𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝙻𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝙶𝚒𝚛𝚕

Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ Ｏｎｅ

I looked at the school bell and groaned, anxiously sitting up in my seat and playing with my pencil. Still thirty more minutes until the end of the school day.
I look around me. Kids biting their erasers as they flipped through the test confusingly. I had already finished twenty minutes ago. Math is surprisingly easy.
I would rather stay at school than be my house. Mother is probably taking opioids again since Paul got her addicted. It would just be like how it always is. Mother acting like a zombie and Paul screaming at me until I run up to my room.
I took out a piece of paper from my binder and started drawing bits of flowers here and there. I may not be the best drawer, but I still try.
I focused on the details of the flowers, my eyebrows crinkling as I carefully added more detail. Drawing is comforting to me.
My head shot up, black hair striking my eyelids. I blinked fast, trying to get the stands out of my face. Footsteps hit the floor quickly, and I looked up.
Ms. Jacobson glared at me, her glasses slightly sliding down her nose. I smiled quickly, trying to slyly hide my drawing paper before she could see it.
"Chloe, what exactly are you doing?" She whispered quietly, making sure to be loud enough that other students could hear.
"Nothing," I said quickly, as I grabbed the paper out of her reach. Twenty pairs of eyes looked my direction, and I knew that I was now the center of attention.
Ms. Jacobson stuck out her hand. "Give that to me," She instructed. I paused for a second before debating my choices.
I gave in, handing her the paper that I had drawn on. She smiled as she took it, before crumpling it up in her hands and throwing it to the front of the room.
I sighed. Great, she was going to give me a lecture now.
"Don't doodle in my class, especially during a test period. You are visibly distracting other students from doing their work." She glared at me accusingly. I shrunk as my peers tittered, looking at me as if I was lower than them. 
"Please focus on your work next time," She chittered before walking away. I nodded quickly and turned my head down, my cheeks still red from the encounter. I looked around me, seeing everyone quickly avert their eyes back to their own paper. Thanks for embarrassing me, Ms. Jacobson.
The bell rang, and I hurriedly gathered up my papers and left the classroom before anyone could say anything else.
I went outside into the main hall, where students were starting to crowd. I pushed my way through the high schoolers, getting some rude and nasty looks as I made my way toward the exit. I had study hall, but I wanted nothing more then to skip and go somewhere else. Anywhere else.
I rushed out of the school, nearly tripping down the steps and running towards the closest alleyway I could find. My oversized baggy t-shirt fluttered in the wind as I sprinted as fast as I could.
I rushed into the alley before plopping down next to a trash can, my breath coming down in raggedy gasps. I clearly wasn't good at track.
I took a deep breath. In and out. Repeating the steps over and over again until I felt calmer.
I stood up, anxious to get out of the alleyway that smelled like trash.
I began walking. I wanted to find anywhere that was peaceful and quiet, that would allow me to relax and have some tranquility.
I came across a park with a beautiful garden. Luckily, no one was there. I laid out sprawled on the grass. It was itchy, but not bad.
I looked up at the sunlight shining through the trees, the sun coming down and hitting the leaves at different angles. I let out a sigh of relief, feeling at ease for the first time all day.
Before I knew it, I was already fast asleep.