When I Met Polly

Chapter 3

The sand revolves around my feet as I trample through it.

"H-h-hell-hell-hello," I sigh, after this morning when I was completely humiliated I feel very shaken. Everyone thinks I'm abnormal. I'm now hated by Leann and her posse and Alex won't stop tormenting me. I sigh heavily and sit myself on the sand and look out to the sea. I wish I wasn't a human. If only I was a sea creature, I wouldn't have to care about any of this, I hurl a stray pebble into the sea, it successfully plops. Maybe if I just ran away, I don't feel safe here. I mean that's obvious seeing as I can't even speak to people without stuttering or speaking painfully slowly. I hate it here, I mean I love it here, I just hate the people. And they hate me. I drop my gaze sadly to my feet and then I see a familiar looking chewed up and rather slimy tennis ball. I wasn't surprised to see Sheperd waiting by my side for me to throw the ball, however I was surprised to see the woman Polly behind.

"Hello," she greets. I smile back.

"H-h-hi," I greet back. She smiles sorrowfully.

"Try again," she says softly. I stare up at her.

"Umm o-okay. H-hel-he-"

"And again,"

"H-hello,"

"One more time,"

"Hello,"

"Once more,"

"Hello," she smiles at me as I successfully say the word I beam at her. "Hello," I repeat enthusiastically. She takes a seat next to me.

"So how are you Abigail?" She asks, with a thoughtful look.

"Um-m-m-m," I'm unsure of what to say.

"Don't worry, you don't have to give me some complex sentence, although I know you can," she assures "are you happy, sad, angry, upset," I contemplate how I feel, all I know is it's not any of these. "Or do you feel unsafe?" She asks finally staring ahead. How does she know. I stare at her in awe.

"Y-yes-s u-un-n-safe," I reply sadly, and stare out to sea.

"Well don't worry, you'll see, not everyone is bad," she smiles. I smile fondly back at her, I then pick up the tennis ball and hurl it which the dog bounds after. I stare at her in bewilderment, what could that possibly mean? It's as if she know something, that I don't.

My familiar alarm rings, at first I just stare at it. It's vibrating so furiously that it drops off the table. I pull off my blankets and am exposed to the icy air. I shiver, before turning my alarm off. I then get dressed. I smooth out my skirt and examine myself in the mirror. I sigh.

"F-freak," I mutter before walking downstairs. I pack all my books and homework into my bag. I listen for my mum in the kitchen but the house remains silent. I sigh and check the voicemails on our phone.

"Hi darling, it's mum. I'm sorry I needed to rush, but you know just make yourself toast or something. Bye," her voice explained through the phone. You know sometimes I blame her for not being able to talk properly. Not only because she's never here, but because when I was little she always told me to be quiet and not to talk because people thought I was obnoxious if I did. Now I know that wouldn't have been true seeing as I was only three and I hardly ever talked anyway, but it still sticks in your head and now it's become a habit. The toast popping popped me out of my thoughts. I munched it down, brushed my hair and teeth and left the house.

I checked the time, it was 7.50 and time to finish my morning stroll across the beach and head to school. I then spotted Polly stood outside a little cottage situated just on the edge of the beach. She was sat on a rocking chair crafted with what appeared to be bamboo, and was watching me. She lifted her hand and waved to me, I sheepishly waved back. I am beginning to really warm to Polly. She's like the granny I never had. I then see her hastily rush over to me across the sand. She had something in her hand.

"Hello," she greets in her friendly welsh accent.

"H-hi," I reply. Then I see what she is holding out to me. Silver nail polish?

"'Ere take this, it works on metal too," she says, I stare at her in bewilderment.

"T-th-thank y-y-you," I stutter she smiles but her twinkling eyes are sad.

The school corridors were as usual buzzing with students, and I was trying to use my hair to hide my face. I try to get to school just before it starts and not early because I'd hate to be stuck at school with all these people. I spotted Leann leant on a locker conversing with Stephanie. Stephanie was a popular girl, she had ginger hair, and beautiful dark blue eyes. She was clever as well but also a good conversationalist. She's the most scary of them because you know you can't fool her, she's manipulative and scheming. As I walk past both of them stare at me through narrowed eyes. There is a smirk dancing on their lips. I offer them a weak and shaky smile, but they continue to glare. I then see it, even from my distance I see it. On my locker, scrawled across it's silver door, in black marker: 'f-freak!' I freeze for a few moments unsure of how to respond. Tears prick my eyes. I slowly walk towards it, I stare at the word. Then I freeze for another reason. I think back to this morning and my encounter with Polly. I slowly reach into my pocket and pull out the little bottle of silver nail varnish. I stare to and from the word to the nail varnish. How did she know? I unscrew the lid and my nose meets the rather strong scent of the polish. I dip the little brush into the the polish and begin to slowly paint over the word. The chatty students begin to die down.

"What the hell are you doing?" Shrieks someone behind me, I don't even need to turn to tell it's a very angry Leann. I finish painting over the word and slightly smile in success. I place the nail polish back into my pocket and open my locker to place my maths book and science inside. I turn to see that I have gained the attention of the entire corridor. I drop my gaze to my feet and begin to hurry to form, when I thud into someone.

"S-so-sorry," I mutter, not daring to look up at the seemingly boy I just crashed into. Some people are laughing slightly, Leann is howling with laughter. I try to walk on but I am being held back. I slowly look up and meet the blue eyes of Alex Jennings. My heart beat dominates all sounds. He smirks and then forcefully shoves me back, I fly into a bunch of other students before my but hits the hard ground. Now everyone is howling with laughter, my feet slip around the floor as if I am on ice wearing roller blades, my cheeks are burning. I finally manage to pull myself up and brush myself off. I look round at everyone sheepishly, before rushing off to form.