How could you...?

III:

Today was the day: my first day at Appleby high and to say I was dreading it was an understatement; I'd spent the whole weekend in my room, only being dragged out by my mother for food and then returning to my room and yelling into my pillow about how much I was on a thread with this family.

I was laid in bed, staring up at my fairly lights which I forgot to turn off the night before, clutching onto the comforter, completely drowning out the alarm from my phone.

I feel myself drift back to sleep again when I hear banging on my door:

"CHERYL, GET UP AND GET READY FOR SCHOOL!"

I hear my mom yell. I tut and sit up, turning off the alarm and removing the cover from my legs.

"NOW!"

She yells again and by this point, I'd had enough.

"Alright dammit give me a minute!"

I snap back. I can almost feel her face turn red from anger.

"Watch your tone!"

She snaps back, much calmer than before but I hear her heels click against the floor and her steps from the stairs and I sigh with relief now that she's gone and I stand up, grab a towel from my closet before heading to my bathroom.

********************
20 minutes of showering later and I was ready for school. To avoid arguments from mom, I decide on a basic pair of high-waisted jeans, a knitted aquamarine sweater with some heeled boots and because the weather was just as cold here, a basic black jacket and my hair neatly straightened. I didn't want to admit it but my therapist back in Chicago was right; making an effort is a good feeling.

I grab my bag and purposely leave the fairly lights on before leaving my room and shutting the doors behind me as I make my way down the stairs, where my mom was making her usual cooked breakfast: egg and bacon frittata, her specialty.

The smell hits me like the wind as I step into the kitchen where my dad was sat at the table, reading a paper with some coffee in a mug while my mom was plating up the food.

"Excited for your first day?"

Dad asks, closing the paper and placing it on the table. I hum and balance my hand on cheek while waiting for food to be ready.

"Do you need a ride? I need to go to the school anyway"

She tells me, walking over and putting the plate down for us. My mom stood out like a sore thumb; wearing cute blouses and tight skirts with heels and she had a good figure for an older woman, and I didn't need to be associated in school about my "hot mom".

"Oh no it's good, I should get used to walking"

I tell her. She just huffs and takes it a seat at the table, mumbling about the fact that I was stuck away in my room the whole weekend and that every time she offers to do something nice for one of us, it gets thrown back in her face.

I finish my breakfast in full silence and head up to put the plate away. I check my watch.

"Here, I better go, I don't want to be late"

I tell my mom and dad, grabbing my bag and throwing it over my shoulder.

"Have a good day sweetheart, I'll be thinking about you"

My dad beams at me, blowing a kiss. I nod at him as my mom stands up, putting her hands on my shoulder as she stares me down.

"Well you look better than you have in months for a start, so...I guess that's good"

She sucks her teeth. She places a kiss onto cheek, wishes me a good day and pretty much pushes me out of the door and into the freezing cold air.

"Thanks mom"

I mutter, before regaining my balance and walking down the steps of the house and down the path.

***********************
Appleby high wasn't a big school, from what I could tell, it had around 1000 or so kids, and it could fit that amount, but it wasn't huge and compared to my one in Chicago, it was like a school for ants.

I don't move while everyone else walks into the school, talking to their friends as they head into the school doors. The nerves were getting to me and because of the schools rules, I couldn't listen to music in the building so I couldn't just drown them out.

While I stood there, fiddling with the wires of my earphones, I feel something barge into my shoulder and shocking me, I yelp, hearing squeaky chuckles walk past me.

"Watch where you're standing, new girl"

A girl spitefully snaps at me, glaring her demon eyes through me as her friends laugh before they turn their attention to this door again. As the words new girl fill the air, a group of kids turn to stare at me and start whispering to one and other and I just roll my eyes.

This was gonna be the longest school year!