Adopted by Katie Mcgrath

Chapter 25

WARNING: This chapter may be sensitive for some viewers, please read with caution!

The first week went by fine. I had no issues with Olivia, yet. I talked with Jake in English and sat with him at lunch when the others were at clubs. I didn't quite understand why the others said not to trust him, in all honesty, he seemed like a nice guy.

After a couple of weeks, I had adjusted to the school. Cara had found out about me self-harming after she saw my scars during P.E. after I told her, she vaguely understood. Of course, I missed everything out about Joseph and the incident last year.

I was in History, with Jake, Olivia and Cara. Joseph was somehow on my mind, don't ask me why it just happens on some days. I was doodling in my notebook when I was asked to read a passage from the textbook we were working from, out loud to the class. I suddenly felt my anxiety increase as everyone looked at me. Ever since I had started I tried to be the quiet kid at the back of the class. And know all the attention was on me. I looked down at the page, and once again the words started to form black and white blocks, "Clemmie, any day now," Mrs Henry urged.

"T-the first ... w-wor-ld w-war... h-had..." suddenly everyone started laughing

"Everyone settle down," Mrs Henry ordered.

"I can't believe it," Olivia started, "You can't read?" she laughed, soon everyone else started laughing again. Cara gave me a sympathetic look before I crossed my arms over and buried my head. Worst. Day. Ever.

"Clemence, see me after class," Mrs Henry stated. Great. Just great.

As soon as the bell went everyone left, I tried to leave with Cara but Mrs Henry stopped me. "Clemence," she said, still looking down at her work, I walked back to the front of her desk, Cara waiting by the door, "You can go to lunch Miss Edwards," Cara looked at me before heading out of the door. "Do you want to explain what happened during class?" she asked. I had to give her an answer otherwise I would never get out.

"I struggle with reading," I said fiddling with the tags of my backpack.

"In what way do you struggle?" she asked leaning back in her chair.

"The words just merge together to form white and black blocks," I explained.

"Mr Jenkins tells me that you act on a TV show," I know what she's implying, 'how can you learn your lines if you can't read them?'

"Yeah, I have very few lines, as I usually just improvise or I have a tonne of time to learn them," I explain, "I've always struggled, I just spend extra time reading the textbooks at home," I say, which isn't a lie.

"I see. Well do you want me to speak to the learning support staff," she asks. I know she's only trying to help, but I don't need it.

"No thanks, my parents are already aware of it," I lie. I don't want mum and dad finding out that there's another thing wrong with me. I'm managing fine, at the moment. If I really needed help with it I would ask them.

"Okay. You may leave," she says, I exit the room as quickly as possible. Only to have my shoulders grabbed by Olivia's goons.

"What do you want Olivia?" I asked annoyed.

"No wonder no one wants you, you can't read, and you can't even act. I mean Alex and her retarded group of friends only hang out with you because you're in the film industry. Well, were. No wonder your mom sends you here, she's probably fed up of looking after you. Special little Clemmie, who can't even read. She probably only adopted you because she felt sorry for you. And you probably only got that job because she was working on that show, you're probably not even good at it. Why don't you just go kill yourself, it would do us all some good," I knew that Olivia was just trying to get under my skin, and in all honesty, it was working. Why would anyone want to adopt me? I was just some abandoned kid from London, who just happened to get some rich parents. Soon after Olivia left, but her words kept on swimming around in my head.

I was soon joined by Tash, Sophie and Alex, "Hey Clem," Tash greeted.

"Hey," I mumbled.

"You okay?" Alex asked, looking at me concerned.

"Yeah, I just need some space, if that's alright?" I said walking off to the bathroom.

I ran into the bathroom and shut myself in one of the cubicles, I don't bother locking the door. I sat down on the toilet and watched as blood trickled down my forearm and onto the floor. The last thing I can remember before blacking out was Cara running in and holding me telling me to stay with her. Then everything went black.

Cara's POV:

"Hey, do you know where Clemmie is?" I questioned, as I came up to the group in the hallway.

"She said she wanted space," Alex said.

"She went to the restroom" Tash explained, bluntly.

"You let her go in there alone?" I asked.

"Yeah, why?" Soph asked but I wasn't listening.

"Shit..." I ran into the restroom, and saw Clemmie lying on the ground in a pool of blood, "Shit! Someone get a teacher! Clem? Clem, can you hear me?" I asked frantically trying to get her to wake up, "Clem stay with me! Clemmie, stay with me!" I begged, tears falling down my face, I heard the others come in after me and a load of screams.