Don't Give Up Yet

Chapter 1

"Okay" I told myself as I walked the crowded hallway of my brand new school. "It's going to be perfectly fine, just stay away from anyone that looks like a threat....."

I looked at the people swarming around me, with their faces of harsh judgment and curiosity.  

"Never mind, just stay away from everyone...." I told myself, revaluating my first thought.

I had moved from Louisiana to Sydney, Australia this winter. I so far loved the culture and landscaping of the new place, but I could already tell this school year would be rather tough. I remember very vividly getting off the long plane ride to get here, the smell of the air, it was hot and burned every inch of me on the way to my lungs. It felt new, fresh and the weight of all the years of names and harsh words that were spat in my face stayed on the plane. They left me to start fresh.

Now all the memories were flooding back to me. They seemed to have quietly followed until the right timing. And that time was now.

The thought of having to deal with such scornful words again made me horrified. I knew it would happen so might as well prepare myself.

I was the outcast at my previous school, I had a small group of friends, but they didn't understand me. They teased me for having depression and anxiety, but they were all I had. So I stayed with them. The boys completely ignored my existence, except when they needed homework or help on a question. That's all I was good for.

Let me introduce myself a bit, my name is Piper, but I've been caIled other names if you know what I mean. I have hair that comes just past my shoulders and its dark brown with blonde highlights. It's wavy and knotted. I'm built in an odd shape, im curvy and rather thin at the same time. My eyes are yellow-greenish and I have pretty fair skin. I'm not attractive at all. I don't look like the other girls, the pretty ones.

I continue to walk the halls looking for my locker, number 125, I had been looking for some time now. No luck. After awkwardly searching for it I found it. My locker was in the corner at the end of the row near what I assumed to be janitors closet.

People crowded the row of tan lockers, talking, laughing, and gossiping. One by one eyes turned their attention towards me as I walked. I felt like I was burning in fire. The eyes burned in my skin making me uncomfortable as I walked the row. Slowly, one by one the eyes put their attention to other means.

"Thank god..." I mumbled to myself as I reached my locker.

I put in the combination, 7794, opened it to find a class schedule taped to the inside. The first class listed was math, the teacher was Mrs. Arnone. She sounded mean and strict. Hopefully it would be the exact opposite, probably not. I gathered my books listed for the class and headed to class. Room 199.