Rose

Chapter 2

If I didn’t have any friends at school, I wouldn’t know how to survive. This thought crossed my mind as Charlie drove into the school car park, with me in the passenger seat. I felt so empty without my phone in my hands, and now I didn’t know what to do with them but keep them sitting awkwardly in my lap.

“Okay we’re here.” Charlie announced, as he grabbed his messenger bag and my handbag from the back. He handed me my school bag when we were out of the car and gave me a tight hug and a kiss on the forehead.

“Have a good day at school kiddo,” he said and we went our separate ways. As I glanced across the car park, I saw a group of older girls giving me piercing stares of jealousy. I just flashed a naïve smile at them and carried on walking.

“It’s not my fault I’m Charlie Brooks only sister!” I mumbled happily to myself, despite my earlier dismal mood.

            I had hardly walked another three steps when something hurled itself powerfully against my back. I was taken by surprise and overbalanced onto the tarmac ground. The attacker landed on me and after a few seconds, rolled off my back. I groaned in pain and placed a hand on my back as I staggered to my feet. I looked to face the attacker, but instead I saw Tiffany’s innocent and quite frankly, clueless face.

“Hey babe!” she called in her sugar sweet voice. Her bright pink jeans were dotted with black debris.

“Tiff, why did you land on me?” I asked in bewilderment, still trying to recover from the incident. She just gave me a manic grin “Walk with me Talia.” She said, linking my arm as we started to walk, “I had to jump on you to get your attention, duh!” she explained it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. I gritted my teeth at her mindlessness and stupidity.

“What was so important that you needed to throw yourself at me for?” I asked impatiently. She looked at me and made a confused face; on anyone else it would look forced and rather mocking, but on Tiffany it looks absolutely genuine.

“Uh, the shopping trip, remember silly?” I slapped my forehead hard with my unoccupied hand. The shopping trip had completely slipped my mind! There was no way Mum would let me go now, and there was no use trying to convince Dad; whatever Mum said concerning this sort of thing was always correct, in his opinion.      

“I’m so sorry Tiff!” I said, and I seriously meant it, “I can’t go, I’m sort of grounded.” Okay, so it wasn’t a total lie, I was punished so I doubt I would’ve been able to go out of the house anyway! Tiffany’s face scrunched up in rage and she immediately unlinked her arm from mine.

“FINE; be like that then!” she fumed, “I’m giving your shopping invitation to Annika instead now!” And with that furious statement, she stormed off, leaving me stranded all by myself. I heard a high-pitched noise and turned, and behind me were the jealous girls from earlier who had seen the entire Tiffany fiasco and were now mocking me.

            “Miss Brooks, can you answer the question for us?” Mr White looked at me with his hawk-eyes, and the eyes of twenty seven other students followed. I hadn’t been listening the whole lesson, I’d spent forty-five minutes doodling, daydreaming and, even I admit it; sleeping. What lesson was I even in? I looked at the interactive board behind Mr White and was presented with four neatly drawn circuits. Ok, physics, not my best subject but how hard could it really be?

“I’m sorry Mr White; I couldn’t hear you the first time. Please repeat the question?” I bat my eyelashes and tried my best to look as innocent as I could.

He sighed, “Look at circuit number four Talia, why does this circuit not work?” The circuit doesn’t work? How? Right, time to wing it.

“The battery doesn’t work?” I guessed. I could see how irritated Mr White was feeling.

“I think some revision is in order Miss Brooks, hm?” he turned back to the whiteboard. Revison? Pfft. Sure.

The rest of school dragged by: English, Sports, Spanish and Music as well as two end of unit tests! On top of all of that, Tiffany, Arianna, Kitty and even Annika ignored me the whole day!  

I had to eat lunch by myself with nobody to talk to apart from Weirdo Wilson, who I swear has a crush on me!

“Howdy Tali Bear,” said Wilson. We used to know each other when we were about ten, and even then he was a social reject. I was sitting outside on a picnic table alone and Wilson came over and sat opposite me. I wasn’t like I could tell him to leave, I just had to smile and bear it.

“Hey there Will,” His eyes widened and he looked away.

“She called me Will, oh wow, she called me Will,” he whispered. I can hear you Wilson. He turned back and I plastered on my golden smile and suddenly became captivated by an especially interesting piece of broccoli.

If my punishment had carried on a day longer, it could’ve seriously wounded my carefully built social reputation; but thankfully Tiffany shook the matter off at the end of the day.

The school bell rang and startled me out of my daydream. Timing is crucial at Northvale High. As soon as the end of school bell rings, you have to run as if your life depends on it. If you don’t you’re caught in the damp and disgusting sea of students and teachers, all aiming for two places: the exit or the cosy staffroom. That daydream cost me two precious minutes, but I managed to save up for lost time by elbowing my way to freedom, and it was worth it, no matter how many armpits I found myself stuck in.

            As I galloped down the cold grey stone steps of my beloved school, I saw my brother who’d clearly escaped the rush, his back facing me, along with his several close friends, who had just about survived by sticking close to my brother, I bet. As I walked past Charlie, I poked him in the arm to notify him that I was there. He spun round and acknowledged my arrival with what I decided was pleasure.

            “Hey Talia! You remember Jake, Scott, Danny and Martin?” He signalled to each of his friends in turn. Of course I remembered them, especially Scott; he was Charlie’s closest friend and was forever at our house. I hadn’t seen Jake in a very long while and he had grown at least another good few inches since I’d last seen him, and it was easy to compare his towering build to that of a skyscraper! Danny is your typical troublemaker, with that school-boyish mischievous glint in his eyes and a devil-like grin to match. And Martin? Well there’s not much to say about Martin. He’s incredibly shy and rarely even talks, except in class obviously; but I’ve heard he’s something of a math’s whizz!

            “Hey everyone,” I greeted rather melancholically, openly reflecting my gloomy day, and presented them with one general wave, “Ready for the library?” Charlie scooped his smooth black bag from the rough steps beside him and swung it over his shoulder.

“Let’s go,” he said and as he started for his awaiting car, his entourage trailed behind him like a herd of sheep. Charlie didn’t even think twice about the matter and I know why: he’s practically immune to having a crowd of people follow him at all times and doesn’t notice when someone is behind him because of it! I had to nudge his elbow and signal behind him so he could notice that Jake, Scott, Martin and Danny were absent-mindedly following him.

“Quit it guys!” I smiled at my brother, he really did wanted to spend time with me, “I’m going with Talia, so if you don’t mind, we’d like some privacy please.” At Charlie’s command, the four boys scuttled away, leaving Charlie and I in peace.

“Gosh, you really are too popular aren’t you Charlsey!”