Dystopia

Dystopia 

Chapter 1: More than Charlotte 

"No, sweetheart, that's not good," Daddy told me as I pushed the cereal box of the cold metal shelf. I'm "sweetheart". Only Daddy and Papa call me that. My name is Charlotte Darwin, not "sweetheart". Daddy is right, I'm not supposed to make a mess. 

"Sorry, right?" I asked quickly. Daddy nodded. "Sorry," I say again. Asking isn't the real apology, I remember that. 

"It's alright Charlotte. Now, put it back on the shelf," he said, bending down to pick up the box and handing it to me. I put it back on the shelf and smile up at him. Daddy smiles and nods, leading me towards the checkout line of the grocery store. "Honey, stand still please," Daddy says, careful to only touch me on my shoulder, so not on the skin. That hurts. I'm also "honey". Sometimes this confuses me. Papa tries to tell Daddy that, but Daddy can't help it. I don't mind, but sometimes I forget I am more than just Charlotte.  

I like to look at my Daddy. He has nice hair. Light, and shiny. He is shorter than Papa, but Daddy doesn't mind. "Daddy, the person behind us is staring at me. Isn't that rude? Papa told me that was rude," I told him. I looked back at the man behind us. He looked surprised. Maybe he doesn't know it's rude to stare. "My Papa says it's rude to stare. You're being rude," I say to him, looking up at him. He is ugly. My Daddy and Papa are nice to look at. 

"Charlotte!" Daddy says, and now he looks surprised. It is rude, isn't it? "I'm sorry sir, she didn't mean to say that, you know how children can be," Daddy tells him quickly, and he looks upset. 

"Oh, no it's fine. Don't worry about it buddy," the man says, but I know that he doesn't like that I said he was rude.  

"But Daddy-" I start, but he looks at me with a look that I know. It says "Not good Charlotte". I look down as Daddy pays for groceries. I grab the bag with the bread in it. I can't pick up the bag with eggs in it, they break too easily. I follow him out of the store and we walk down the street. We live close to the Tesco.  

"Charlotte, you have to think before you speak. People don't always understand and I know that's hard. But you're starting school soon and you need to be careful of what you say," Daddy says as we reach our apartment. He pulled out his keys and unlocks the door. I can't take the keys because I might lose them. I pushed and held the door open for him and he smiled at me. I love it when Daddy smiles at me, because he has a nice smile. That really is him though. Daddy is nice to everyone. We walk up the steps of the flat and go to the kitchen. The kitchen is connected to the living room, that has funny wallpaper on it, with designs, where there is a table we eat at sometimes, usually only when Aunt Carrie or Uncle Jean visits. Then there is Daddy and Papa's room on the side of it. Up stairs is my room. My room is special. Everything is just how I like it. I helped Daddy with the groceries he helped me reach the top shelf of the refrigerator to put the milk there. 

"So sweetheart," he starts off. I'm sweetheart, I told myself. "Tonight, you, I, and Papa are going to go to your new school to check it out. We can go meet your teacher and look at your new classroom. Maybe you can meet some of you're classmates. That'll be fun, won't it?" he asked, finishing with the groceries and going to make a pot of tea for when Papa gets home, which will be in 17 minutes.  

"No," I said, sitting at the table where my coloring book and crayons are.  

Daddy sighed and sat next to me. "Why not?" he asked as I pick a page with a picture of Winnie the Pooh and Piglet. I like Piglet. I don't like Tigger, he's really loud. 

"I don't want to. I want to stay here. Mrs. Granger from downstairs can teach me. And I can already read and write and I know my numbers. I don't need school," I told him, searching for the pink crayon. It isn't there. "Where's the pink one?" I asked.