Chapter 4 Worst day ever

“Okay, I can do this,” I say as I stare at my reflection in the mirror. I am in a grey hoodie and jeans. My battered sneakers complete my comfortable look. “All I have to do is walk up to Dustin and ask for my backpack back.” I take a deep breath. “And hope that he did not snoop through it.”

“If you want a ride, I’m getting ready to leave,” Aunt June shouts.

“Come on Marcy!” Sophie shouts next.

“I’m coming,” I grumble more to myself. I exit my room and stomp down the stairs.

“Where’s your bag?” Aunt June asks as she sees me.

“I left it at school,” I mutter as I walk past her.

“She left it with her boyfriend,” Sophie says in a stage whisper.

I ignore the pair as I continue to stomp to the van. I stomp through a puddle as I walk to the van. Great, now my feet are soaked. I get in and sit in the backseat, this way I can avoid the two as they talk about me. I pop in my headphones and tune out the world as I listen to my favorite artists. God, I wish I had my sketch book.

I can hear the two of them chatter in the background of the roar of music. I try not to listen to what they are saying, focusing instead on the sound of violins and percussion instruments.

“Okay, you both have a good day,” Aunt June says as she pulls up out front the junior high and high school.

“Thanks mom,” Sophie says as she jumps out and dashes forward.

I roll my eyes. I know Sophie does not mean to call her mom and Aunt June doesn’t mind, but it irritates me. Aunt June is not our mom. She is dad’s older sister. She took us in out of guilt because her brother and sister-in-law were murdered. Aunt June is the only family we have left. So, it was her or being put in foster care.

I get out of the van and slam the door. “I see Dr. Martin today,” I say before stalking into the building.

Court ordered me to meet with a therapist and as luck will have it, the school had a therapist on hand. The judge said that I had delusions and a psychotic episode after mom and dad died.

No one believed me when I said that what killed my parents wasn’t human. What I saw still doesn’t make sense to me. But I know whatever it was, it was not human. It did not move like a human dressed in all black.

So, court ordered psych evals and mandatory counseling so that way I can work through my trauma. Yay, for me.

I shove open the front door and look around. I’m early, but not super early that no one else is here yet. A few of the football team are already milling about along with some nerds. But no Dustin. Damn, I hope he gets here soon so I can get my bag from him and then leave.

I walk towards my locker to grab some of the cash I keep in there to go get breakfast. Maybe an apple will keep me distracted as I wait?

Spinning the combination of my lock, I hear the sound of heels. God, what idiot decided to wear heels in high school?

“Freak,” Britney says behind me.

I can hear the disdain in her voice. I try to ignore her. Maybe if I don’t engage, she will disappear.

“I said, freak,” she repeats at me as if I am a disobedient dog. Her manicured nails dig into my shoulder as she attempts to spin me around, so I am facing her.

“What do you want?” I demand as I face the head cheerleader.

“Don’t talk back to your betters,” she sneers at me.

“You wanted my attention,” I point out as I yank myself away from her. I ignore how her nails leave scratches in my arms. Damn, it’s like she has claws.

“I was just going to tell you to stay away from my boyfriend, but with your attitude, I think you need a lesson,” she says as a cruel smile overtakes her face. “Girls, I think the freak needs a makeover.”

Britney snaps and her three lackeys, I mean, fellow cheerleaders, grab me. The three girls are stronger than I am, and they start to drag me to the bathroom.

“Let me go!” I shout. I try to throw myself from their grasp, but it doesn’t work. “Let go,” I shout again as panic starts to creep in. I try to keep calm, but the panic is winning. I feel static shock one of the girls holding me.

“Ow!” one of the cheerleaders scream in pain. She let’s go and takes a step back.

“What?” Britney demands.

“She shocked me,” she whines.

“It was static electricity,” Britney dismisses. “Get her to the bathroom.”

That did not feel like a normal static shock. It felt more powerful and I did not feel the pain from it. What the hell was that? If I did not feel it, how did I know it hurt her?

I look around wildly for help. But the few students who are here, turn away and pretend that I don’t exist. The football players are loyal to Dustin and won’t say anything as it’s his girlfriend leading the bullying today. The nerds and others don’t want to get involved.

My heart sinks a little. Bullying is normal in schools, no matter how hard people try to keep it from happening. But still, someone should speak up when they see it happening.

Britney struts ahead of us and hold open the door. Her lackeys drag me into the bathroom and the one I shocked locks the door.

I look around wildly as the lock clicks into place. Four against one, it’s not a fair fight.

“Hmm, what should we start with?” Britney asks aloud.

“Her hair,” Kelly or Kiley, or whatever her name is, says with a smile.

“Oh! I like the sound of that! She’s always playing with it,” Jessie says. I know Jessie, she sits beside me in chemistry and tries to copy off me.

“Shave or butcher it?” Britney asks as she sets a finger on her chin as she ponders what to do.

“Shaving it will make sure she has to live with the shame longer,” the final lackey cackles. I have no clue who she is.

“True,” Britney says as she turns to the sink. She picks up the razor and turns it on.

Dread settles in my stomach. They planned to bring me here. The four of them were never going to threaten me and walk away.

“If we leave little patches of hair, it will look even worse,” Britney sneers as steps towards me.

“No, please,” I say as I try to get away. “I’ll stay away from Dustin. I’ll do whatever you want.”