- Chapter Two - "Next thing you know you'll be inviting her to the Barrens."
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TW: homophobic slur
BEING OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL was like being born again. That first gasping breath of air as the students were released from the stuffy confines of the school they had been trapped in for hours. Free for a few months before they get trapped in again, that time in the freezing cold of autumn and winter.
Amanda couldn't deny that she liked the small refreshing feeling of stepping outside, but it didn't do much good because the heat started pulsating through her veins again anyway. Sweat droplets building on her forehead, her armpits, the inside of her elbows and the back of her knees. Everywhere the sun hit. She hated sweat, it made her feel hotter than normal.
Most children from the school were probably a bit cooler than Amanda, but that would be because they weren't wearing a jacket over their arms. She was surprised she hadn't dropped dead at the heat she was enduring from the sun because of it. It was to disguise a big bruise on her arm from walking into a wall.
Truthfully, it wasn't from anything bad. But with the reputation that the town held for the Bowers siblings and family, Amanda couldn't risk any exposure to her family's cruel attitudes. There'd be even more of a punishment for that one. Still, Amanda was boiling and dreaded her hour long walk home from school.
Her bike still hadn't been fixed, she was planning to go and get a new bike chain with the money from her rainy day fund but her time after school had been taken up by chores. So the first day of summer was the best bet. It was the only time available and Amanda had hated walking to and from school in the blistering heat.
Despite her father being stationed at the front of school everyday with Betty Ripsoms mother, he couldn't drive her home because technically he was still on the job. Betty was no one special to Amanda, obviously no one deserves to be in the situation that Betty was, but she was just as much as a bitch to her as everyone else was.
Speaking of her father, he was the first person that Amanda spotted as she took that breath of fresh air. He was staring straight back at her from behind a pair of sunglasses though he shared no greeting or nod of acknowledgment, he simply stared at her.
Amanda smiled as best she could whilst she walked down the small amount of stairs and over to where he stood near the police car. Even from behind his sunglasses she could tell his eyes were following her, right up until he was staring down at her when she was in front of him.
"Hi, daddy." She said, close to mumbling but still able to be heard.
"Hi, sweetheart." He grunted, adjusting his belt and her eyes flew towards the gun holstered there. Obviously he wouldn't shoot her in front of everyone, but with Butch Bowers you never knew.
"Wh-What time will you be home?" Amanda asked, scuffing the floor with her shoe and when her father looked down at that instead of her face, she stopped abruptly.
