The Wallflower's Secret

Chapter 2

I can’t even remember what class I’m in.  Everything’s a blur. The only things I can remember are the foul words my father said to me when he visited. Don’t sound to shocked that my father came to see me, it was for his own selfish purposes. I do not expect much from my father, just enough money to keep myself in school, food on the table and clothes on my back. It is what is expected of a parent is it not? I don’t expect love or kindness or care those feelings are but wistful memories of the days me and my twin used to play on the sandy beaches near our little holiday home. I miss the days we used to chase the wretched seagulls when they got to close to our barbeque.  Everything was alright when it was just the two of us. That was until the accident. That terrible day I lost my brother as well as every last trace of happiness. That was the day I became a plain old Helena Jacobs the girl that everyone forgets, the girl that nobody cared about and the girl that would never be fixed.

Going back to my father’s selfish visit… He came to ask me to come to a family celebration he organised for me, a birthday party. He wants to throw me a party so he can invite business investors over to ‘socialise’ and ‘mingle’ with potential clients. I will not be a day to remember mine or my brother’s birth; it would be a day to show off how much money he has in his bank account. He didn’t even say a word about his deceased son. All he cares about is money and his own affairs.

“You, in the back row! What’s your name?” called the teacher from the front of the room.

I blink away my thoughts and look up to the front of the classroom and see my teacher glaring at me. Now I remember.  I’m in Algebra with, the very angry, Mr Peterson.

“Do you mean me sir?” I ask him. He looks at me like I’m an alien with twelve eyes and green skin. If you have not noticed, nobody knows me very well. This is exactly why, I space out all the time and barely pay attention to my surroundings. I don’t bother doing much socialising. I actually quite like being a loner. Well at least I remember what class I’m in now, not that it really matters to me. This class room is really nice but that’s to be expected in a private school.

Thump! I’m snapped out of my thoughts by Mr Peterson’s hands furiously slamming down onto my desk. I stare into his angry eyes. I was slightly afraid. Mr Peterson is not the kind of teacher to lose his temper. He is the fun easy going teacher that always tries his best, which is why I normally pay attention in his classes.

“Are you deliberately disrespecting me when I am trying to teach you? Do you think it’s funny to blatantly ignore a teacher when they ask you a question? You are not normally a trouble maker, what has gotten into you? Why are you trying my patience?”

“I’m not ignoring you, sir. I didn’t know you wanted to talk to me.” I hesitantly answered.

Mr Peterson straightened himself out and fixed me with a look that told me he didn’t believe me. Somehow I knew this was not going to end well.

“What’s your name?” he asked me.

“Helena Jacobs.” I answered with all the confidence I could muster.

“Miss Jacobs, can you tell me what we have been learning in class today?”

Shit! What were we learning today? Damn! I wish I had paid more attention.

“Urm.. Well…. We were learning….” I stupidly stammered out. He probably thinks I’m in need of extra tutoring because of my idiotic, unfinished sentences.

“We were learning what, Miss Jacobs?” He asked.

I looked at his facial expression and noted his cocked eyebrow and knowing look in his eyes. He knew I didn’t know. He just wanted to embarrass me in front of the class. I won’t let him. I won’t let myself be humiliated in front of my peers as well as at home with the family.

“I don’t know sir.” I stated defiantly.

He looked shocked to say the least. He was probably expecting me to sulk and plead for forgiveness. I’m not going to be that weak today.

“Well in that case Miss Jacobs it is obvious you don’t want to be in this class.  Could you please take yourself to the head teacher’s office?” He said with cold eyes.

“With pleasure sir!” I said with a bright, fake smile. Helena Jacobs what have you gotten yourself into… I mentally berated myself as I shuffled through the rows of desks to the classroom door.