The Performance

Chapter 1: The Betrayal

My expression dropped as I stared in dismay at the red glaring light. I pressed my card to the sensor again, hoping it was a glitch in the system. It wasn't. The angry red light appeared again, forbidding me to enter the cafeteria and get a meal.

When my mother told me I would be attending the most pristine boarding school in my state, I had reluctantly agreed. I had no idea I would be in for years of humiliation and punishments.

My mom had been so broken up after the divorce with my father and moved us across the country from Georgia to Alaska. I tried to be the perfect daughter and make her happy. That meant getting perfect scores in school, cleaning and cooking. Overtime she began to ignore me. I was just a ghost she shared her house with.

So, when she came into my room, acknowledging my presence with a letter from this private boarding school, I had jumped at the opportunity to make her happy again. I didn't know this was her ultimate plan to rid herself of my existence. I was alone at the school, parents night came and went every year without any sign of her.

I dragged my feet down the shiny, tiled hallway back to my dorm room. I shared it with the headmaster's daughter, Darcy. Her extremely wealthy parents ran the school and she was a spoiled brat.

If I even looked at her too long, she complained to her parents. As punishment, they took away my meals, and gave me the long tedious chores that no one else wanted to do.

I pursed my lips and I came to our shared room, not wanting to face the reason I was skipping another meal, again. I rapped my knuckles on the door, knowing Darcy would be pissed if I barged in. When there was no response I twisted the doorknob open.

The room was so dark, even the full moon couldn't illuminate the furniture. I tip toed around to the light switch cautiously and right as I was about to flip the lights on I heard the bed squeak.

Darcy was a very active girl and I knew what that sound meant. I rolled my eyes, thankful she hadn't noticed me and turned to leave the room. Maybe I could room with my boyfriend, Rick, for the night.

The male Darcy was with whispered, "that's right, baby. Just like that."

I froze. I knew that voice. That was the exact same line Rick has said to me.

I whirled around and flipped on the lights, fuming. When I looked back at the scene in front of me, there was no mistaking Rick's fiery red hair. I watched his back tense as he fucked my roommate.

I snapped out of my shock. "Rick! What the fuck!"

"Fuck," Rick muttered and rolled off of a flushed Darcy.

I stood there and scowled at him. Rick stared back at me. Did he really have no explanation, no apologies?

He sighed as if I exhausted him and rolled out of Darcy's bed. "Go away Talia." Darcy commanded.

I refused to budge even as Rick came closer to me, trying to intimidate me. "Listen Talia, it's not what it looked like, Darcy manipulated me. You know I only have eyes for you."

"Do you." I snapped not buying it.

"Of course I do. I love you Talia and only you." Rick tried.

"I'm not stupid, Rick," Darcy laughed "you used me and you slept with Darcy."

"No, that's not true-"

Darcy giggled, "oh give it up Rick. Talia knows, she's such a smart girl she finally figured it out."

I frowned, Darcy made it sound like some big scheme. Unless, it was.

I was invisible. I sit in the back of class, quietly taking notes, and when school's over I rush to a dark corner of the library.

When somebody had gone out of his way to talk to me, I had been suspicious at first. But, he won me over later on with presents. I hadn't gotten any presents since my seventh birthday before my parents split, I had been elated and ignored my gut.

Rick was handsome and popular. He came from a wealthy family, while I came from middle class and was here on a scholarship. He was well respected and well liked because of his charming smile. I had fallen prey to it.

Only a few months into our relationship I gave him my virginity. I had been so nervous, but he kept hinting at sex and how me being a virgin was such a big turn on for him.

I gave into the pressure. It had hurt, a lot. Rick had assured me he was experienced, but he only got himself off without pleasuring me. After that, I made excuses and avoided another session.

I think back to when I complained about Darcy to him, I had found it odd how he never took my side. He stayed silent. I had chalked it up to him wanting to stay out of 'girl drama' as he called it.

I narrowed my eyes at them. Darcy was standing behind Rick and stroking his chest, staking a claim on him. Rick appeared almost empathetic, but then he leaned into Darcy's touch and the look vanished.

I scoffed, finally piecing together everything. "You played me. You two were together."

Darcy smirked as if it was funny. I was just a part of her sick game.

I seethed with anger and marched out of the room, slamming the door shut behind me. I swiped tears from my eyes and I softly ran down the hall. I pried open a window at the end of it, we weren't allowed to leave the school unless we were on vacation, but I found a window that didn't lock correctly and had fiddled with it one night until it opened.

I slipped out and hopped to the ground, pulling the window shut behind me. I shivered immediately as the cold air hit my bare arms. I pulled my arms into my uniform and wrapped them around my torso, trying to keep my warmth.

I ran away from the school and into the surrounding woods. When I got to a certain spot under a thick spruce tree that shielded the area underneath it from the harsh wind I crouched below it.

I sobbed against the tree for hours before I exhausted myself. I hadn't loved him, we were only together for five months, too short of a time period to determine if you love somebody.

But, I gave him everything. I confided in him about my roommate. I gave him my virginity. I wasn't worthy of another man after being used like that.

I not only lost my boyfriend, but my only friend in that hellish place. Now I was back to square one without anyone.

When my fingertips turned purple I decided to make the long journey back to the school. I would have to face them eventually and instead I ran out like a pansy.

Footsteps crunched behind me. I paused and listened intently. When I heard nothing else I kept walking, assuming they were my own. Then, I felt a sharp pinch at the base of the neck. I flicked at the bug that had landed on me. But my hand met a thin glass cylinder.

I gasped and stumbled forward. I crumbled to the ground, unable to carry my own weight anymore. Darkness seeped into my vision turning the world black.

FIRST CHAPTER!!

I promise the other chapters I'll be longer than this, I had to get all the boring background bits out of the way first.