As I got home from school, I wanted to go straight to my room to curl up into a ball and die. I hate it there. This was our third move in three years and every year, I'm the new kid that everybody hates,
"Hey Grace" I rushed past my mother, her quick reflexes snagged my arm before I could make a break for it. She pulled me back in front of her, noticing the bruises, "What happened?" She asked. I couldn't lie to her. My mother was a human lie detector. Instead I exercised my right to remain silent, "Did you get into another fight?" My lips were sealed but my mum made quick work of my resolve with her intense stare,
"Some boy" I said. Her stare hardened when I withheld information, "He was trashing you because I don't know who my father was"
"And you hit him?" I paused, "Honey, I got a call from your school, they told me everything"
"Yes I hit him" I admitted, "Can I go to my room now?" My mum finally released my arm and I went straight upstairs. I was fuming now. He told on me? Really? After he caused it. He's probably gonna be sitting there all smug when we inevitably have to go to the principle's office for it. I really can't take that dumb face, I'll punch it again if he does. I slammed my door closed a lot harder than I realised and it was only then that I realised how angry I actually was. I hate that boy, I hate his friends and I hate that school. My stomach boiled at the thought of having to see that boy again in school tomorrow, "Ugh!!" A wave of anger left me in a frustrated growl through gritted teeth. I heard something smash behind me and I turned to see the lamp on my desk hit against the wall. Did I do that? I don't remember throwing it. I must say that my anger had calmed, in fact, I was feeling very tired now. I was drained like I'd just been on a mile run. I sighed, getting down on the ground to pick up the pieces. Though initially in shock at what just happened, I was really too tired to think of a logical explanation. I just chalked it up to a ghost or something. I was super pissed; now I'm just tired. I just want to have a normal life and not have to be moving every year. I had dinner with my mum who was definitely annoyed at me as she had to go into school to apologise for the fight. The next morning there she was, walking into school with me. I wasn't going to give in though. As we sat in the principle's office, I stood behind my mother as she sat on one seat, the boy's mother sat on the other chair and he was giving me the stink eye. And I mean 'eye' singular. He had a massive black eye that was starting to swell and I couldn't help but smirk at my handy work.
"You know why I've brought both of you in" The principle said, "The school does not tolerate such aggressive behaviour and Mrs Graham wants an apology"
"I totally understand" My mother said, turning to the woman, "And I am extremely sorry for my daughter's behaviour..."
"I would like to hear it from her" The woman cut my mother off. She was annoyed and I'd get that. I mean, I just savagely attack her poor, dear son in front of his innocent friends, traumatising them for life,
"Grace" My mother turned to me, giving me a look. I was reluctant until my mother hardened her look. I took a breath, trying to not make it sound like a sigh,
"I'm sorry" I said,
"Good" The principle was about to go on and talk about something else but I cut in first,
"Since we're all here, how about you apologise to my mum for calling her a slut" I looked at him sideways with no smile, keeping a very straight face. He tensed up immediately as both women turned to him. "I- I didn't- I didn't say that" His eyes were wide and not very convincing. I looked directly at the principal with a straight face,
"As I recall, the fight occurred after you berated my mother for having sex with a strange man and calling me a mistake" I turned my head to him again. The boy started to shake as all adults looked to him,
"You're lying" He blurted out,
"Is there anyone who can confirm this?" The headmaster asked me,
"Yes sir, there were several people who heard as he shouted it from across the yard" My mother realised the full extent of the incident now, eyes widened ever so slightly in horror. It's the most I ever see on her face though her jaw looked like it was about to drop any second. The other woman's jaw did drop,
"Michael" She breathed out in shock. The boy lowered his head, closing his eyes so he couldn't see the looks his way. I wanted to smile, I wanted to show my smugness so bad but I couldn't. His mother found her words again after scrambling for any kind of response, "Oh my gosh, I cannot believe he said that, I'm so sorry" She said to my mother, "I don't know where he got that from"
"I would like to hear it from him" He lowered his head, completely embarrassed, his face going red and I think I saw tears in his eyes,
"I-I'm sorry" He stammered. My mother gave a warm smile to show it was accepted but her eyes were cold. I knew that look. That's the 'we'll hear about this later' look. The principle was speechless. Because of this twist, I managed to escape with minimal punishment. Afternoon detention. Quite a good deal considering I could have been facing a suspension. Maybe I should be a lawyer. I walked out smugly with my mother. The best part about it was I knew I'd be punished a whole lot less than what the boy would be. My mother was fine with me. His mother was down right mortified with him. Once out, the other mother whisked her son down the hall, muttering angrily to him the entire way. My mother put her hand on my shoulders and sighed. I saw her smile,
"You are so much like him" She mumbled,
"Like who?" I tilted my head. She looked down at me, another warm smile graced her lips, this time reaching her eyes. She raked a hand through my hair,
"Nobody" She replied, "Head on back to class now, I'll meet you after" We parted ways from there and I had this stupid smile on my face. School seemed ok today, my day had been made this morning. It was a mix of amusement and exhaustion. Afternoon arrived and I was kept in school for ages. The boy sat in with me but I ignored him the whole time and his obscene gestures. They didn't really bother me. They bothered the teacher though. Twice he got caught doing it and was told off. I got so bored I just started to draw on my notepad. I wasn't really focusing on what I was doing at all, just giving the teacher dirty looks every time he looked away. Why should I be punished, that boy started it. When I looked back down at my work, I was surprised by the weird looking symbols printed in bold writing over my page. My hand was continuing with this weird lettering. I've never seen a language like it before or have any idea what symbols I was drawing or what they meant. They looked a little like how an Asian language is written but wrong somehow. I checked and google translate doesn't recognise it. I just sighed, looking back over all the other pages in my notepad with the same symbols. The bell rang and I stood up quickly, putting my things away,
"Where are you going?" The teacher asked,
"Home?" I tilted my head at him, squinting my eyes, "The bell rang" The boy froze where he stood, having his bag already on and heading towards the door,
"The bell doesn't dismiss you" The teacher said, "I do. Now sit down" I slowly lowered myself back on the seat, keeping eye contact the whole time. The teacher watched me then turned to the boy and narrowed his eyes, telling him to sit. For once, the boy and I agreed on something. We were going to glare daggers at this teacher until he let us go. I could hear more footsteps rushing down the hallways as students burst out of their classrooms to freedom while the teacher looked away, back at his work. My frustration was starting to boil again. I looked over to see the teacher was still writing. A couple seconds later, he looked up from his work and saw the death glares we gave him. He sighed, both probably amused and maybe a little intimidated at the two sixteen year olds plotting against him, "You may go" He finally said. I grabbed my bag and burst out the door before he could change his mind. Like always I walked back home, dropping my bag by the door as I went to the kitchen for a drink. I noticed a small note on the fridge, just obscured by the magnet. Curious, I moved the magnet to reveal my mother's rushed handwriting saying 'RUN'. Though initially confused, I could feel my heart start to beat faster. The lights around me flickered on. I turned around and there was a strange man standing behind me,
"You must be Grace" Before I could scream, he grabbed me by the neck and shoved me back into the fridge. I tried to rush past him, he was blocking my only exit and he grabbed both my arms, shoving me back into the fridge again, making the contents of it rattle. I grabbed the fruit bowl from the counter and smashed it over the man's head, it even shattered, dropping assorted fruits on the floor. The man fell and I ran by him. He grabbed my foot and tripped me. I fell to the ground and he got up before me. I pulled my body back, trying to get away from him. My back hit the wall and my legs tucked into my chest. I scrambled for any weapon I could but all I grabbed was an apple. He laughed when he saw me holding it, preparing to throw it,
"Get away from me!" I yelled at him, throwing the fruit at his face. It was a direct hit and actually caught him off guard at how hard I must have thrown it. He stumbled back a little and I crawled away, heading for the door. The lights started to get brighter and brighter. I made it to the front door but when I opened it, there was another guy behind it. He grabbed my arms and pushed me back into the house, practically throwing me to the floor. He smiled widely, excitedly, his eyes seemed to turn completely black. As I screamed, everything glass around me shattered at the same time. The windows, light bulbs, ceramics. I curled up in a ball on the floor, my arms over my head to shield myself from flying debris. I shivered, tears pouring out of my eyes uncontrolled and I really wanted to get out of the house but I was frozen in place. When everything around me was too quiet, I worked up the courage to lift my head. I freaked out even more when I realised I wasn't in my house anymore. I was in an alley somewhere. I stood up, looking around, "Mum?!" I called out. No answer. I was alone. I slumped back down on the ground, emotions crashing over me as the shock finally wore off. I don't know how long I was there for but the weather turned and the clouds darkened the streets enough for the streetlights to come on. I stood up as I saw flashing red and blue speed down the streets partly deafening me with its screeches. I rushed to follow as it disappeared around the corner, it was heading back to the house. Did my mum call them? Is she ok? When I got there, people had gathered to see what had happened, stuck behind yellow tape and officers. Looky loos, all of them. I put up my hood to avoid being noticed. My heart dropped as an ambulance showed up on scene, my mouth went dry. They wheeled a body out, head to toe covered in a sheet. I couldn't tell who it was but my stomach dropped either way. I wanted to cry. Was that...? As the gurney jostled on the rough ground, a hand fell out from under the sheet and in that moment, I knew it wasn't my mother. Her hands are small and dainty, her nails kept. This was a man's hand, larger with rougher skin. It must have been one of the attackers but how did he die? Maybe when the windows shattered, the glass could have stabbed him. Either way, I should get out of here. I saw a second body wheeled out. I stayed long enough to discern it was too tall to be my mum. I can do nothing here now and I can't afford to be caught by police in case they accuse me of the crime. I need to find my mother.