Count On You

Chapter 1

Belle's eyes were still closed but she was pretty much awake. She groaned and threw the duvet off herself before sitting up. She opened her eyes and saw her curtains still closed. That was strange. Her mum usually opened her curtains every morning. Belle picked up her alarm clock wondering why it hadn't gone off yet. She soon found out. It was 6:30am and Belle's first day of college, she only needed to get up at 8:00am.

She stayed sat in bed but looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her thick brown hair was in a very messy pony tail, it looked more like a bird's nest than a teenager's hair. Belle's pale skin was blotchy with a few red spots, thankfully her bright green eyes brought the redness out of her skin.

The house was silent, her mum was still in bed and so were her little brothers. The only noise Belle could hear was the ticking of her alarm clock. So she flopped back down and dragged her covers over her again. She closed her eyes and rolled over to lie on her belly, hands by her side and face in the pillow.

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Belle was in an endless room crowded with thousands of people. It was like her old high school but worse! They were pushing and barging past her, it was horrible. The smell of sweat made her feel sick and the smell of greasy fast-food filled the air. She could smell smoke and see lit cigarettes in dirty hands everywhere. All Belle could hear was teenage girls gossiping extremely loud, pre-teens running around screaming like 9 year olds and teenage boys playing football like monkeys. It was mad.

Pretty soon, she could feel herself sinking. The ground before her became black and gooey and was pulling her in like quick sand. Belle couldn't escape. The teenagers kept barging past her, ignoring her and the fact that she was sinking into the ground. The black goo was now covering her up to her waist, she screamed out for help.

"Help!!! Please!!! Somebody!!!" Tears began to fall as she screamed at the top of her voice.

Nobody helped her. She was nothing. Belle was alone and desperate for help. She was now in the ground up to her neck, Belle would soon be suffocated to her death and nobody would care. She was terrified, still screaming for somebody to save her, no one did.

The goo pulled her under, not even a hair above the ground. She panicked and tried to fight it, but the more she fought the stronger the pull. She couldn't breathe, Belle was loosing consciousness, her life literally flashed before her eyes. Her mum and dad holding her as a baby. Her mum and dad arguing every night until they split up and her dad left the country. Her brothers born, from multiple step dads. Her "friends" treating her as some dumb little pre teen. Her prom night, alone in her beautiful blue dress, standing in the corner watching everyone but her have a good time. Her drive home from the hospital after her grandmother had died.

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She woke with a jolt, sweating like mad and feeling like she couldn't breathe. Belle coughed multiple times before seeing it was 7:59am, she stumbled out of bed and peaked through the curtains. The bright sun practically blinded her and she rubbed her eyes then sat back on her bed.

BRRRRRRRRR went her alarm clock which she immediately slammed her hand on so the ringing would stop. Her mum opened the door and walked in, whipping the curtains open revealing the blinding sun.

"Rise and shine sleeping beauty! First day of college today!" Her mum called.

"Mum! I'm not 12! Chill!" Moaned Belle.

"Be down in 20 minutes Belle, you definitely need a shower." Said her mum while she opened the windows.

"Ughhh" Belle groaned.

She really didn't want to start college, but she did as she was told, grabbed her towels and groggily walked to the bathroom. Belle turned off the shower and was just about to climb out when she heard banging on the door.

"Belle!! Get out it's my turn!" Yelled her 14 year old brother Isaac.

She didn't reply. She got out the shower, wrapped her towel around her body and made a towel turban on her hair. Belle came out the bathroom as Isaac barged past her slamming the door behind him. She went back to her room and got ready, put on a little make up to cover her red patches and spots, then brushed her hair which fell nicely on her shoulders with thick brown curls.

Belle knocked on her other brother's door. 10 year old Harry opened the door with a smile.

"Morning Sis!" He said happily.

"Morning Dude, you ready for breakfast with me for once?" Belle had always called Harry 'Dude' it just felt right.

"Definitely."

Harry ran down the stairs as his sister followed and he sat on his seat at the kitchen table. Their mum was eating her cornflakes and was expecting Belle to get her brothers some food. She did as expected. She made herself and Harry some jam on toast and waited for Isaac to come down stairs.

After eating and feeding the boys, Belle's mum rushed out the house and off to work. Belle pushed her brothers out of the house and walked them to their schools. Harry to his small primary school and Isaac to his high school, the same one Belle went to. She dropped them off then got the bus to her college.

She was wearing dark denim jeans, a plain white t-shirt, a simple blue jacket, a navy winter coat and her black Converse. She got off the bus and stood at the entrance to Mainford College. This was it. No turning back now. Time to start new... hopefully.