The Bloody Rose

My Family

"Hurry up!" Yelled my brother Alex, as he pushed me out of the way of the hallway. I rolled my eyes,
"It's just the first day of school, you act like a volcano is gonna blow any second!"
"Shut up!" He yelled back so loud his voice screeched. I turned my back and continued packing my school bag.
"Owe!"
I turned around to find my little sister start to slap my , other, brother, John. My best guess was that he pulled her hair. John always teases her. He makes fun of her name ,Holly, just because she's only seven. I admit I do it too sometimes but I still feel bad. I'm usually always the one to break up their immature fights. No. Not today. I have to look perfect for the first day of school.
It's the only way to impress my friends. They literally treat me like an animal sometimes. Well at least I "think" there my friends.
"Owe!" Holly yelled.
No. I told myself. Not today.
"Owe. OWE!"
I turned around,
"Shut. Up." I said loud but calm.
They just stared at me like I just killed someone.
I turned around and started to put my books in my bag. I could still hear them arguing quietly. But that was all I needed.

_________________

I sit in my dads tiny car along with my three brothers and three sisters. Who of course are all fighting. I feel like I'm the only normal one in my family sometimes. Today has to be perfect without my siblings ruining it, and I don't think I can pull it off without being totally embarrassed. If they embarrass me on the first day of school then I could get stuck with a permanent nickname. Or I could just be plain made fun of or hated! I don't know why I stick around my friends when they are always judging me and telling me what to do. But I just feel like they're all I have so I can't let them hate me.

"Here we are!" My dad said thrilled. Yeah right. I thought. We where parked in a small parking spot in the high school, my dad waiting for me and my two older brothers to get out of the car. "Bye"
"See ya" my two brothers responded.
I just waved and walked out of the car not looking back. I looked up at John who was looking at me. He was never nice to me so I assumed he was gonna say something that would "hopefully" ruin my day. But surprisingly he smiled and said, "good luck." With a wink. I smiled back and blushed. Today might not be so bad after all.

___________________

"How was your summer ,Imogene?"
My friend Kaitlin asked me.
"Pretty good." I replied.
I was actually starting a conversation with someone who barely knew me last year! Then Alex came over to me and Kaitlin stared at me with a confused expression on her face.
" my brother." I whispered to her.
"Ohh." She said. "I'll see you at lunch." She said. I couldn't tell if she was lying or not. I lose friends the minute one of my siblings walks by. I hope I didn't just lose Kaitlin. She walked away and Alex entered. I tried to look annoyed by him and put myself in a fierce stance.
"What?" I said.
Just when he started talking his face lightened up.
"Can I borrow a few pencils?" He asked. "Please?"
Well at least it wasn't bad. I didn't respond and instantly pulled out a few pencils from my bag and gave them to him.
"Thanks!" He said.
"Wait!" I said. "Can I ask you something?"
He turned around. "Depends what it is." He responded with a smirk on his face.
"Can you please stay away from me just today? Whenever your around my friends always leave." I said trying to say it carefully.
"What friends?" He asked half joking.
I shoved him and he said,
"Okay, okay!" As he put his hands up and walked away. That didn't exactly sound to assuring. I don't have a good feeling about today.

______________________

It's lunch now and I can't find Kaitlin. As I'm walking searching for her I heard my phone ding. I picked it up and it said:

Kaitlin <3:
Where r u?

I unlocked my phone and began to answer:

Me:
I'm at the cafeteria looking fo-

Then I got jerked backward and almost fell. I looked up to find a handsome guy staring at me. Beady blue eyes, blonde straight hair, and the perfect smile. Then I fell. I looked up at him again totally blushing.
"Um..I'm Ben." He said almost laughing. I couldn't help to stare into his beautiful eyes. He reached a hand out, I almost smiled which would've been embarrassing. But I didn't. Instead I grabbed his hand and said,
"Oh.cool. Um...I'm Imogene. I guess."
I'm so stupid! I thought to myself.
I waved and picked up my phone and walked away. He couldn't see my face so I smiled my heart out. Ben. I thought. The perfect name. I wonder what his last name is. Maybe Jones. Hmm...Imogene Jones. Doesn't sound quite right. Brown? Imogene Brown. Eh... Probably not it.
That's how I spent most of my lunch. Thinking of Bens last name. It HAD to perfectly fit both of our names if we got married.
  "Hey what's up-Imogene- right? Kaitlin said startling me as she sat down at a table facing me.
"Yeah. So I'm sorry my brother sorta interrupted us this morning-btw do you know who that-" I pointed towards Ben and continued"- guy Ben is?"
"Well if you know his name I'm assuming you already know, and yes. I do." She said taking a big bite of her sandwich.
"Well. What do you know about him?" I asked.
She wiped a smear of mustard off her chin and swallowed. "Why are you so eager to know who he is?" She raised," do you-you know? Like him?" She asked.
I didn't know how to answer this. It could be that embarrassing moment waiting for me on the first day of school. But I was willing to take extreme measures. Well for me anyways.
" sorta.i mean, he's cute but I don't know him. What's he like?" I asked. I was already starting to regret this.
  She almost laughed and then got control of herself and said,"When did "this" start!? What do you wanna know?"
I knew she would react like this. But I can't screw this up or else I have no friends for the rest of this year.
"I don't know. Does he play any sports? Is he smart? Nice? Cool? Athletic? Strong? Cha-" I was cut off by Kaitlin as I fell into a romantic trans of Ben
"-you DEFINITELY like h-NO! You Love him!" Kaitlin said.
I stood up, "No way! I do not! I just wanna know more about him!" I said my voice raising.
People at the tables near us started staring. I blew it. I really blew it. I sat down and almost whispered," sorry but I seriously don't like him. Well I don't exactly like people unless I know they're good people. I really don't wanna make a scene."
Kaitlin set her sandwich down and grabbed her phone out and started texting someone. After a minute she set it down and said," sorry. I gotta go. See you later e- Imogene- right.see ya." She sat up and walked past a group of girls who joined her. Great. I looked at the sandwich she left in the table. I'm really pathetic.