Butterfly

1. Permanent Marker.

Chapter One: Permanent Marker.

♡ Jessica Washington ♡

It's Monday, September the fourth, the day we all go back to school after a six week summer break. Alike most people, I'm dreading it. I used to enjoy school, I loved to learn new things, I got good grades, while also having quite a few good close friends. However, that changed two years ago, when I was fifteen. Now, I'm dreading going back to school.

So when eight o' clock rolls around, I reluctantly leave the house, saying a quick goodbye to my parents. I start to walk down the street to the school, which is only a half an hour's walk away. Putting my earphones in, I block out the sounds of the world, shutting out everything and everyone.

I arrive at school with ten minutes to spare, arriving at exactly eight thirty. I lightly tug on the wire in front of me, letting my earphones fall out my ears, before shoving them in the pocket of my bag. Then I inhale slowly, looking up at the brick building, which has Kingston High School written across the area above the glass doors. Oh, how I've missed this hellhole.

I slowly walk into the building, bracing myself for the day that is about to come. It's strange. When it happened, I thought that people would forget about it within a few weeks. But they haven't. They still remember, two years later. I'm stuck with this reputation, and I don't think it'll go until I leave this school, which unfortunately isn't until the end of this year. One mistake, one small mistake, has changed everything for me at this school. Unfortunately, it's not a mistake I can just erase, it's scrawled in permanent marker everywhere, never to be forgotten.

It's not like a constant thing. It has been two years, so it's not like it's still a fresh bit of gossip. But I'll still always be that girl to them, and I don't think I'll ever be able to change that. Most people don't even mention it, only quite a few boys and a few girls mention it, either for a laugh, or to be spiteful. Either way, it still makes me feel like shit.

I walk down the hallway, heading towards my locker. As I pass a group of boys, who I think are on the football team, one of them - Oliver - whistles lowly as I walk past, his mischievous blue eyes following my movement. This earns him a laugh from his friends, to which I just roll my eyes, walking away.

"Jess! Hey, I've missed you so much," my best friend, Olivia, grins when she sees me. I smile brightly when I see her, as she bounces over and wraps her arms around me in a tight hug. I hug her back, before stepping back.

"I've missed you too, did you have a nice time in Spain?" I ask, as I unlock my locker to take out my books for my first lesson, which is English Literature.

"Yes, the sun was out, it was so hot, as were the boys," Olivia replies, probably remembering a boy she fancied while she was away. For Olivia, it's easy. She can get any boy she wants, she has the looks for it, and the personality. She's so likeable and outgoing, any boy would be lucky to have her. For me, it isn't so easy. If I ever liked a boy, they would know the rumours about me, and they'd assume I was looking for something different. So I stopped trying.

"Sounds fun, show me some pictures at lunch, okay? I have to get to class," I tell her, and she nods, smiling. Her short brown hair falls over her green eyes slightly as she smiles, as she always laughs a little when she smiles.

"Of course, I'll see you later," Olivia smiles, showing off her perfect white teeth, before I start walking to my first lesson.