The Mask

Chapter One

I have nothing to say except that this screams THIS IS MY FIRST FANFIC

BEWARE OF HIGH CRINGE FACTOR

READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

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Jade's POV:

"Honey! What are you still doing asleep? School starts in 25 minutes!" My mom's voice jolted me out of my momentary peace of sleep. "Honey, your alarm clock has not been going off for over a week," my mom looked at me, waiting for an explanation.

I glanced over at my alarm clock, seated on top of my rickety bedside table. "In all honesty, mom, it probably stopped working. Look, the time dosen't even show anymore."

My mom sighed. "Alright, Jade, I'm sorry. I wish I could buy a new alarm clock, but we don't have the money." I hated being poor. My worn out clothes and taped glasses were the reasons I was bullied at school. Also, it put a lot of stress on my mom and me. She seemed to gain many more grey hairs every day ever since my dad abandoned us and took most of our money about a year ago.

I yawned, stretched, and got up off my saggy mattress and pulled on a dirty white shirt and some badly patched up overalls with grass stains on the knees. 

I went down the hall, and into the kitchen. I grabbed my typical breakfast: a stale piece of bread and a small green apple.

I put on my fleece, and slipped on my sneakers while grabbing my sagging backpack full of schoolwork off its hook by the door. "Have a good day at school honey," my mom came over and hugged me and kissed my cheek. I returned the hug and smiled faintly. If only she knew what really happened at school.

At school

When I arrived at school, I made a beeline for my locker, keeping my head down. I tried to avoid the populars standing in a group nearby, but I had no such luck. I heard the leader, Jesy, yell, "Hey patchwork Thirlwall! Are you actually wearing jeans, or your grandma's old quilt?" 

The other populars laughed.

"Good one, Jesy!" Jesy's second in command, Leigh Anne, shouted. I felt tears prick in the corners of my eyes as I walked over to my locker, keeping my head down.

"Oh yeah patchwork, you got my homework?" Jesy's voice floated over to me as I was organizing my stuff in my locker. 

Slowly, I turned around, paper in hand. Jesy was standing right behind me, hand outstretched. She snatched the paper out of my hand. She slapped me across the face, and smirked. "That's for not replying to my question earlier."

"Come on babe we will be late to class," Jesy's boyfriend, Liam, said. 

Jesy glared at me one last time, then slapped the books and papers out of my arms. She walked away laughing with the rest of the populars.

I should probably tell you about the populars. There's their leader, Jesy, and her boyfriend, Liam. There's Jesy's best friend, Leigh Anne, and her boyfriend, Harry. There's Zayn, and Louis as well. Zayn is captain of the football team, and has broken more hearts than people I know by name. Louis is a big basketball player, and probably the only nice popular. He has talked to me a couple of times, and he even took me down to the nurse once when Jesy tripped me and my head hit a locker.

"Are you okay, Jade?" My best and only friend, Niall, asked as he bent down to help pick up the scattered papers and books. 

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied, holding a hand to my stinging cheek. 

"Did Jesy hit you again?" Niall asked. 

"Yeah, but the stinging will probably go away soon," I stood up as Niall handed me my books and papers. "Thanks, Niall." Niall smiled, and I closed my locker.

At that moment the bell rang, signaling the start of first period. "Hey Jade, I forgot something at my locker. See you in class," Niall said. 

"Okay," I said, disappointed. I walked slowly to the dreaded first period without Niall.