Cheating Death

Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE

My mother always said my name with disgust. Ana-stay-zzia. She said it now.
            “Anastasia,” she called again. “You'll be late for your first day. Try not to cause a shooting today.”
            My heart clenched in the memory of my nightmare. It was hard to believe it was a week ago I lost them—my friends, and Conrad. Beautiful, kind Conrad. Trying to control my clotting tears at the thought of him, I pulled down my school jumper. My mother had considered shipping me off to some boarding school, but I wouldn't let her. Luckily, this time, we stayed in the same continent. I could have been shipped off to Africa or Asia for all my mother cared.
            “Okay,” I whispered, to myself not to my mother. I clenched my fists as I brought back the tears. There was no way she was going to see me cry. “I can do this. But this time, Anastasia, there's not going to be a Conrad to sweep the new girl off her feet. Don't draw attention to yourself. If you do, the ones you start to love will get hurt.”
            It helped me- talking to myself. I was on a side of my own, so I couldn't ask anyone for help. The only person I had was myself, and I still hated her.
            “Any,” she jeered Conrad's nickname for me, knowing how much it would burn.
            It did burn. Pain ripped through my chest. The nightmare made it even worse. “Anastasia, get down here right now!”
            Solemn, I decided it was time to leave. I grabbed my school bag and walked through the house. My mother had given me the bedroom on the ground floor. She'd stated that she didn't even want to share a floor with me.
            “So you decided to come downstairs,” my mother said as she heard my heels clicking on the kitchen flooring. She served Hollie her food and turned to face me. “Mess up at this school and I will disown you, hear me? It's not fair to Hollie to keep her moving schools, and houses. Plus, the money is getting short now. I could do with you in an orphanage.”
            I wanted to shout at her. Scream something like: “Do it then!” But as much as I despised my mother, I didn't want to argue with her. I touched the bruise on my arm as I thought of our last argument.
            She walked out of the room, red heels clicking. The room was silent, the little ginger girl eating some toast and my father reading a newspaper. They all pretended to be oblivious.
            I took in a deep breath. “How am I supposed to get to school?”
            I heard my mother's heels as she strode into the room. She slapped my arm hard. “Don't talk to them,” she spat out, not even looking at me. “And you'll walk. I'm sure you'll be able to find your way. I don't want you in my car.”
            I nodded. Even though it was pouring down with rain, I was eager to leave the house. I had no coat. My mother didn't want to waste her money on the demon that she was forced to share her last name with. Therefore, I used all of my saved up money to buy my school uniform.
            After my mother exited the room, Hollie glanced up from her toast. I glowered at my replacement and walked out of the kitchen. I didn't even know where I was, or where I was headed to. Some kind of school in some kind of town. Nowadays, I didn't get informed of these things.
            As I walked out the door, rain smattering on my face, I half expected to see Geola, waiting to walk to school with me. “Ana, you're always late,” she would chide as she helped me carry my swim gear.
            But I'd never hear her say that again.
            The rain ran with my tears, blending them together. I missed G so much it was unreal. Though she fancied my boyfriend, I trusted her. The piercing blue eyes should have saved her, not me. Elinsa, too, should have been spared. What did that boy with the piercing blue eyes have against me? Why did he force me to live?
            While I didn't concentrate, I stumbled off the pavement into the road. A car staggered towards me and I quickly jumped out of the way. There was no need for my panic because the car stopped by me, already drenched.
            The window rolled down to reveal a girl of my age. “School is the other way, curly.”