PERSEPHONE

CHAPTER 1

Dear Diary,

I lost all hope. For dad to ever come back or for Caroline to treat me as she should. Mom refuses to look at me and my classmates pretend I don't exist. Thanks to Elena, Bonnie and Care, they make it their goal to torture me endlessly. Though, I re-decorated the basement and it looks more home-y than before. The old Christmas lights Mom stored in here still works so I don't know why they bought new ones. Anyway, wish me luck. I can't wait to get stepped on again.

With love,

Seph

"Persephone, I have called you three times already! It's time to go!" Mom, once again, barges in unannounced. Apparently, knocking is overrated.

"I'll be right up," She left the basement without a word and I took my chance to stash my diary under my mattress. It was Care's old mattress that was stored down here for years. Besides it being dusty, it was still doable. .

I looked in my hand-sized mirror and sighed at my appearance. While Care gets the glam, I get the hand-me-downs. Mom's old, purple sweater over a tight pair of army pants and I'm good to go. I grabbed my blue sneakers, my only pair of shoes, and quickly put them on as I ran up the stairs. Caroline was leaning on the couch, impatiently tapping her boot-clad feet.

"I'm ready," I announced. Mom came from behind me, keys in hand. Caroline gave me a piercing glare and followed Mom out the door. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes but I had no choice but to suck it up. Up to this day, I still have no idea why she hates me.

"Hey, cross-eyed, if it's your life mission to be late for class, then don't bring me down with you!" Care shouted from the car. I hurriedly ran down the steps and accidentally closed the car door with a loud bang.

"Don't you dare throw a tantrum, Persephone. I'm in no mood to deal with you right now," Mom warned from the driver's seat. Care narrowed her eyes at me and all I can do is put my head down and refuse eye contact.

Muttering a low, "Sorry," I pulled out 'Julius Caesar' from my bag and began to read.

-----

As Mom pulled up in front of the school, she gave Caroline a kiss on the cheek, while I, as usual, was left ignored and left the car without a word. I darted towards my locker at the end of the hall, attempting not to bump into the Golden Girls.

"Watch it!" Too late. As I looked up, I saw Elena Gilbert with Stefan Salvatore in tow.

"I'm so sorry," I tried to leave but she grabbed my arm, preventing me to do so.

"Sorry doesn't cut it. You stepped on my shoes, four-eyes," I looked down at her shoes and saw a muddy foot-print gracing the right pair.

"I-I'll do anything...just...please," I was desperate to leave. Her presence scares me the most and she's the bitchy one out of the three of them. She pretended to think for a moment before bending down my ear and whispering, "3 weeks of homework will cut it. And, I expect a new pair by the end of the month,"

"But, I don't have any money," I mumbled in fear.

"You're smart. Figure it out," She stood straight and gave me a sickeningly sweet smile. And as she walked away, I gave Stefan a look that screams 'Help' before ignoring me as well and following his precious girlfriend.

This is going to be a long day.