The Toy Soldiers Trilogy: Mockingbird

Chapter 2: Bottom of the Totem Pole

I woke up to my dad opening the curtians so the light hit my face.

"Daaad!" I complained as I hid my face in a pillow.

He laughed. "Sorry, but you have to take the bus today. I've got a call with the main Machinima office that I have to be on and it's too early for me to take you today."

Oh that's just great! I rolled over and text Cher to tell her I had to ride the bus. She replied pretty fast, because she's an early bird like her mom. Just like any old bus day, she told me to meet at her house. I'm sixteen now! I should be able to drive, but dad's been too busy to take me to buy a car. At least I got driver's ed on my own, but I can't magically make money poof in front of me.

I got out of bed and pulled on some skinny jeans, and a red tank top. It's October first, which means two things; Halloween, and dad's depression season. There's three days until their aneversery, nine more days until the day mom passed, and twenty-two days until the day they got engaged. It's the worst month ever! Dad never talks and this is the first year I have to go through it without September. She was daddy's little girl, so she knew how to cheer him up. I, however, don't. So dad will be upset, which makes me upset, and on top of it I have to deal with all the assholes at school.

That reminds me, I haven't rode the bus yet this year so I haven't had the pleasure of the name calling! I get it in normal school hours too, but they can never go too far because of the teachers. Sadly, the bus driver couldn't care less about Cher and I.

We both met up together with our last bites of breakfast still in our mouths. She gets nice homemade pancakes at her house, and I get poptarts. Whatever, at least I get food. Her sister was walking with us, which is weird. Arianna usually grabs a ride from her boyfriend. Then I took another look at her and realized she wasn't too happy. There was a lack of eye contact and fake smiles. When I put two and two together, my first thought was her boyfriend dumped her. I pulled out my phone and text Cher to ask her about it. Her replied was a simply "yeah" which means I was right! I've got great intuition.

Arianna walked in front of us on the bus and sat with the popular girls. While Cher and I walked to the back, someone tripped me, making me fall flat on my face. Without retaliating, I just walked it off. Dad doesn't know a tenth of what goes on, but he always tells me it's just jealously. That's hard to believe, because there's nothing to be jealous of. Maybe my dad, but that's my dad, not me. Like normal, I ignored them and sat in the way back.

As Marcelline walked towards us, they tripped her too. God, those guys are such assholes! Lucky, she caught herself which I hadn't done. The unlucky part is I watched her earring fall off her right ear, and she had to lean down to get it. One of the bitchy prep girls stepped on it, making it break.

"You bitch! Those were expensive!" Marcelline yelled.

"Oh get over it. Go cry to your little boyfriend, Teddy!" One of them teased.

"He's not my boyfriend!" She yelled as she stormed back and crashed into a seat across from Cher and I.

Teddy and Marcelline are really good friends, and they stay up all the time talking. I know their relationship is more brother and sister than anything though.

Even if the bus was moving, everyone was walking around because like I said, the bus driver doesn't care. Ann, the queen bitch herself, came over and sat on the seat in front of us. She leaned her arms on the back of the seat and looked down at Cher and I.

"Aww looks like the little birthday girl is sad." She mocked. "I heard you didn't get anything for your birthday, not even an IOU card."

"I don't know who told you that, but I did get things because my friends actually care about me, not my parents money." I replied.