Mayplane

Chapter 3

Lilah

"Ok Li"

God that boy is infuriating. I despise his guts. I look up at my professor at the top of the classroom. He's waving his arms around a problem on the board and I realize that I have no clue what's going on. I blame Nate.

When the bell rings I dash out of Trig and go to my next two classes of the day. When the day is finally over I head back into the parking lot . I head over to my rusted Volkswagen and realize that somebody is leaning on it.
It's Nate.
Of course it's Nate.

"Oi, what the hell are you doing?!" I yell

" just taking a rest"

" well find someplace else to rest" I retort back at him

"Nope" god he's infuriating

"Nate get of my car"

"No thanks Delilah" why is he calling me stupid names. I know Delilah is my proper name but never in my life have I been called it.

"Do not call me Delilah! Do you want to go by Nathaniel?"

" I wouldn't mind it" he states. I almost growl with anger. This is so not the point- I was meant to show him how annoying it is to be called something other than your name but it backfired.

I climb into the drivers seat ignoring Nate leaning on the side. I rev the engine and drive away. I glance back into my mirrors and see that the force of the engine has thrown Nate backwards into a puddle. I chuckle under my breath. Serves him right.

I drive back to the glum estate that I live in and walk up to the door. I am about to fish my keys out of my backpack when I realize that I've forgotten them. Great. Absolutely great. It's Thursday that means that mum will be at the bar to at least four am at her weekly strip poker game. I shudder at the mental image of my mom playing that game with a bunch of drunk middle age men.

I am debating about what I should do. I have no friends that live around as it's one for the poorer estates in town, twenty miles from school. I have to take an hours car journey just to get there. And plus I don't have any friends.

I take a walk through the park which is more of an overgrown field. I am busy thinking about what it'd be like if dad never left. If mom and dad actually wanted me.

The family story of my existence says that:
I was planned but when I was born my mother claimed that she sensed an 'aura' or uselessness and disappointment coming of me. My father came into the room and exclaimed in shock about my so called ugliness. How on earth could he say that? All babies when they are just born are red faced and slimy. They aren't the baby angels depicted on photo shoots.
My family have been a mockery about my existence. Every time I would visit my grandparents when I was little grandma would ask me " have you gotten any prettier yet lilah? Or are you the same little ugly beast when you were born?"

I'm actually not that ugly. Pretty average and plain but definitely not grotesque like my family claims I am.

I continue my walk through the long grass humming under my breath. I see a distant figure in the background. Probably a farmer. I whip out my ancient iPod and start playing my favorite song, getting lost in the music. By the time I am halfway through the field I am singing along to Beyoncé's lyrics.

Just then I hear pounding behind me. Footsteps. I start to turn around and see a person grabbing my arm. I am about to scream but then a large had clamps over my mouth.

" shush Delilah it's me"
There's only one person who calls me Delilah and that's Nate.