Winged Ones

Chapter 3

I made it to school just in time today, I walked through the gates at 5 to 9. I'm currently sitting in my first class, though I'm not sure if it even counts as one. It's just a ten-minute roll call to make sure we are all here and tell us if anything's happening during the day. I was at my usual spot, a lone desk in the back corner nest to a window. There was nobody near me, they were all up the front gossiping. I gazed out the window, one ear listening for my name to be called. 

"Moore, Ella?" The teacher called. He only calls other people's names if he can't see them, but he always seems to forget me.

"Yup" I said, still staring out the window. 

He read out the daily notices, I heard nothing of interest. Just as he finished the bell rung at 9:10, signalling it was time for the next class. I had PE. I really dislike PE. The subject itself is okay, but the people ruin it. I walk quickly from my tutor room to the gym. This unit is touch football, and I know it will be the same old routine. We have to get changed into the PE uniform, which only half my class bothers with. Lazy bitches. I get in first so I can change in the privacy of the toilets, from past experience it's much worse to change where everyone can see me. My body is fine, but they will always find something to mock me about. Usually my scars. Putting that out of my mind, I undress and pull on the black sports shorts and mustard yellow shirt with our school's logo on. I left my sneakers on, as they fit the guidelines for PE as well. I leave my bag under the benches that run along the changeroom's walls and walk out to the oval, staring at my feet. As always I am the first one to reach the teacher, Mr. Reece. 

"Bella, right?" He says, glancing down at the roll.

"No, it's Ella. Ella Moore" I pointed to my name on the roll, making sure he got it right. I've been accidentally marked absent before, and trust me it isn't pretty. He marked me here and changed, and I sat down to wait for the others. As usual, they started getting here about 5 minutes after I did. I watch as the teacher marks them all off as they arrive, without asking any of their names of course. He knows them all. 

"Alright class, today we are going to be playing a game of touch football. Who would like to be captains and pick the teams?"

It seems like everyone has their hands up, except me of course. 

"Okay.. Jenny and Annisa, you can be captains today." They grinned at their friends and came up the front, Jenny accepting a buch of red braids to hand out to her team. 

"Jenny, you may pick first. Keep in mind that there will be uneven teams!" 

Jenny didn't even take a second to say "Nelanie." She's a very fast runner, good at slipping through defences but not so great at passing. She walked over to Jenny and accepted her braid.

Anissa followed up in no time by yelling "Bryn!" Annisa chose Bryn, no surprise there. They are best friends, and it helps that Bryn is great at kicking and passing. Bryn skipped over and hugged Anissa, and they started whispering to each other.

"Jess" Jenny's second choice. Jess is an expert at passing, and quite a decent runner. Good choice. Jess accepted her braid.

"Katrina" Good all around. She walked over to Anissa and joined in on the whispered conversation.

Jenny thought for a moment, then said "Riri, come join us!" Her real name is Rihanna, but even the teachers call her Riri. She is a good defender, she always seems to predict the movements of the opponents. She accepted her braid and I surveyed the remaining girls. There were ten girls left, Judy, Claire, Mary, Jane, Sue, Ruby, Sandy, Asha, Kiera and of course me. Judy, Mary, Sue, Sandy and Kiera were all picked by Annisa, and were now all wearing their braids and discussing tactics. Jenny picked Claire, Jane, Ruby and Asha and they were also in the process of discussing tactics. It seemed that they had forgotten that I exist as I had not been called to join a team.