Changed For The Better

Skewel

My eyes weren't even open yet, and I could already hear the exact sound I didn't want to hear. My alarm clock, angrily beeping from the bedside table. Where did summer go? What happened to all that time?

The sound of the alarm was soon followed by that of a gong. Yeah I forgot Luke had the gong. I groaned and bashed the alarm clock, sending it to the floor which shut it up.

"Good morning to you too" Ryan said. He sounds like he's been up for ages,

"Nothing good about it" I responded as I sat up. "Why are you so chirpy? It's early and we have to go to school, and you look like you've just been told it's Christmas"

"Yeah but on the plus side....um..."

"Yeah...?"

"Yeah I got nothing. Today is going to suck"

"Agreed"

Then the door swung open and a furious looking Luke stared down at us. "Why aren't you guys getting ready? We need to leave soon you're gonna be late!"

"Luke calm down" I said. "We've got ages, it's only just gone seven"

"It's already gone seven?!"

He seemed out of breath, but he turned and ran out of the room, leaving the door open.

"I hope he's not this stressed every morning" I said.

"Yeah, but anyway, let's get ready. Maybe that will calm him down"

"Seriously are you feeling okay Ryan? Only you don't seem that upset about going back"

"I mean I don't want to go back, but I know when we're in school I get to spend time with you"

"You get to spend time with me here"

"But here is different. Here you have everyone else and there's always some form of drama"

"Yeah, because there's no drama at school(!) Oh no wait, yes there is. Even more than there is here, plus the pressure and stress of exams and mocks and choices and futures and..."

"Marie you're stressing. Calm down. We haven't even got there yet"

"Exactly! Before you even arrive on the first day it's effecting your mental health. I'm telling you, this year is going to be the worst one yet"

"Well yeah but, anyway, let's get up and get ready. We'll only make things worse for us, and Luke, if we make ourselves late. So come on, you don't want a detention on the first day"

"Why do you assume I'm going to be the one getting in trouble?"

"I'm not" he said, but I didn't believe him. He thought I was going to be exactly the same as last year and get into a load of trouble. Well, as much as I hate to admit it, I was going through a phase. I'm okay now. I'm nice again.

We got up and got dressed in the wretched uniform. Whoever designed this seriously needs to go back into school and feel what it's like to wear them, both emotionally and physically.

Anyway, when we were ready we went down for breakfast. Since I haven't even been awake at this time recently, I really wasn't hungry. I put a piece of toast on my plate and sort of nibbled on it, but I couldn't bring myself to finish even half of it. It just made me feel sick.

"Are you okay?" Ryan asked me at the table from where he sat beside me. "Why aren't you eating?"

"Don't tell us the freak's stopped eating again" Jody moaned from her end of the table.

"I'm fine" I replied to Ryan, trying to ignore Jody. "It's just because I'm not used to eating now. I'll get back into the swing of it"

"If you're sure"

"I am"

He gave me an unconvinced look, but dropped the matter. Luke was still running round in a frenzy, and Mai Lee was running round after him trying to calm him down.

Eventually the dreaded time rolled round when we had to leave. We were walking today which was kind of annoying, but at least it wasn't raining. You could tell we were tired, because nobody really said anything. The walk was pretty much silent, other than occasional small talk. This sucks.

We turned the corner and were greeted by the tall standing grey prison where we go to be educated by people who pay to learn knowledge then are paid to pass it on to younger ones who don't care.

The second I set my eyes upon the school grounds, it brought back memories of the blonde girl who bullied me, and all the times I got into trouble for stupid reasons. I remembered that I haven't actually been back since going to secure. I wonder what everyone thinks of that.

We stick to the same timetable and teachers and stuff that we had last year, to make it easier for the teachers, knowing what we have already conversed in preparation for the exams.

This is bad news for me. This means I still have Mr Bawing for maths, if he hasn't been fired yet that is. The rest of them are okay I guess, even if they don't have the best impression of me.

The bell went pretty much as soon as we got there. Phew. That means we don't have to deal with standing round in an awkward silence. Ryan, Jody and I headed up to form where Miss Martin was sitting at her desk, doing something on the computer.

We don't really have assigned seats in form, so Ryan and I went to sit at the back of the room where we could hide from her. This isn't where we sat last year but it's where I would rather be.

Harley walked through the door, and I suddenly felt very confused. How was I mean to act toward Harley? Like I obviously don't like him? Not in that way and maybe not even as a friend.

And I don't know if he knows about what happened to me after the whole Romeo and Juliet thing. I swear I'm never doing another school play again. Not after I got sent away because of it last time.

Harley noticed me looking at him and gave a smile and a small wave. I sort of waved back awkwardly, not wanting to draw attention to it with Ryan sitting right next to me. Luckily Harley took his place in his seat which was a couple of rows in front of us.

Once everyone was in place, Miss Martin stood up in front of everyone and I could tell she was about to give us a very long and boring speech, that we will probably hear more than once today.

"Listen up everyone" she started, on no. "This year is the most important year of your education. This year is the year that all other years have been preparing you for. This year is the year you sit your exams, as I am sure you know all too well. I expect nothing but the best from you. Your, personal best that is. I expect you to try. I expect you to revise. I expect you to spend free time in form and in between lessons with your heads down and studying. No break will be free of learning"

"Isn't that kind of the point of a break though?" I whispered to Ryan, louder than I intended.

"What was that Marie?" Miss Martin asked before Ryan could say anything. Busted.

"Oh nothing"

"No you were talking. And if you were talking over me it must be something really important so please do share with the class. We would all love to hear what was so important that it couldn't wait until after"

"Well..." I hesitated. There's no way of getting out of this one. I might as well just be honest. "I was just saying that you're asking us to not spend our breaks actually acting a break. And that's the whole point of a break"

"Not this year it isn't. This year, break should be seen more like a free period, where you choose what subject you wish to study. May I continue now please?"

"Yes"

"Good. And if I hear another word out of you, you'll be in detention tonight"

Well that's totally unreasonable for the first day, but there was no way I was going to object. I know she wasn't joking when she said that she would put me in detention. I feel like a lot of teachers at this school have some sort of a grudge against me.

One thing I know for sure, is this is going to be a long year.