The Staircases // 5SOS

Chapter 3

Marj's P.O.V.

It's been a long day. Too long. Especially this hour, sixth hour, my stupid geometry class. Can I just leave? Is that allowed?

Today we have a substitute in for Mrs. King. The subs name is Mr. McMartin, and although class started what seems like years ago, he is just now taking attendance.

I hate when subs take attendance because they don't know your nickname and mispronounce a lot of people's names. I never have a problem with the latter, but I do have a problem when they say my full first name. It's not that I hate my full name, but I don't like it either. Marjorie, it's so stupid and old sounding. Marj isn't that much better, but it's still better. Bristol says it fits my personality, but I don't know.

I haven't been listening as Mr. McMartin has been rattling off names until I hear "Marjorie Hardwood?"

"Here" I say reluctantly hoping someone else would claim that horrible name that it isn't me, but it is. I swear I hear snickers around the room, you know because my name sounds like margarine butter or that it is the same as their great grandmothers.

Mr. McMartin finishes the list and most of us continue talking as we were before he took attendance. I look around the room and like two people are actually doing the worksheet. I sure as hell am not because it looks like Japanese to me.

I grab my old and worn reading book out of my backpack and start where I left off and I'm abruptly transported to a wonderful nonexistent world. Out of this jail cell that I now call my life most of the time.

...

Although it seems like mere minutes the bell rings signaling school is over for today. For what would have been eternity, a good book made the time fly, thank God.

I grab my backpack and walk out of the room ready to meet Bristol, Kat, and Raya in the hall, we all had different math classes sixth hour and walk to our lockers together. I wait for a second and see Raya and Bristol walk down the hall towards me. Raya has her auburn hair in a ponytail and she's wearing a cute top with jean capris, her nose ring, that she pretty much got for Chad, is sparkling in the hallway lights. As for Bristol, she has her long blonde hair straightened and is wearing some blue jeans with a pretty floral sweater.

As they approach me I hear them talking about the homework from Mr. Crawford, their math teachers class.

"I don't know a thing that is going on in that class" Bristol says with a worried face.

"Same" Raya says without an ounce of Bristol's worry.

We walk just around the corner and Kat joins us.

"Hey guys" she says with what seems like a fake smile. "I have stuff to tell you tonight at practice" her face is glum. But we all look kinda glum. It's a Monday, we are all tired and we still have practice.

We walk down the staircase not talking to each other, just walking along with the conversations of the people nearby.

Right before we get to the sophomore locker hallway Raya says "So we still getting pizza?" we all nod our heads yes and then disperse in the direction we need to go.

When I get to my locker I open it and take my time, my mom won't be picking me up for about ten minutes, and she's always late. The perks of not riding the bus like Kat and Raya. I grab my math book since I didn't do the worksheet in class and my biology book and shut my locker probably a little too hard. People nearby look at me as if I had just slammed it after an argument.

I tilt my head down and walk fast down the hall just wanting to get away from the stares when BAM! All of a sudden I'm lying face up on the cold, dirty, school hallway.