Chapter three
It had been three months since my mothers death when I started at my new school. I lived with my aunt Lilly and Uncle Patrick, I'd moved from my peaceful town life, to a smaller village just on the border of Wales.
I was plagued by nightmares, I had not seen or thought about the beautiful family since the night in the hospital. Mostly I dreamt of my dead mother.
But sometimes I dreamt of my own death, I suppose these were my best dreams.
My life had got worse with mother leaving me.
Aunt Lily and Uncle Patrick hated children, and they reminded me everyday that I had been responsible for mothers death, they also reminded me of their hate for me.
Both of them hit me, Patrick used his belt while Lilly, well, Lilly used anything.
I marched through the iron gates as best I could with out my shoes flying off my feet. I knew everybody was staring at me, at my bruised face, at the bags under my eyes, the twenty year old shoes on my feet, but I didn't care I walked straight into the office building careful not to look back, I didn't want to see them laughing at me.
" hello" I said timidly to the woman at the front desk
She smiled at me "what can I do for you?" she said warmly " it's my first day and I need my schedule" I tried to smile at her, I'm sure it came out as a horrid grimace but she didn't seem to mind.
"of course, what's your name" she asked
"Violet StillCreek" I answered politely
"OK then Violet, here you go" she said as she passed me loads of papers.
I thanked her and hurried to my form class, I walked through the door of room 4R not sure what I should expect. The teacher; a thin wiry man, seemed to not even notice my presence until I was right next to him talking "Hi, I'm the new girl, Violet" I said cautiously
"just sit down over there and shut up" he said in a raspy voice.
I ran to the corner seat he'd pointed out and sat down immediately. The girls on either side of me didn't look too unfriendly, so after five minutes of plucking up my courage... "Hi, I'm Violet" I smiled and looked at them
"Hi I'm Lauren and this is Bryony" a blonde girl said with actual interest pointing to the other dark haired girl.
"So, what's it like around here?" I asked, trying to keep my smile on my face. "It's OK, you just have to know who to avoid really, take them for instance"she indicated at the group of people sitting in the corner opposite, their uniforms were scraggy their skirts WAY to short "their a no go, but if you're all for drugs and teen sex, then they are your girls!" she giggled "but I'm guessing you're quite shy?" she smiled at me... Oh God I've never had a friend in my life! Maybe it would be different here... I pictured it sleepover's, beauty days, shopping... all the things I never got to do... "Yeah, I'm quiet I guess" I smiled back, feeling the closest to happy I had felt in years...
"Come on Vi" she grabbed my hand and led me to our first class, physics, she'd called me Vi! Does life get much better? Would I get used to having friends? Maybe she was just humouring me, I mean I'm nothing special.
Physics was actually quite fun, the teacher was a short, chubby woman with a nice smile called Mrs. Smith, I sat with Bryony and Lauren, and we talked through most of the class, I still kind of paid attention...ish...
Walking home, smiling to myself, it was a genuine smile too; I couldn't believe it Violet StillCreek the nobody of high school...had friends.
You little piece of shit!" my aunt growled at me, "How dare you! Tell people MY address? What do you think this is a hotel?!" she slapped me, Lauren had come round to ask if I could come out, it was Saturday, and this week had been the best of my life, laughing, smiling, just being happy in general, but when I got home it was like the magic ended, I was still a nothing, still just a punch bag for my ruthless guardians"I' m sorry Aunt Lily" I muttered my hand on my cheek where she'd slapped me, she ignored me and stormed out the room. I ran to my window and thrust it open "Lauren" I said as I loudly as I could without attracting attention, her blue eyes popped up at the sound of her name, I waved my hands as a signal to go. She looked at me for a moment, and then she jogged around the next corner.
I turned just as the door slammed...
