Removing my Mask

  We’re hiding in the dark alley in the giant city. I wonder how a place that’s so busy and bustling through the day can be so still and silent at night. They’re just around the corner. They’re after us. I daren’t even breathe because they might hear which is just as well because the smell here is awful. I reach out, find his hand in the darkness and squeeze it tight. I could blame him if I didn’t know how afraid he is, if I didn’t know that he is as scared as me.

  I walk into the school and instantly I see them, the popular girls. They never have a hair out of place, always have a full face of make up and all the boys fancy them, in other words they’re the exact opposite of me. I never thought I was ugly until I met them but they think I am and how could anyone popular be wrong? Everything about me is ugly and everything about them is perfect. I see Amy, the leader of their group, coming over to me.

  “Hi, Daisy,” she sneers, “didn’t know bunches were in fashion. Well, I did, but only on five year olds.” I feel like crying. I just wanted to try out a new look because they hated my old one so much.

  Then I see him, standing at the office. Our school isn’t very big so it’s easy to notice anyone new, and especially easy to notice him. He looks so gorgeous. He has blond hair that falls on his face, his gorgeous face. I forget where I am; forget about Amy and her gang; even forget my own name.

  But then Melanie, another one of the popular girls, says, “Oh, I see you’ve seen the new guy. And I suppose you think that he’s going to fall for you instantly and you’ll live happily ever after.” I blush because my thoughts were going somewhere along those lines.

  “Aw, how sweet,” Amy adds, “she thinks she’s got a chance.” They start laughing like mad.

  Then, in a much more threatening voice, Amy says, “Don’t even think about it. He’s going to be mine.” I don’t bother reminding her that she already has a boyfriend, Fred, the most gorgeous guy in school. Well, he used to be the most gorgeous anyway.

  Then the bell rings and I go to registration.

  When I get in I sit down, next to Karen, who’s really nice but I think only sits next to me because she pities me. She never talks to me more than she has to.

  And then he walks in, the boy I saw before. He goes up and talks to our teacher, Mr Green and Mr Green tells us that his name is Jake and that he’s going to be in our class. He asks if anyone wants to help Jake find his way around the school, and almost every single girl in the class sticks their hand up, including me.

  Mr Green looks around the room and after a while he says, “Daisy, why don’t you do it?”

  All the girls give me dirty looks but for once I don’t care. I’m getting to show the hottest guy I have ever seen around the school. I know you might think I’m exaggerating, saying he’s the hottest guy I’ve ever seen but he is. He is far more gorgeous than any celebrity I’ve ever seen.

  He seems friendly too. He smiles at me then walks over and says, “Hi, you must be Daisy. I’m Jake.”

  At first I think I’m going to start babbling like an idiot but his smile seems genuinely friendly and I actually find myself speaking quite confidently, telling him about the school. I would have thought that Amy and Melanie would have been the first ones to speak to him, batting their eyelashes and flirting like crazy, but they don’t. At first I think they’re trying to play it cool and wonder if I should too but then I realise that they’re too shy to say anything.

  I then realise that I’ve been really rude and haven’t asked Jake anything about himself so I ask him where he used to go to school.

  “I used to live in Glasgow so this is quite a big change. It’s beautiful here in the Highlands, though.”