"Emily, Emily wake up." I wake up and see my mother standing above me smiling. She might be happy, but I as sure as hell am not. I've been dreading this day ever since summer started. "You don't want to be late for your first day of school," She says, "come on get ready." I smile just for her benefit, when really I want to get on my knees and beg her not to make me go. I don't want to make her worry, so I get up and begin my routine as she goes downstairs to make breakfast. I brush my hair, which is the same red hair as my mothers. Actually, people always tell me I look so much like her. But I don't see it, she must be a million times more beautiful than me. It's no wonder why my dad fell for her. It's as if they were meant for each other, so I don't really know where it all went wrong...
I don't really put much into my appearance, so I just grab a random outfit, put my hair into a ponytail and finish getting ready. I walk downstairs and my mother hands me my lunch and I eat breakfast. When I'm finished, I get in the car so mom can drive me to school. I stare out the window as my mom gets in the car. "Are you excited?" My mother asks turning the key in the ignition. Everything but, I think. instead of telling her that, I just smile at her and say, "Yup, can't wait!" She smiles at me and I turn back to the window.
Before I even realize it, my mom has already dropped me off and driven away and I'm just standing there, not wanting to go in, yet not really having a choice, so I open the doors and walk inside to see Sylvia standing there waiting for me. I sigh as she says, "hmmm... I was half expecting you not to show up, but since you're finally here let's make this quick, I don't want to be late." She smiles as if it's just some joke, which, it may be to her, but all things considered she's the only one laughing. Well her and two of her "followers", or that's what I like to call them. "Let's just get this over with." I sigh, waiting. "Oh, really? You're not going to put up a fight? Well I'll work with what I have." She shrugs her shoulders in a way that makes me want to punch her, but I can't, her dad is rich, so of course, she gets away with everything. I roll my eyes and she pushes me down, "hmm..." She says, looking me over like a toy she can't wait to break. "let's start with the face." She smiles at me and then backs away so the two girls who were standing behind her can step forward.
And everything goes black before I can even feel the pain of being kicked in the face.
* * *
"She's waking up!" I recognize the kind voice of the school nurse and sit up and open my eyes.
"Ugh what happened?" I ask rubbing a sore spot on my head. "Well, you fell down the stairs," says the nurse then she adds, "again. You're lucky Sylvia found you and brought you to me. You should be more careful." I roll my eyes. That girl is just a sack of lies. Suddenly, Sylvia is right there hugging me, more like suffocating me, or at least trying to. "I was so worried about you, you need to be more careful." She says, batting her mascara lined eyelashes. Ugh, she is so fake. Last time It was I "got hit with a basketball", and now this? I smiled at her and said "thank you, but I should get to class." I grabbed my bag and got up. "Wait," said Sylvia, "let me walk you to class." She added a fake smile. "We do have the same classes." I just started walking as she followed, no doubt thinking of something to make my life even more miserable.
"Oh! I almost forgot!" She said blocking my path. "Is my homework finished?" I just sigh pulling out the project our teacher had us do over the summer and handed it to her. She snatches it from me and says, "It better be an A." Then she runs to class as if she didn't just cheat on a major grade. Though I don't care that much, she's fine with anything as long as it's an A, so I always aim to get a 90 on the projects she makes me do. When I don't get her an A she either gets me in trouble, beats me up physically or she just says mean things.
I just keep walking, and try not to think about all the things she's done when the bell rings.
I sprint to class, making it to the door a few minutes after the bell starts ringing and walk inside to find my teacher writing on the whiteboard. In large cursive letters,she writes Mrs. Fawn, on the board. I sneak over to my desk, hoping she doesn't notice me when she says, "my name is Mrs. Fawn," and without turning around she adds, "and you are late." She suddenly turns around and points at me. "Do you have a pass?" I suddenly remember how quick I was to leave the nurse and how I forgot to take a pass. "No, ma'am," I say. "I will let it slide this time Just try not to be late to my class again." She says, "sit down."
