Nothing quite like a day of school after four hours of sleep. The shrill screech of the warning bell added to my already intense headache. "Out of the way, fat ass, I'm going to be late!" I'm roughly shoved into the rusty yellow lockers as I watch Regina sprint past me. My chemistry textbook and spiral fall to the ground, forcing me to bend down for them. "Here let me help you." A pair of large hands reach for my book and spiral before I can refuse their help. My face flushes and I look up to find Matthew Fisher, the school creep, looking back at me. He's wearing a crooked grin and looks down at me. It takes me a second to realize he's looking down my shirt, which had scooped downwards when I'd hit the lockers. Now if I'd been the Ashley I was before Lainey's death I would've slapped that grin right off his face, but now I just turn a deeper shade of scarlet. I mumble a shaky "thanks" then snatch my stuff and dash to class. I make it to chemistry right before the late bell rings but I'm the last to walk into the classroom. Miss Banks is in the hallway flirting with Mr. Scott from the classroom next door so she doesn't hear the "pfft pfft pfft" sounds Clark Sulkavich makes as he blows raspberries while I walk to my seat. The class is in a fit of giggles by the time she gets back to her desk. I notice a sheet of notebook paper taped to the front of my desk. "Behold the wild fat Ash in her natural habitat". Classy. I rip off the paper and stuff it into my bag, humiliated. The classroom erupts into a even louder state of laughter. "Shut up. Shut up, you barbarians!" Miss Banks tries with little success to silence the class as she attempts to close a jammed drawer in her desk. She finally gives up on both and starts the lesson. I lay my head on my desk, slowly taking deep breaths. Why...why do they hate me? Why are they so mean? I bite the inside of my cheek as I fight a storm of tears that threatens to approach. Don't you dare give them the satisfaction. With another deep breath I compose myself and start taking notes. Regina stares at me from the front of the classroom, a smug smirk plastered on her dumb pretty face. I hate you Regina. She turns and whispers to Millie Carter. They both whip their heads in my direction and laugh. God, I really f*cking hate you.
****
Once the bell for next period rings I grab my stuff and walk out of there like the room was on fire. I'm walking to English when I see Matthew starring at me from near the water fountains. Sh*t. I walk faster but he follows after me until he's walking by my side. "Hey Ashley, listen I have a friend who's throwing a party this Friday night and I just wanted to invite you personally." I'm just 3 more doors away from English. "Gee, thanks Matthew but I can't. I have stuff Friday night, but I appreciate it." I mumble this hurriedly and walk into English leaving him with a dumbfounded expression plastered on his face.
