Natalie Tan despised advanced mathematics, she didn't find it hard per se but she didn't put the effort in resulting in crap marks. "How do you do four?" Mrs Leister points at the board, I looked up and then back to my book, I'd just been talking to my friends the entire time, "Um... COS inverse 24 over 73," I replied lazily, "Other way round, but yes, correct." She says and I nod drooping off again, "You know, you're not as stupid as you say you are, you really just don't try hard enough," Elenor nudged my arm, I grunted, the bell rang and we all went to our lockers to grab our bags, it was already the end of the day, I was never a model student, getting past with bare minimum grades and average scores on everything, the odd 10 when I was lucky. I had a solid group of friends but was pretty popular when it came to the ret of the year, I didn't hang out with them but everyone knew who I was. The trouble maker."Hey Nat, bus?" Cora asks me, I nod, "692? Did you bring any food? I'm hungry today." I ask, she nods. We got on the bus, I sigh and look out the window after she got off, today was Friday, that's when mum heads out god knows doing what? She never tells me anything anymore, "Hi Nat!" I turn my head and internally groan, Arlo peeks from the seat in front, she wasn't annoying... just, she forces her way into conversations and when I wanted to just put in my headphones I felt bad if I didn't talk to her and she engaged in conversation, "Hey Arlo." I put on a fake smile, after a while, she had to get off at her stop, "Bye!" I say cheerfully, "Bye!" And she hops off, I smile to myself, I press the stop button and hop off at my stop, "Thank you," I smile at the bus driver and he closes the door after me. I trudge my way back home, plugging in my headphones and shoving my hands into my blazer pockets, I loosen the scarf around my neck and untuck my shirt, "Stupid private school uniforms," I grumble at the tight fabric and stiff cloth.
"Hi, I'm home." I open the door, mum usually headed out a little later, I got home around 4:25PM and she left at 4:30-4:45PM, no response, "Mum? Hello?" I put my bag down, it was too silent, "She probably already left," I grab a cup and fill it under the tap, taking gulps of it as I went to my room, "Hello? Mum?" I ask again, I saw a small drop of blood in the corridor, my breath hitched, "Mum?" I say quietly, I open the door to my room and I saw her body on my bed, a knife stuck out from her heart. I screamed, "WHAT THE HELL?!" I started to hyperventilate, "MUM? MUM!" I touch her hand, cold, I grab my phone and call the ambulance, everything was a blur, I saw a note on top of her face, I grabbed it with shaky hands.
To Natalie,
I love you so much but I
couldn't deal anymore, I haven't
told you about what I do. I work for
ASIO, our Australian border forces.
My job has taken a toll on my body
I feel myself going insane every day.
I couldn't deal anymore and I killed myself.
I sorry.
On the back of this sheet, I have the
combination code for the safe in my room,
I have four thousand in there, take it and
call the ambulance saying suicide.
They'll look after you.
- Mum
Tears fell down my cheeks, this has to be a joke. A sick joke. "Are you okay, your body is in shock right now." The ambulance and police arrived, I just stared at the ground, "Do you have any family or relatives we can contact?" The police asks gently, "No siblings, dad took a runner when I was born and all my grandparents are six feet under in Chinese soil." I mutter, I felt dead, they all look at me, "Say, we need to take you to a foster home okay?" They pick me up and I just slumped, I felt as if all the bones in my body disappeared.
"Hello Natalie, my name is Harper, this is the New South Wales house for orphaned children. I'm sorry for what happened to your mum." A care worker dragged a chair out and sat down on it. "Thanks Miss," I tap my shoes together under the table, she laughed, "You're not at school, you don't have to call me Miss, also do you prefer being called Nat or Natalie?" She asks, I shrug, "Don't care to be honest," I reply dryly, "Listen, I know this is hard and you might not like it here and your life feels like it's shattered at the moment but there are lots of good people here to help you." She pats my hand, "Right." I say, "Come on, I'll show you the dining hall," She stands up and I follow her, small talk happening here and there but nothing major, "Cutlery there, hot food at the bar, cereal and fruit juice. Make your own toast if you want. Honey, jam or vegemite on the table over there," She points at the selection of food, I smile lightly, "When you've eaten, see me in my office, I'll try and help you arrange a family as soon as I can." She nods, "Thanks a lot. Really," I smile up at her, she grabs her clipboard and heads out the hall. Over the course of a few weeks, I made friends with a good group of kids around my age, Avery, Addison, Brooke, Maddie and Chloe, we hung out every day but it started to get repetitive, wake up, eat breakfast, gossip about which boys they liked this week and go to bed. Every day, all day until one day something happened.
