Invisible

Carlotta - 4

I was starting to get impatient. Marie wasn't replying! She had just left me stranded. I started to just send her random things. I was truly worried. I turned off my phone, knowing she wouldn't reply. I started to pack my school bag for tomorrow. I had finished my current book and needed another. I looked over at my bookshelf. I owned more books than most families did in their whole house, but I still seemed to run out of ones to read quite normally. I then went to the thin bookshelf in our lounge. They were all my mum's romantic novels and our language books and the atlas's, all extremely boring. I mean some of my mum's books were so tragic they were funny. I had already read most on that shelf as well. I skimmed the shelf and looked at the top.

There was this one that stood out. This thick book. It was unlike all the others. I had never noticed it before. The cover was made of leather and looked like a book a monk would use in the eighth century. I sat down and slowly turned the delicate pages. They were blank, torn and burnt around the edges.

"Lottie, have you seen my phone?" My mum hurriedly walked inside the lounge. I shoved the book in my bag.

"No," I replied and got up to look for it for her.

"Found it!" she called out. She walked past me and she looked amazing. All dressed up. Her face looked beautiful. It was like she wasn't my mum.

"What's the occasion?" I questioned, being slightly nosy.

"Well I have an interview for a better job!" She exclaimed and her smile grew ten times as big.

I ran up to her and hugged her so tightly.

Later that night, I noticed Marie had responded to me with just a simple - "I'm fine." She must've known I was worrying. Worrying myself sick!

I mean that's all I ever do. I logged onto my laptop and started listening to music and just stared into space. It was getting late. Where was my mum?

Ten o'clock had passed a while ago. I messaged her. No reply. Now I was worrying about the same scenario with Marie. My mum, lying on the floor dead. I smacked myself to get the image out of my head.

I notice the little puddles of blood on my hands and the crescent moons stained on my hand. I turned off my computer and layed down, hoping to get to sleep. I wouldn't.

I heard the key in our door unlock and I sprinted out of bed to hug my mum.

"What took you so long?" I asked, looking into her eyes.

"It's ok, dear, just traffic." She answered. Then she noticed my hands, "What's happened to your hands?" she said anxiously. I closed them immediately and just shrugged. I went to the bathroom to go and brush my teeth.

The next morning I woke up and grabbed my school bag. My mum was already up and placed my toast on the table. I swallowed it quickly and then went on my phone to see if Marie had messaged me.

I read the text: Hey, sorry I'm not coming to school today. Last night I felt very ill and puked. Sorry. Luv you!
I felt the pain in my stomach. I hate it when Marie isn't at school with me. It makes me a bigger target for Skye and her little minions.

Skye is this girl in our class - you know, your typical bully. Popular, rich and pretty. It just pains me. She makes a huge deal out of every little thing I do wrong, and also everythingI do right. I put my hand up in class and get an answer right. She teases me after. So basically I get bullied for being clever? It makes no sense.

I walked through the school gates and I felt everyone staring at me:

Social anxiety disorder (also called social phobia) is a mental health condition. It is an intense, persistent fear of being watched and judged by others. This fear can affect work, school, and your other day-to-day activities. It can even make it hard to make and keep friends.