A New Light

Monday

Everything was in order for the start of the week; I had completed all my assigned homeworks, finished reading the Harry Potter series for the third time and I've now started reading Lord of the rings for the second time. It was quieter in the house than usual, you couldn't hear mother in the kitchen making breakfast, you couldn't hear daddy's pen scratching across the paper writing excitedly, you couldn't even hear Nathan's loud pop music coming from his room as he got ready for school.
I collected my school bag from the stool in the corner of my room and headed down the vast hallway, down all three flights of stairs and into the kitchen. Apart from my own, the kitchen is probably my favourite room in the house. It's where the whole family come together at least once a week to talk about their day and new experiences. My brother Nathan of course, doesn't appreciate this time as much I do, he contributes to the conversations by adding his own grunts of acknowledgement whilst sitting on his phone talking to his many friends. He, along with everyone at school think I'm wierd most people call me a nerd sometimes they even go as far as to call me a freak. Their words hurt me. Sometimes after a long day of verbal abuse I sneak up to my en suite with a sharp object and torture my skin.

"Honey are you ready for school?" Mother asks kissing me on my head. I flinch as her lips touch the area I somehow badly bruised.
"Yes mother, is Nathan ready?"
"Of course, he's in the living room waiting for you." Mother smiles and turned to pick up the car keys. What does she mean 'of course'? Nathan's always making us late for school, I don't ever recall a day he's had to wait for me!

Even if home life didn't seem it's usual self, school sure did. I was treated as though I was invisible, people barged into me and talked about me as if I wasn't even there. Within school I had no friends, I was too wierd and unwanted for the other wierd people and sadly, no one seemed to share my love and enthusiasm for Harry potter. I only had one person I could rely upon in a time of need, Mrs Gibb, my English and chess club teacher. She feels like a second mother to me. Her hugs are warm and tight, she even comforts me when I tell her all my problems. I have respect for Mrs Gibb because she has respect for me, unlike the other people in school.

The bell rings and hoards of students make their way to their form rooms. Across the corridor, Nathan's chatting up a girl who I'm pretty sure is in year 12, the year above his. He always seems to be entertaining the opposite gender. I sigh wondering what's so wrong with me, I mean what's the difference between me and the other popular girls in school? Yeah, maybe I like different things but I'm not perticuarly ugly, my hair might be a little on the frizzy side but how am I sopposed to tame it when I don't know what products to use?
Instead of rushing to be the first in class like usual, I take my time, walking at a steady pace like everyone else. I look around me, at 'normal' people. Girls gossiping with their friends, year 10 and 11 boys sneaking in and out if the toilets to smoke, Stephen Addock the school bully (maybe less normal than the rest) torturing a year 8 for his dinner money. And, there he is, in all his glory, Lucas Bryce captain of the school rugby team. The boy I've liked since my first day at Springbrooke academy. Blue eyes shining brightly and his dark hair in a perfect quiff, the only bad thing about him is his girlfriend, Amanda Monk. Queen of year 10, perfect figure and the most amazing, long, blonde hair. Everyone adores her, everyone except me. Maybe it's just jealousy but she's never been the type of person I would want to be friends with. Most of the hate and abuse I get is from her and her two minions, Lydia Adamson and Fern Hernys. They're like springbrooke's own version of mean girls. Even though Fern can't tell the weather from feeling her breasts like Karen, she sure has fancied one or two of her cousins before. Lydia is constantly being used by Amanda because her dad is one of the big bosses for nars and Lydia can get Amanda any makeup product she wants. I feel deeply sorry for the both of them.

My time in form room goes surprisingly fast. Being sat in the back corner on my own has it's high points, I'm able to sit and read while the rest of the class mingle and talk loudly. Mr Hendrick is nicer than most teachers, once I even overheard Fern Henrys  talking about how she think he's good looking and if it wasn't because of the government saying it's wrong for him to date a student, she would 'totally go there'. Personally I don't find him that attractive, his nose is quiet wide and teeth not straight, but I suppose Fern would 'go there' with anything on two legs. I rush to English, my mind drifting, so I can be the first to see Mrs Gibb.
I make my way to my single desk in the centre of the class watching each student come in one after another. "Okay so I've made a few adjustments to the seating plan, if you would like to take a look at the board and find your newly allocated seat please." This isn't like Mrs Gibb at all, it's usually in classes like Religion and science we move seats, not English.My eyes are directed to Theo Avery, Liam's Best friend, as he shouts across the class room. "Ayee shame on you Bryce, I feel for you lad." I turn and watch Liam make his way to the front of the class before gazing at the board for myself, realising why Theo felt so sorry for Liam. Everyone's eyes are on me whilst I walk to my new seat. In some ways I feel lucky, I get to sit next to my all time biggest crush right at the front of the class, in my favourite lesson! But, in other ways it upsets me because I know how much Liam would rather sit next to someone like Theo or anyone else rather than me.

When lunch finally comes around, there's no change in people keeping quiet about the seating in English. Almost the whole year knows and people keep telling Liam how sorry they are for him, how unlucky he is and not to talk to me to much in case the weirdness rubs off from me to him. People are constantly talking about me like I'm not there. "Lizzie!" Someone shouts and I spin round confused and slightly scared. Amanda and her minions are stood opposite, all six eyes staring directly at me.
"Yeah?" I ask not sure it was actually me they wanted.
"Come sit with us." The pure shock I was feeling must have spread across my face quicker than I thought because before I could answer I had a freshly manicured hand on mine, taking me away.