A Guide to Finding Fathers (A One Direction FanFiction)

Chapter 6

People stared at me as I walked into school the next day. My hair was back up in its high ponytail and my eyes were fierce once again. The girl that stood there looked much more like the photo Genie had reminded me of yesterday. I glared around and made my way to form unimpeded. As Miss Carter called the register she skipped over my name as she used to, but this time, when she finished, I raised my hand. She did a double take, but called on me anyway.

'You missed my name.' She stared at me as if wings and horns had suddenly sprouted from my skin.

'I...I'm sorry. Theodora Thompson?'

'Here. Oh, and I prefer Theo.' By now everyone was staring at me but I ignored them, instead choosing to heed the bell and pack up before leaving for my next lesson. I stalked out with my head held high.

The same thing occurred in every class and the teachers' reactions were all pretty much the same and my fellow students gradually grew used to this new, talking Thompson. Everything was fine until Marian and her gang approached me in the bathrooms.

'So the freak speaks?' She sneered. Her cronies laughed and I automatically shrank into myself like a turtle, wired to protect myself. Then I caught sight of myself in the mirror behind one Marian's followers who was higher up in the hierarchy. I saw the real me and the person I had become. The old me would be ashamed. I grit my teeth and stood up straight.

'It's a shame you won't shut up.' Marin gasped.

'How dare you?!'

'I dare because I'm fed up with you pushing me down all the time, and I'm not letting you turn me into a walkover when really I am so much more than you.' Marian clenched her fists. 'Go on, I dare you. I've been fighting on the streets since I was seven, you wouldn't even be able to bruise me.'

To give her some credit, she actually had the guts (or the stupidity, not sure which) to swing at me. I grabbed her arm and bent her forwards, twisting her arm behind her back. She cried out and her henchpeople recoiled from me.

'Keep this in mind next time you bully anyone, not just me.' I was forcibly reminded of the vintage bobble heads some people had in their cars as the group nodded their heads frantically and had to bite my lip to keep from smiling. I let Marian up. 'And if you ever try to even give me a dirty look, I won't be so nice.'

They sprinted from the room and I watched amused. I reckoned I wouldn't have any more problems from them. I grabbed my bag and strolled down to my next lesson, no longer shrinking every time someone walked past and smiling. I smiled in school for the first time ever. I'd sorted Marian and this year was going to be good.

* * * * *

Eleanor phoned me in a panic when I got home.

'Theo Thompson! Where are you!? What are you doing!? What's wrong!? Are you okay!?'

'Woah, calm down. What are you saying?'

'Can you meet me at Fantasy in five?'

'I can't walk that fast.'

'I'll pick you up, where do you live?'

Bewildered and a little bit curious, I reeled off my address and once again packed up my Wednesday bag on the wrong day. Eleanor was here in five minutes and now I was really worried. She lived the other side of town, she must have raced over, there was something really wrong. She didn't say anything in the car but when we got to Fantasy, she pulled me into a quiet corner and unleashed her inner demon. Sort of. Inner stresshead anyway.

'What's wrong?! Your headteacher phoned me yesterday and said there was something wrong only I was working and didn't pick the message up until today and then you were in school and are you okay?' I stared at her.

'And...breathe,' I said, demonstrating in case she had forgotten how to, seeing as she hadn't breathed at all through her speech. She copied my example.

'No but really what's up?' I sat down and told her to get comfortable for the story. Then I took a deep breath and started to explain everything.

'In primary school I had lots of friends, but I liked reading. Everyone was fine with that, until in Year 6 a new girl came. She thought reading was weird and that I was a freak for liking it so much and pretty much turned the whole class against me. They told her more things about me that I had told my friends confidentially, such as my Mum being so young and working full time and being poor, that she used as ammunition.

'To start with, I fought back. I gave as good as I got and never let it go. But eventually it wore me down and I gave in. Outside of school, on the streets, I was still not someone you'd mess with, young as I was, but in school I changed completely. I barely spoke and never did anything that would call attention to myself. I mastered the art of Not Being There and being Unnoticeable and by the time I got to Year 7, I never spoke in school or around my classmates. The teachers used to try to get me to speak but eventually they gave up as well.

'Then even yesterday, on the first day back, I was still targeted. Mr Carter called me into his office and said he tried to phone Mum but she didn't answer, so I gave him your number because I trust you. Then I came up here and Genie reminded me of who I used to be.

'Today I remembered and spoke and stood up for myself. I reckon I've sorted the main culprit and I highly doubt she will be bullying anyone ever again. So now it's all good.'

Eleanor experienced a variety of emotions during my speech, each one flickering across her face before being replaced by the next. Eventually it settled on worried.

'Theo, what did you do?'

I froze.

'I...uh...gave her flowers?' Eleanor gave me a flat look. 'It was self-defence,' I protested, 'she swung first!'

'Theodora Thompson!' I groaned.

'Don't. Don't do that. Please. I'll be good, just don;t call me that.'

Eleanor looked at me.

'Fine, but I don't want to hear any more reports of you fighting in school,' she said. I sulked, then smiled and hugged her.

'All right, Mother, I promise. Anyway, what should I wear to your party?'

'Ooh, can I come and see what you have?' She asked, excitedly. I laughed and agreed, so we went back to my flat where she proceeded to raid my wardrobe. 'Lovely, but no. Tomorrow, we are going shopping to get you something perfect for this party. I want to show off my amazing little friend. Don;t worry, I'll make sure you look stunning.' I protested weakly, but the only change I could make in her mind was that we had to go to Fantasy afterwards. I wasn't going to miss a Wednesday, even if I had been yesterday and today instead. Eventually she agreed and we said goodbye, after half an hour of negotiating. On the way out, Eleanor scooped up a picture from the shelf in the hall.

'Is this your mum?' She asked, frowning at the picture.

'Yeah, why?'

'She looks familiar, but I can't think...' She studied the picture for a little while longer, before shrugging and putting it down. 'She you tomorrow after school, and make sure you wear comfy shoes, we'll be doing a bit of walking.'

 Word Count: 1307

I have made a polyvore set for each chapter, now in the External Links, go check them out.

Crow