Behind the Lies

Chapter 1 - oh, new york

I wake up to the screeching sound of my old, ugly alarm clock. It's really not that bad until you realize its Monday morning. But not just any regular Monday. It is the Monday I start high school.

"Wake up Jessie, I'm making pancakes for breakfast."

"I'm coming, Mom."

I am still half asleep and I don't really think I'll be eating any pancakes anytime soon. It is my first day of high school and I have no clue what I am going to do. Let alone, wear. I am afraid I am going to have a panic attack or like have an aneurism in the middle of first period. That would be a great way to start the day. I wonder if Haley Williams felt this way about her first day of high school.

My family just moved here, to New York City. People ask me if I like it here. I do, I really do like it here, but I just have no friends. And I probably won't make any. I, Jessie Ranae Tyner, am a psychotic, anxious, loner. Let's just leave it at that.

"Jessie! Hurry up and come eat your breakfast."

"I'm coming!"

Gosh, that woman gives me headaches. She thinks I'm like a little baby that needs coaching through life. I try to reassure her that I am fourteen and do not her to hold my hand as I cross the street, but she still does it anyway. What next? Her swaddling me to bed, in my elephant themed crib?

"JESSIE!" She exclaimed. Gosh my mother is so impatient.

I quickly throw on my raggedy Nirvana t-shirt with my ripped blue jeans and rush down the hall. My long stringy brown hair is a mess and I'm not going to even bother to take a shower. I don't even think I will have time to brush it.

"There you are! I feel like I have been calling you for ages. What were you doing?"

"I overslept a little, no big deal."

"Just sit down and eat your pancakes. Two or three?"

"Two please."

I aggressively stab at my pancakes until there are about one million tiny holes. I don't feel like eating. I always have this problem one this first day of school. But today it feels different. Usually, I'm worried about my hair or my outfit. Though, today I just want to make a friend. That is all I can think about. My mom said I should be myself. But honey, have you seen me lately? I'm a hot mess of a vampire. I rarely get out of the apartment and all I enjoy doing is watching Netflix and playing over-rated video games.

If just had one friend, all of that could change. I mean-

"Honey, time to go! You don't want to be late on you first day of high school."

"Actually, I do."

"What was that?" She snapped back at me.

"Nothing. I'm going."

Before I get to the door, there is a big wooden basket that holds all of our shoes. I find my black high top Converse, lace them up, and walk out of the door.

I walk out of our apartment door and into the hallway. The smell of lemongrass fills my nose and the aura of cleaning products makes up my lungs. Our neighbors, the Travises, have a nice little apartment, probably one of the best in the building. They ae always so friendly. As I walk by, I remember when we first moved in, I had to go over to ask to borrow a measuring cup. I was probably standing there waiting in their kitchen for about thirty minutes before Mrs.Travis finished washing the cup itself. I would have had more luck just going out to buy one. But I didn't mind. Their apartment reminded me of the house where I grew up, where I would run around the house being chased by my sister and dad on the days that he was sober. I am just glad she doesn't hear my footsteps outside her door because she would probably come out to greet me. Then, I would be late for school.

I continue walking down the three flights of stairs that lead you to the entrance of our apartment building. Our apartment building sits on one of the busiest streets in New York and as I walk out on to the side walk to try to get directions to the John E. Cast High school campus, I am almost run over by several cars. So, I decided to take a cab. Don't want to risk being dead on the first day.

I ride in the back seat of the taxi for about ten minutes until I realize that I left my wallet on my dresser. Great. Just what I need. I could tell the cab driver just to charge it to my credit card. That's what adults do, right? But the problem is that I don't actually have a credit card. I decide to wait until I got to my final destination to deal with the problem. So I just sit in the back seat of the taxi nervously biting my non-elegant nails. It would be pretty obvious for anyone who was looking at me to tell I was in some kind of trouble.

The taxi comes to a halt.

"That will be fifteen dollars and twenty one cents."

"Uhhh... well you see sir I actually don't have any-"

I make a break for it. I swing the cab door open with just a click of a button and I start running. I run straight into the open glass doors of the school and hope no one saw what small crime I had just committed. I don't think you can go to jail for not paying a taxi. Or is that just like shoplifting? I keep running until I reach a hallway. I am practically gasping for breath and I am exhausted, but I keep running. I can see all the colorful walls as I sprint though "The Arts Hallway" and I can hear all the joyful strings instruments playing songs to welcome everyone. Adrenaline rushes through my body and for the first time in a long time I feel free.

It doesn't occur to me that running through the hallways of school to get away from a cab was a bad idea until I was sitting in the principal's office. Some random twelfth grade teacher caught me. She was preparing to give me some huge lecture, but then she realized I wasn't one of her seniors. I really don't remember anything she said after that. I was too busy fantasizing what my punishment would be like. So next thing I knew, I was sitting here. The twelfth grade teacher left me in the principal's office and said that he would be in here soon. So I am waiting.

***

Hello fellow anti-social butterflies, I'm Sarah. I am a new wattpad writer, but a old wattpad reader. Not sure I know where this story is going yet, but I have a pretty good idea. If you love dramatic, heart breaking stories, I'm your girl!

Be sure to follow me on instgram @_.sarah.helen._ and comment what you think!