Broken

Chapter 1

I woke up feeling fresh. I got out of bed and went to my closet and got my clothes out that I planned for this special day. A mint green and black striped shirt with a black skirt and black leggings. I left my dark brown hair straight down and put my makeup on. It's my first day of high school, a fresh start. My last few days of middle school didn't end well.

I had about nine pretty close friends and we all got in a huge fight. I shook away the memory and put on dangle feather earnings. After getting ready, I headed down stairs to catch my bus. Only a couple more months until I get my license, then I'm bus free. I went out to my bus stop and looked at some of my new classmates. They were all chattering excitedly to their friends.

I put my earphones in and stood in silence until my bus came. As I was riding the bus, I was thinking how my old friends will interact with each other and I. Are we all just going to split up? Make new friends? Are they going to bully and make fun of me? I start rubbing my hands together, a habit I do when I'm nervous.

We finally arrive school after what seemed like an eternity. I walked down the halls, searching for my first class, advanced painting. I would be what they call an artist. I love art, especially painting. I found the room toward the other elective rooms and headed in. It was a large room with a tall ceiling. But I was mostly amazed how it was decorated. There were hundreds of paintings lining the walls.

All the paintings were gorgeous. I looked at all of them in awe with my mouth and eyes wide open. "And who are you miss?" Startled, I jerk around to see a woman with short blond hair and bright green eyes. She was wearing an apron with paint splattered all over it. She looked as if she were in her twenties.

"I-I'm Mae." I stuttered. "I'm here for the advanced painting class. I was just admiring these beautiful paintings. Am I in the right class?"

She nodded her head and said, "Yes sweetie you are in the right class. I was just surprised that you came ten minutes early. Oh and I'm the teacher of this class, Mrs. Elm." She extended her hand and I shook it.

"Did you paint all of these?" I asked, clearly in awe as I scanned the entire room.

She chuckled. "I painted most of them, but I couldn't make all of these. My past students painted a lot of them." I nodded my head but didn't say anything, still admiring her students work. "Well nice to meet you. I'm going to go back to my desk now." With that, she walked back to her desk while students started filing in taking seats next to their friends.

I sighed and took a seat in the front of the classroom. I started drawing an eye until the bell rang. I was so concentrated in my drawing that I didn't notice Asia was in the seat right by me. When she noticed me look at her she smiled sadly and returned her attention to the front of the classroom where Mrs. Elm was introducing the rules.

When class ended I felt someone tap my shoulder, it was Asia. "Hi Mae. I haven't seen you in a while. I really hope we can be friends again." Then she left before I could say a word. I sighed and went to the rest of my classes, draw viciously trying to push away all my hurtful thoughts. I didn't pay attention much in my classes. But when school ended, all the feelings that I kept hidden flooded out all at once.

Willa was talking to us about how bad her life was at the moment. Telling us about how her mom just died and her older brother attempting to commit suicide. Right in the middle of her pity party Camari says, "I know your life is horrible. But please, can we just talk about something more happy to lighten the mood?"

"Do you not care about what I'm going through?" Willa says with a gasp.

"Of course I do. But nobody wants to really hear you talk about your horrible life. It just makes us feel worse. Anyways, what is everyone doing this weekend?"

But Willa wasn't giving up. "Can't you see that I'm heart broken? I'm on the verge of depression and nobody will talk to me about it except Mae." I shift uncomfortably by this sudden attention toward me, I don't want to get dragged into this. "All I want is for you guys to comfort me and help me through this. I can barely trust anyone anymore. With Mae as the only exception."

I put my lips in a straight line, hoping Camari won't drag me into it. All of our other friends are just looking back and forth among infuriated Willa and Camari. "Yeah, all you want is a pity party. You want the whole world to feel bad for you. It's not my fault that your mom died."

Willa gasped, surprised that she would bring that up. "Yeah, well I can't trust you. All you do is make me feel worse about myself." With that, Willa stands up and leaves the room, tears streaming down her face. I didn't notice until just now that Camari was crying also, with everyone trying to comfort her. Why isn't anyone comforting Willa? The real damage happened to her.

I stood up and started walking away to go find Willa. But right as I started going, Camari glared at me with her red eyes from crying. She scoffs and says, "Of course you are going to go find her. You always choose her side. Thanks for being a terrible friend." She stands up and walks away, going the opposite way that Willa went. Our posse of friends run to catch up and comfort her.

I close my eyes and sit down. Tears threaten to pour out of my eyes but I clamp them shut, wanting to stay strong for Willa. I stand up and go on my search for Willa. We were at my house at the time. I find Willa sitting on my porch, staring at the clouds starting to turn pink from the sunset. "Why is everyone trying to leave me?" She says, startling me that she knew I was there.

I go and sit next to her on the steps. "No one is trying to leave you. I see that people are, but they aren't thinking about how it may hurt you. I understand your pain, I don't know what you're going through, but I understand that you're going through tough times. I want you to stay strong, pull yourself together."

"I'll try." She says in a not very convincing voice. I look at her sadly. We sit in silence for awhile, staring at the sky as the sun slowly goes down. "You are the only one I trust anymore, Mae."

New story, yay! I know I just barely published this earlier, but I wanted to edit who talked to her in painting class. I didn't want Willa to be there because I didn't really think of her reacting that way with Mae. I changed it to Asia in her painting class. That's all! Please keep reading and enjoy my new story!

~Cassadilla