Fly Away

Chapter 1 - Satan

Today was the day I started a new chapter of my life. 

Here I was, about to go to a new school, about to meet new people, about to live out the beginning of the second chance life gave me.

I took in a deep breath. 

You can do this. 

On the walk to school, I mentally reviewed the rules I made for myself in order to make sure I survived the last semester of my junior year, and hopefully senior year as well. 

Rule number one: don't go around causing unnecessary drama.

Rule number two: stand up for yourself if needed - don't back down from mean girls, because standing there and taking their crap won't be any better than fighting back.

Rule number three: don't let anyone get close to you, because they'll leave you and the pain isn't worth it. 

Rule number four: don't fall in love. 

About fifteen minutes later, I arrived.

Despite being ten minutes before school started, there were already a bunch of students milling around, standing in groups and talking, walking in and out of the large main building - typical.

There are so many people.

Ugh, people. 

I walked onto the timeless-looking campus of Rosewood High School, hoping that I wouldn't be driven insane by the fear of being judged and hated. 

I was new here. It shouldn't be that bad, right? Usually, new people aren't hated unless they do something offensive that draws attention to themselves. Since I was aiming to keep to myself, I was going to be okay, right?

Right?

But, the people.

People.

People everywhere. Their judging stares. The whispering. Looking away, looking back, whispering. I can almost hear them talking about me in hushed whispers. Almost. I closed my eyes, falling back into the memories.

Why is this bitch here? they would say. Who is she?

It's that one emo chick.

She's ugly. I would kill myself if I looked like her.

Why isn't she dead yet?

She should have been the one that died.

The buzzing of their irrelevant voices grew louder and louder until it filled my ears.

Buzzing. More buzzing.

My eyes opened and darted around, drinking in my surroundings. Luckily, nobody noticed the short little girl standing before the steps, in the middle of one of the wide walkways to enter the school building. Only a few curious glances strayed my way, probably wondering who the new student was. 

I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding this whole time. 

It was all in your head. Don't worry Raven, it's okay, I repeated to myself.

But still.

The judging stares and hushed whispers.

I can't.

I can't do this.

I felt my heart begin to beat faster and faster. The pounding sound coursed through my ears, sending a shiver down my spine. A cool sweat broke out from my palms and I desperately tried to wipe it off on my ripped jeans. I felt myself start hyperventilate.