Laura's Story

Laura's Story Part 2

Chapter 2:

I tug on Mathew’s hand and we keep walking, hurrying so we don’t get caught up chatting to the other poor bogans on the estate.

“Lauwa, what if the big kids are mean to me? What if they think I’m…” Mathew pauses, his voice trailing into nothingness.

“Think you’re what? Cute?” I ask, grinning, “Cos that’s nothing to be ashamed of.’

“Stupid. What if they think I’m stupid?”

“I promise you, they won’t. No one’s very smart in prep. But you’ll learn quickly, don’t worry.”

“Weally?” he says, and then he gasps. “But I talk funny! I bet no one else talks funny! They’ll all tease me, they’ll all be mean and-” I cut him off.

“Hey, hey. It doesn’t matter how you talk. Heaps of preps have lisps, but you’ll soon grow out of it, don’t you worry.”

Mathew sighs, but doesn’t say anything else. I can see Sarah up ahead, still buried in a book as she walks. Kelly’s off in her own little world, away with the fairies.

Before long, we’re trudging up in front of Wallbridge Primary School. Kelly finds her friends straight away and runs up to them, not even bothering to say goodbye to me. I ignore her, and call out to Sarah, who’s already sitting on the top of the monkey bars, still reading.

“Get back down here, Sah!” I call out. She doesn’t look up, but I know she’s heard me.

“Sarah!” I call, but again she ignores me. A kid pulls at Sarah’s foot and murmurs to her that she’s being called. She looks up, pretending she was so deeply absorbed in her book that she didn’t hear me calling.

“What?” she says, her ears poking out from her hair.

“Come and take Mathew into school,” I say. “And for gods sake, look after him!”

I bend down and give him a hug, but he starts to cry.

“I don’t want to go, Lauwa! Y-you can’t m-make me,” he moans, his blonde curly hair sticking up all over the place. I sigh, and lead him over to Sarah. If I don’t hurry up I’ll be late for school.

“Take him into school, but… just try to make him feel better!” I tell her, hoping she will abandon her book and take care of Mathew.

“Why can’t you?” she says, frustration at me gleaming in her dark brown eyes.

“BECAUSE I HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL!” I yell, and a couple of anxious parents stare at me cautiously.

“I’m so sick of being the responsible one! Now take Mathew into school, PLEASE!” I beg, and I turn around and stomp out of the school gates, ignoring the many people staring at me.

 I storm down the street, and turn the corner onto Bloom Street, trying my best to forget the life I’ve just left behind. At school, I have to be a completely different person. I’m tough, I’m savvy, I’m popular. I’m not the world’s most overused babysitter with a depressed mum, an abusive stepdad and a tumbledown house in a shitty estate.

“Laura!” I hear someone shout as I step through the front gates of Wallbridge High. It’s Anna, one of my friends. She runs towards me and flings her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly. I pull away from her, and step back.

“Don’t touch me,” I say, glaring at her. I feel kind of mean, but I’m not one for the whole huggy, touchy thing.

“Sorry, Lau,” she says, looking down at the floor sheepishly.