Invisible

Carlotta - 14

No, I couldn't do that. The consequences would be unbearable! I couldn't turn my best friend invisible, how would her family react? The police, what if they found out I did it? How would I explain the book?

But then it would make sure she and her family are safe. It was like I was in the middle of a debate, the two sides showing very good and important points. I glanced over at the time, 10:27. I should be getting ready for bed. I couldn't be bothered to do my homework, which is very unlike me. But none of the stuff that has happened is particularly 'like me'.

I got undressed and put on my nightie and walked out of my room to our small bathroom. I started to brush my teeth when my mum appeared by the door.

"Are you going to bed?" she asked, leaning on the door frame.

I mumbled yes, toothpaste dripping from my mouth, not a pretty sight.

I spat it out into the sink and splashed water on my face, a cheaper and more effective skin routine.

I hugged her and said goodnight. She placed a soft kiss on my head. I looked at my arm, pale red surrounded the navy blue ink on my arm. I had scrubbed so hard I had caused marks. It wasn't coming off. If I just wore my jumper all day tomorrow at school then, surely, nobody would see it.

I ran into bed and just layed down. I couldn't, no matter what, get to sleep. I stared out of my window. You could just about see the sea. The few boats with their lights on glistened in the black water. Why couldn't I sleep? It was late. I needed sleep. I tried to clear my head but nothing worked. I started to mumble lyrics to songs I had recently learnt on my violin.

"When you said your last goodbye

I died a little bit inside

I lay in tears in bed all night

Alone without you by my side" - All I want, Kodaline.

I didn't work, it made things worse. I felt the tears stream down my face. How many times had I cried in that last week? Surely, more times than many people do in a lifetime. I sunk my head into my pillow and screamed. Nobody could hear me since it was all muffled in the pillow.

It felt good. Adrenaline rushed through my body and then it left. I twisted around. Laying on my bed with my eyes closed.

I'm not sure how long it eventually took me to get to sleep but I did drift off at some point. I woke up, the sun beaming through my window. I had been hoping it would be cold or raining so I wouldn't be boiling under my thick jumper. I brushed my teeth and went downstairs for breakfast. My mum was reading a newspaper with a bowl of cereal.

"Good morning, Lotta," she smiled, "Your shirt is in the washing machine, so it'll be a bit damp, sorry."

I walked over to the fridge to pull out the milk, "It's okay," I replied.

I placed myself on the other chair on our table. We never really had people over so we were able to have only two chairs at our tiny dining table. I scoffed my cereal in silence.

"Oh, Lotta, look at this!" she handed me the crumbled newspaper.

On one of the pages was an article with the words, "Mystery Kidnapper stabs innocent dad." written in big black letters.

My eyes skimmed around all the words. The pictures.

"It's Marie..." I whispered. "Can I take it to show her?" I asked. My mum nodded sympathetically. I tore the article from the newspaper and folded it in half.

"I'm gonna get dressed," I told my mum as I fished out my cold shirt from the washing machine.

The wet material stuck to my skin as I got out of our car. Luckily, my navy blue jumper covered it and gave me little warmth. I walked through the school gates, with my head down. Even though nobody surrounding me was in my class, I felt them staring at me. Laughing, pointing. Did someone tell the whole school? I felt my face change colour and even though my shirt was wet I suddenly felt hot inside my jumper.