She sat, on the corner of her bed, alone. Alone in the empty, cold room where she lived. No, not where lived, where she existed. Barely.
She was there, she ate, drank and slept, but not much more. She had no friends and no one was eager to befriend her. She was wasting away sad and alone in the world.
Her name is Kayleigh Carmichael and she's thirteen years old.
Her parents died when she was nine and since then she had become secluded and evasive to the rest of the world. The orphanage was her home, and she hated it. She hated with a ferocity that made people think she was insane. Mutterings went on about her and she didn't care. She didn't care if everyone hated her and hate her everyone did.
"Violent tendencies," Mr. Clapman. The president of her orphanage muttered. "She must be sent to an asylum. She could hurt one of the other children."
"Yes, yes, yes, just last week she hit and kicked Benny Bengson for no apparent reason!" Her goody-two shoes house mother, Mrs. Havano said.
He called me a loner. But of course you wouldn't believe that. Kayleigh thought.
"How will we ever tell her? She's just this sad little girl!" her counsellor cried in his thick German accent.
"Not sad. Crazy." A voice behind her breathed. Kayleigh whirled around to see – well who else? – Benny Bengson, the orphanage bully. "No one will ever want you, you lunatic. They look at you and they see this ugly little bitch who thinks of nothing but her dead momma and poppa!"
He circled me, him and his little gang of two. Kyle and Marty. "Leave me alone," she said, clearly but not too loud in fear of the grown-ups hearing.
"Feel like going anywhere alone Kayleigh? You're looking sexy today." Kyle hissed. "Perv!" Kayleigh snarled back.
Marty, the physical one in the group just pounded his closed fist into his open hand.
"Why, whatcha gonna do to me Marty? I'll just hurt you the same way I did last time. Remember that?" Kayleigh taunted. I can't stand these boys! I can't stand it when they tease me!
Marty growled.
"Not a man of too many words are you then Marty?" Kayleigh asked, sarcastically.
"Want me to talk? I want to hear you scream as I rearrange your face!" He said in a gruff voice.
Kayleigh gritted her teeth and wound up her arm for the punch, just for it to be caught by a big hand.
She turned, ready to scream at the person who dared to stop her, only to find it was Mr. Clapman himself.
"Pack your bags," he growled. "I've had enough! You are out of here tomorrow!"
Well, if I'm leaving anyway....
She landed one, good, solid kick to his shin that sent him crashing to the floor before sauntering away happily.