How can a Nobody, Become a Somebody?

Chapter 1- Life (Rosalind)

I reach over and blindly fiddle with my alarm clock till it shuts up. Even though I don’t want to get out of bed I know I have to. If I don’t, Mom will come in here any minute and wake me up the hard way. I shudder at the thought.

While climbing out of bed I look at the clock. It’s 5:00 A.M. and I’m exhausted. Then I hear mom stomping up the stairs. I quickly grab my clothes and rush into the bathroom. After locking the door, I throw my pajamas off and put my clothes on. Someone bangs on the door and I jump.

          Mom yells at me, “WHAT IS TAKING SO LONG! GET YOUR BUTT OUT HERE!”

          I tell her I’ll be right out as I slip on my socks and shoes. Grabbing my brush, I open the door prepared for the worst. She gives me her death glare and slaps me. I can feel my cheek turn red but it causes no pain since it has been done to me so many times. I keep a straight face as she storms down the stairs hollering at me to get my stuff.

I hurry into my bedroom, grab my brown book bag, and sling it over my shoulder trying not to fall under the weight. I walk out my room, grabbing my set of keys, and close my door. Turning around I lock it from the outside. I had turned my doorknob around so I could lock it from the outside and I put a bolt lock on the inside. This way mom couldn’t get in my room.

          I walk down the stairs and go out the door, shutting it behind me. Mom honks at me as I rush to get in the car. Yanking open the door, I barely get my stuff in before she starts to back out telling me to hurry up or I’ll walk. I know that she’s not kidding about walking so I make a leap for the car, just making it.

          The thing is the line, “you’ll walk to school ” has no effect on me. I have a drivers license and a car but Mom doesn’t know that. She thinks that I depend on her for driving me around when, actually, I have my car parked like a block away. So technically I will never have to walk to school but I never want her to know that. Who knows what she would do?

I buckle up and put my shades on so no one can see my emotions from my eyes. Mom speeds to school, surprisingly slow, at 86 mph. We’re there in 5 minutes even though it’s supposed to take twenty.

I unbuckle and grab my book bag before we pull in. Quickly, I glance at the car’s clock. Now its 5:10A.M. and school doesn’t start until eight, but I’m use to this.

          She pulls into the parking lot and I open the door. She slows down enough to where I can get out without killing myself but not to a complete stop. I jump out and slam the door before she speeds up and drives away.

Grabbing my brush out of my bag, I start to brush my hair. I comb it to where it’s nice and smooth and then put it in a pony tail. I put my black hoodie on over my hair, and slouch over so no one can see my face.

There are only a couple of people around here at this time but it’s those people who sleep here because at home their…… well they don’t really have a home but no one knows that, except me.

I walk over to them and nod my head as they nod back. None of us talk to each other, because none of us need to know each others stories. That’s why none of us have friends, and why we all stay away from people.

          The guards glance at me and mark my name off their list of people. They take role call in the courtyard so teachers don’t have to worry about checking roll every period. To me this is a stupid idea on their part but on the kids part, it’s a great idea.

I take a seat over in my corner and pull out a book called “Nightmare”. I always read books to get away from my life. I get absorbed in them and I’m totally oblivious to what is around me.