Girls Like Me

Chapter 1

The picture is the map ... where the place is set. And yes, it is a made up place. There isn't actually a town in Australia where this story is based. If there actually is ... well I must be psychic XD anyway, enjoy chapter one!!

"The first fucking day of school, and I have to deal with this shit?" I growl, kicking the tire of my car. It's an old Mercedes Benz, and has been my companion for most of my life, but I've only been able to drive it for one year. And today, of all days, it's decided not to start. "I'm going to need a new damn engine now!"

"Would you like me to give you a ride, sweetie?" Mum calls from her car door. She's halfway getting in, a hopeful smile on her face. She's been like that ever since Dad died, being nice to me, acting like the reason we move so much isn't my fault. But she never takes the time out of her life to get to know me. And I'm glad, because her reclusion would have hurt more if we'd been closer.

The smile I give her is more of a sneer. "Oh no, that's ok Mum. Don't trouble yourself with me," I wave away her question and watch as her smile falls and she frowns sadly. "The school isn't too far down the road."

"Ok, sweetie, as long as you're sure," Mum gets into her car and drives away.

I glare at the sky blue Mercedes. I could skip school and fix the engine. Again. But then, wagging on the first day of your new school won't get you into the good books. Sighing, I grab my messenger bag from the back seat and swing it over my shoulder. I pat the roof of my car before walking out of the driveway and down the footpath to school.

Usually, on the first day, I pay attention to everything. I do my work, because I don't know anyone. I do as I'm told, because I don't know the teachers. I don't know the rules. Slowly, I learn my way around the school, find out the "groups" of kids. Find out whom to avoid. Find out whom to hang around with, though I usually stick to myself, because I'll be up and out of the school within the third week. I learn how far I can push the teachers before I snap, and find out which classes I enjoy the most.

The reason I've moved around so much is because ... well, I'm considered a "Bad Girl". I wouldn't say that. I'd say more of the inspector of schools. And when I say that, I don't mean I move so I can inspect the school based on their safety and education. The former means nothing to me. The latter kind of does, considering I still like to learn. What I do is I see which schools deal out their punishments best.

Okay, so maybe that's not a very good way of getting under the radar of your teachers and principal. It actually started out as I wanted to be the best I can be, and I was a straight 'A' student. I always won an award, whether it was for sport, art, or academia. So as you've probably figured, I'm quite literate, and not an idiot.

But when my Dad died at the end of year seven after he and Mum had a fight and he drove off at night, hitting a roo at one hundred and ten k's, my dreams to become the Prime Minister, or a teacher, or a scientist of any kinds died with him. I changed dramatically. Mum and I used to be close. Then again, all three of us were. So when Dad died, a rift was formed between Mum and I. And I turned into the worst nightmare for schools.

Want to know why I can say that safely? I will admit I smile when I do tell people how many schools I've been to. Though Mum and Dad were very nomadic by nature, I've been to about four primary schools. Sure, that doesn't seem like much, but all up I've been to twenty-eight schools. Yes, that' right. This is my twenty ninth school, and twenty fifth high school. I've been suspended way too many times to count, and I've been expelled thirteen times. I'm kind of aiming to beat the record from my home town, which was twenty six, set by a boy that seriously need help, and ended up finding it in the nut house. I'm banned from every school in Queensland - where I was born so that's not much of a surprise - and most of the schools along the lower east side of Australia. Tasmania Mum hasn't even tried, because she knew we'd be out of there within the year we moved in.