In Check

chapter two

After begging my mum about 50 more times to get me out of here I’ve been sitting on the bench just outside the first row of cabins sulking.

My mum left about an hour ago and I’ve just been sitting here, wishing I was somewhere else.

Anywhere else.

All I did was watch the other kids pile into their new rooms, meeting their new roommates and I just wasn’t into it at all. This place was filled with rotten people who were just plain crazy, it’s actually insulting that my mother brought me here. I’m nothing like these people.

“Hey you’re Mandy right?” a girl appeared beside me.

She wore her black hair up in a ponytail and her face was covered with gigantic reading glasses. She almost seemed bug eyed.

“Who’s asking?” I furrowed my eyebrows

She let out a giggle. Why the hell is she laughing I didn’t even say anything.

“I’m your roommate, Hannah” she stretched out her hand.

I scoffed and stood up from the rock I was sitting on an dusted myself off, ignoring her gesture.

“can I help you?” I crossed my arms over my chest and tilted my head to the side, lifting one eyebrow.

“um yeah,” she stuttered.

Ha, I scared her.

“Tracey, our mentor told me to come and find you, there’s a group meeting” she murmured while fidgeting with the end strands of her hair.

“why are you so…” I trailed off

“why am I so what?”

“weak” I managed to find the right word

She let out a breathless laugh.

“I’m not a troubled teen I’m just here helping out my aunt,” she pointed over to a woman who was helping a girl bring her luggage into the cabin, she had a “keep yourself in check” t shirt on. And I noticed that Hannah was wearing the same one.

“and there was no extra rooms left so I just volunteered to bunk with someone here” she finished off with a smile.

I tried to put on my best fake smile

“great!” I rolled my eyes and purposely bumped shoulders with her as I walked past.

“wait!” she called.

“ugh what?” I spun myself around.

“I can show you were the mass hall is? Its where we eat our meals and where the meetings are held” she smiled again.

If she smiles one more time I will slap her.

“whatever” I grunted

I walked behind Hannah as she guided me towards the entrance of the hall, the doors were opened and I could already see students sitting down in their seats talking with their friends they had just made a few hours ago.

See I’m not good with that at all, it takes me a while to warm up to someone. I might actually learn to tolerate some people just as I’m about to leave this place.

The hall was massive, there was a canteen at the back of the hall and three long tables thretching out through the middle where all the teenagers were seated.

I groaned. I have to be surrounded with them.

“come one Mandy we can sit on the end here” Hannah pointed to the very last table that had a few empty seats at the end.