New Beginnings

A Step into the Past

She made her way home on her lonesome, walking most of the distance after attempting and failing to hitch a ride, but then again, no sane person in town would want to drive anywhere near where she lived. A derelict, long neglected and poverty stricken trailer park on the outskirts of town.

The sickly feeling that arose in her stomach every time she entered her own home, what was supposed to be her safe space, never ceased to amaze her.

Rather than being met with a sensational aroma of lit candles and air freshener, her nostrils were forced to tolerate the smell of stale cigarette smoke, dark liquors and drugs, marijuana or crack mostly.

The coffee table stacked with ignored bills, empty bottles and used cigarettes, the television set displaying a fuzzy screen that played on a loop in the background, the curtains drawn to block out any form of light, the walls torn and damaged and the sink and kitchen countertops filled to the brim with dirty dishes. This trailer truly depressed her to no end.

She glared down at her mother in pure hatred and disgust, as the woman lay across the couch, snoring for the whole park to hear. She was no doubt passed out, but Alice was way past giving a damn at this point.

Every time she looked at her mother in this position she felt nothing but apathy and emptiness, and if anything positive came out of this horror she found herself in day in day out, it was the determination to escape this hell while she still could and do everything she could to never end up like her mother.

•••

"Guess who?!" Alice chirps seductively as she runs towards Bryce from behind, gripping his waist and taking him by surprise.

He turns around immediately, slightly unimpressed and annoyed at Alice's surprise greeting, and his facial expression goes totally over her head as his emerald green eyes have her totally mesmerised.

"You wanna hang out at the arcade after school? I know someone who can get us tokens."

"No, I don't think so." Bryce states bluntly before turning back around, stunning Alice slightly. Her thick threaded brows bumped together into a mild scowl before circling him and standing directly in front of him, demanding to know the reason behind his sudden cold attitude.

"What do you mean, you don't think so?" She mocked the last part. "And what's with the attitude?"

"I mean, I'm not interested, take a hint Alice!" He barked at her, refusing to let her down gently.

"So what? I was just a quick lay to you?!" She snaps, folding her arms across her chest in disgust.

"Well when you put it like that, yeah." He nonchalantly confesses as he rubs the back of his neck. "You're hot, and I was bored."

Her body stiffened at the remark as her eyes burned with hatred and she tried her hardest to reign it in. "Well fuck you then!" She spat at him before storming off in a rage, vowing to never let herself get into this position with an asshole jock ever again.

The remark itself didn't hurt all that much, it was the fact that she really thought she had a chance with this guy, and he genuinely interested in more than her body, but of course she was wrong, and she wouldn't be making that mistake again.

•••

February 2001

"Do you think Coach Fisher will let me sit out since I'm on the rag?" Stacey George questions her as she removes her t shirt for Gym.

Alice darts her eyes up towards the naive blonde, a suggestive look crossing her face
as she tightens her sneakers.