The Lost Life Of Lilly

It Doesn't Always Get Better

Lilly

It had been five days since Lilly had joined the orphanage, in which she had been teased for her curiosity; taunted, as she lived in the Shack Room; and bullied by those who envied her having living parents. Lilly ignored them as best as she could but it was difficult when she lived with them in the same building, ate on the same benches with the same disgusting meals and slept listening to the sobs of her fellow orphans in the neighbouring dorms.

One night there was a bang at the door. After Lilly didn't answer, it came again - this time louder and harder, making thick dust tumble from the doorframe.

"Open up Shack Girl."  Loud sniggering followed. Lilly had been called Shack Girl since her first night - when they had found her in her room. Could you call it a room?

"Open up or well force our way in! Shack Girl." Lilly didn't mind being called Shack Girl. The thing that bothered her was the rest of them laughing.

They chuckled and ran away, their heavy footsteps fading away as they reached the boys' dorm. 

After she was sure that they left, Lilly slipped out of the door and into the hallway, wrapped in a towel. She showered in the girls' toilets in cold water with old soap.  She missed her bathroom at home: the sweet smell of pastries her mother was baking below and the unmistakable smell of clean clothes which her father had washed that morning. None of that happened here.

After washing, she stepped out of the cubical and moved to the mirror. She examined her thin body: feeling her thin waist, running her fingers over her prominent ribs and staring at her skinny arms which now lacked the little muscle she had gained before coming to DeVille. She sighed, rewrapping the towel over her small body.

She walked quickly through the corridor and into her... room. Lilly turned away from the door and froze. In front of her stood three boys. They were well known in DeVille for being the most horrible boys. Jimmy stood before her, his stupid sidekick, Evan, on his left and, by his right, stood Rory, who did whatever Jimmy said.

"Well, well, well, " Jimmy spoke with a smirk pasted across his messed up face.  If Lilly rearranged it with her fist, she could be doing him a favour. The reflected lack of muscle in her arm flashed into her mind. She decided against it, tightening her towel. "What do we have here?"

Lilly turned to her right, immediately stepping into Evan. His strong arms flexed below his long neck. She gasped before moving left again. A tall body blocked her path - Jimmy. She slid further left and darted to the door only to be met by the thin frame of Rory. She remembered two weeks ago when he had asked her out. After being rejected he had joined Jimmy. It would be so easy to kick him.  So she did, bringing her foot up between his legs and punching him in his stomach. It felt so good.

"What's this huh? Shall we take a closer look at It?"

Her eyes widened as she reached for the door handle. She cracked it opened and was about to step outside when her towel got caught on something.  She tried to pull it away but Jimmy's hand tightened. With a strong tug, her towel slipped and fell to the floor as a wave of laughter filled the room. She screamed, grabbing her grey uniform and sprinting to the bathroom, tears wetting her face.

She never wanted to see them again.