In Another Lifetime

Chapter 1 - Merida

Merida Dunbroch was bored. It was the summer holidays, which ususally meant happiness for most people she knew. Not Merida. Her parents were sending her to a summer camp this year, for at least a few weeks. You'll make new friends! they had said. Stop being so stubborn!

The only light at the end of the tunnel was that she knew there'd be archery there. She was the best archer nationally; her walls were lined with certificates and medals from her competitions.

But she was scared. Not of going to the camp, just of the people. She was scared she'd be judged, mocked at, have to share a room with an idiot. She was just stubborn, and boy did she know it. She also really didn't care. Who cares what people think?  She tried to live by that quote, but ever since Merida's mother had shouted at her one day:

"You can't rule my life! I'm fed up of you telling me what to do, what not to do!"

"I am your mother! You will listen to me!"

"It's not fair!"

"You don't know what you've done!"

Merida had found it very difficult to live by that prospect since then. She didn't really have many friends at school, besides Angus, but he was her pet dog. She didn't really want many friends either. She didn't want to be crowded, was her excuse. But really she was afraid of betrayal. Denial. Being left alone when she most needed it. Which is why she decided to build up a resistance to others. To abuse anyone who came near her. To cut herself off from people entirely. Yes she was lonely sometimes, but she always had her archery and Angus. And her music. She swore she lived in it. Her headphones were her most prized possession, beside her bow of course. She didn't care that virtually all the bands and singers she loved were from the last decade and before, she just loved being lost in the feeling of the instruments and the notes playing through her brain.

Most people were into pop groups. Not Merida. She loved the 80s rock music. People made fun of her, to which she retorted that Freddie Mercury was the best singer ever known. She didn't care what they said anymore, just as long as she had her music she was fine.

Merida wasn't really a person for shopping either. She preferred a retro style, boot cut jeans, black boots and a navy hoodie. She didn't care that it was skinny, high waist jeans that where the rage at the moment, she hated fashion to the point that it annoyed her mother so much that she'd drag Merida out to department stores to force her to buy new clothes. But no matter how hard she tried, the only colours Merida would wear were blue, green and sometimes a bit of red or orange when she was feeling daring.

But truly, Merida liked her personality. She knew her opinion, she didn't let herself get swayed from hers because someone else believed something different. She liked her stubborness and was proud of her bravery. The only thing she wanted to change was her incapability to make friends. Maybe this summer camp could help, she thought, but immedietly she dismissed the idea. When was that ever going to happen? When had her mother ever made a decision that benefitted her?

What a great summer this'll be, Merida thought gloomily as she plugged into her headphones and put them on full blast. Queen blared out of her phone as she let the music wash her worried behind her and away to a place where she'd forget about them for the time being.

A/N Hi everyone! Thanks for the comments on the prologue, I'm guessing it's all good to continue the story then :) Hopefully a new chapter tomorrow or on Sunday, not quite certain yet, depending on when I have free time.

Thanks bookworms and stay with me! (cos you're all I need...)