And Then There Was One [#WATTYS2017]

Chapter I

The only real memory I have from the first day of high school was messing around with a bit of white tac. Though I would never admit it I actually loved to mould things into shapes. I hated art and crafts with a strange passion. When I was younger I was always terrible at it and it took so much effort so I just grew to always dislike anything to do with the fine arts, except moulding. With just a skittle size of a piece, I created a bowtie, a kitten and a fish as the instructor gave us an introduction of the school.

He was a slovenly man. He proudly carried his scruffy beard and unkempt hair as he used his soft but deep voice to brief us on the layout of the school and our choice classes. Other than the nine mandatory subjects that we had to take (you know maths, English, history e.t.c) I chose chemistry, biology, home Economics, Business studies and classical studies. Boy, I had a lot on my plate.

"Finally I got the cushy life" I thought to myself. I was enrolled in middle school but it wasn't the best child in a not so great neighbourhood so you could say that my education went down the drain but I still managed to get into this high class school. I couldn't stay there and go through it all again. Not again. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and it is true. But to repeat a near death experience and expect a different result other than death is not only stupidity but a very good indication of insanity.

I got a top locker and my ID photo was pretty good if I do say so myself, but today my main objective was to make as many friends as possible. I've noticed throughout my life that I tend to be incredibly weird so if I was going to enjoy this plushy posh life, I needed to get on with people. We sat accordingly to our roll call. Name's Persephone by the way. Persephone Alleys. Pronounced "Per-se-fo-nee". Of course, having my accursed surname, I was at the very top corner of the class, away from everyone but I had some luck. I sat beside a doll-face girl. Both of us coming from African descent but she had more of a bright yellow complexion, compared to my coco Brown face. Her name was Prudence but she introduced herself as Prue. She reminded me of an African barbie doll in a way. She had big, glassy eyes but slightly chubby cheeks to match and a slim figure. Somehow I managed to start up a conversation and we became friends.

As the days passed and we got more used to the school, I decided that the best plan of action was to be friendly but not incredibly close to everyone. That gave me options if I wanted to get new friends. I decided to hang around with Prue and Valentina. Valentina being another girl I came to know during the first school day. We were the three African girls in the class and I guess we just stuck together like that.

I wouldn't say hanging with them was fun but it was much better than being alone. We were fairly popular but then again nobody was really popular then. New school, New people. Nobody really cemented their position yet. What I was eternally grateful for was how nobody really bothered me. This was such a change. It made me almost angry how these guys had it so easy. All they did was sit down and write in class, then sit down at break and talk about really annoying, useless things. Such difference compared to skipping school all the time and hanging round town once the sun went down,wondering when and where the next fight would break out.

Due to all my plans falling into place so well I started to have a big head. Brittany, a tall, pronounced girl in my home room really bothered me. As I said before, part of my plan was to be friendly to everyone. I started sort of talking to this small, fascinating girl called Dylan. It isn't that I wanted to be her real friend or anything, she was just so interesting talking to her. I guess she just wasn't the same as your normal cookie Cutter girls, or at least I thought so. She told me all about how she liked one of the sophmores. Of course the proud Brittany was her best friend so when I tried to tell Dylan something interesting I found out about him she told me to buzz off because they were none of my business. Now normally you'd think

"Okay she doesn't like me so I can just stay away from her and she'll just leave me alone "

But she then comes up to me at break and tries to act like my friend. If it as gonna follow the plan the I should have just gotten along with her but I ended up getting annoyed at her and gave her a piece of my mind. Needless to say she ran off to cry to her "best friend".

I guess things were going as planned, but that all changed once December rolled in.