Mabel Walshburn had always enjoyed the thought of being invisible, especially at her old school, the dreaded Redwood High School; home of ruthless bullies and dwindling hopes. But this year, has promising days at a new school, where no one knows her...
"...Last of all, please be careful on the road. Weather reports confirm freezing rain, all students must leave by 3:30. Thank you Burmenton for another great school day!"
The afternoon announcements had just finished and I was out in the hallway heading to my locker. I was not confident in my driving and wanted to avoid the heavy flow of student traffic.
"Oh... You poor poor girl!" snickered Avalyn. "Literally! Poor! Only the homeless have a style like you" Attempting to stay brave, I blinked the tears back and tried walking passed her laughing posse. Despite the fact I was verbally harassed by Avalyn every day, it still worn me down to the brink of tears, I was an easy target to her.
"I see you've ditched those blindingly ugly wellies for some Target brand sneakers." She said slightly tottering as she stood over me. "AMBER!" she barked. "A hand?! This shit made hallway is slippery!" Avalyn was unsteady due to her extreme heels and her main minion Amber was too air headed to notice. I saw a glint of evil in her eye as she looked down on the floor. Redwood commonly flooded when it poured down rain and I knew what she was going to do. Knowing her plan, I made a break for it, pushing the heeled bullies out of my way. "Oh, Mabel. You're so pathetic." I almost had freedom in the palm of my hand when a large object hit the square of my back. I glanced behind me to see a history textbook laying to my side. My shock gave to for the member's of Avalyn's popular club to seize me.
"Thanks, girls, you know how much these shoes hurt my back." Giving her "friends" a honey sweet smile she turned to me. I knew this trick however, Avalyn had scoliosis when we were in grade school, but through a hot personal trainer and massage master (I heard all to much of) she now has perfect spine alignment.
"Now, what should we do with you?" Her voice rising in pitch and fake kindness was quite unsettling to my already knotted stomach and now, back. "Oh! I know just what! Girls, let give this dirty animal a little...washing. Hm." A devious smirk was plastered on her face, it looked so natural she must've been born that way. I'd never believed someone could be as cold hearted as Avalyn. And for years I'd wondered what had gone wrong.
"Please Avalyn. Why do you torture me? Why?"
"Girls hand her over," Avalyn had completely tuned me out. And with swift motion I was shoved to her and shut outside, my thrashing not effecting her balance at all.
"What have I done to you?! Please!" I was pleading now.
It came like ice and slid down my back. I heard the click as the doors locked. This was one of the only doors not to have a small roof overtop and no other doors in, the enclosed courtyard had windows all around. Through the wall of windows I saw Avalyn strutting away looking back with that devious smirk bearing no empathy. Nothing in the courtyard offered coverage, It was the Science Club's plant area so it lacked outdoor furniture. Thinking of my phone, I realized it was missing from my jeans' pocket and I saw it abandoned with my textbook in the middle of the hall.
The most humiliating part of Avalyn's plan was that she did it right before the last bell rang, when everyone was using the courtyard hallway. Accepting my fate, I slid down the door frame and covered my head from the bone chilling rain. I felt too weak to bang on the door for help, my back ached and my clothes were a sponge to the rain turning my skin to ice. I felt myself growing more tried and a nauseated state consumed me. It wouldn't be bad to close my eyes for a bit... It would be nice to escape... My mind made a convincing argument and I laid my head on my knees as the rain poured.
"Hey! You! You think skipping class is funny?" A burly man was almost hurtling towards me. Almost letting out I scream a small squeak came through my windpipe.
"What?! You got something to say?" This man was definitely not from Maine, his Jersey accent stuck out like a sore thumb in our quaint town.
"No, sir. I have lunch period and, uh," He was not dressed normally either. His golf polo and casual shorts with sneakers did not compare to the formalness set by the other teachers in the school so far. "I couldn't find the cafeteria..."
"Well you don't look like a freshman so cut the lies and-" I heard footsteps beside me and the intimidating figure took a more reserved look. "Principal Grenshal, uh, how's your morning?" He looked embarrassed to be caught yelling at a student.
"Mr. Morgan, don't you have a class to tend to?" She lifted an elegant gold watch that was strapped to her delicate wrist. "It's 11:18. Off you go." With that, Mr. Morgan gave a nod of his head and jogged down the hall yelling
"You got it Principal! Carry on," He was jogging backwards, a fake earnest tone ringing through the hall. "have a good day now" and with that, he disappeared into what I assumed to be a stinky gym.
"I must say, Mr. Morgan was right you looked older than a freshman but, not quite a senior. I assume you are a new student?" I felt a professional version of kindness from the principal, the type you get from a secretary or a new therapist.
"Yes, ma'am. I'm so sorry, I couldn't find the cafeteria and-"
"Oh dear! There's no reason to apologize!" She was laughing thinking she had intimidated me. "Here, we're going back to my office, you can eat there." We walked down the hallway past the main entrance entering the office, the beehive had calmed down since my last visit.
"Just down this hall" I heard her say leading me away from the desks and computers. The office was spacious and quite modern to my surprise. When the school was built it obviously made sure the principal was well treated. An oak desk and bookcase surround the entire room except for an area to the left where a longer and thin couch stood with a glass table in front contrasting with the heavy oak furniture.
"Come, sit...?" "Mabel" I replied obeying her, although she was nice I did not want to make a bad impression on one of the most important of staff.
"Ah yes, Mabel Walshburn. I'm aware of your story. I'm so sorry you had to endure the torture, but I assure you at Burmenton you will be well cared for. If you have any problem, come see me personally." She patted my arm, giving me a sad face to which I thanked her. The area of the office I was sitting at was not intimidating at all. There, I finished my lunch and asked for help to get to my next class, the "surprise" my mom had packed me was a heart shaped sandwich and a yummy Aero bar.
"Have a good first day, Mabel. Remember the staff here will always help you and if you need me, feel free to come over anytime during school." Mrs. Grenshal had a motherly attitude, I could tell how much she cared for her students. It helped explained why the graduation rate was rather sufficient. As I started to walk away I heard her call after me. "Oh! Mabel! Take this and show it to a teacher, normally these are given to qualified students, but judging from your previous year at Redwood you deserve it." She handed me a laminated gold pass. In pretty cursive it said "Distinguished Honors Hall Pass".
~
Let's see how Mabel's day ends... Continue on for her last class!
-attemtpedauthor
P.S. Avalyn's clique aesthetic at Redwood High.
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