the only provider in the house.
Each and every night Sam went to the strip club and danced for money. This was the only way she could make money fast enough to provide all the needs her two brothers needed. She was lucky she could even make it to school with everything she had to deal with!
As she began to tell me more and more about her life I couldn't help but feel ashamed of myself. I was always so caught up in what I didn't have and never took the time to be grateful for all the things I did have. I had a home with two parents and, I didn't have to work to provide for anyone. Sam was completely bawling when she finished, as was I. I promised I wouldn't tell, even when she admitted she wanted to kill herself that night.
I was absolutely startled! I had not the slightest clue of how to respond to something like that so I ignored it. I figured she was just upset and it would never happen anyways. The next day whenever Sam didn't come to class the thought entered my brain again. I suddenly began to cry when Mrs. Rudd called the roll. I didn't know what a huge impact she'd have on my life till she was gone. I actually missed Sam!
As the days passed I missed her more and more. People continued talking about it and, finally I just broke! I began to share the same story Sam told me. I explained why she was dressed the way she was. I explained why she didn't smell the greatest. I told them everything. When I finished I watched my classmates reactions. Tears came falling. Arms were outstretched. We all wondered how it was possible to judge her so much when we never even knew her story. It changed our class, but it also changed the school. Sam's headstone may say she died January 2nd, 2013 but in our hearts she still lives.