I've never asked for much in my life, never even bothered trying to ask my parents for new clothes or materialistic objects. Everything I've owned since I was 13, I had worked for and earned myself.
However, as soon as I saw that one competition online, I knew I had to stand up for myself and do the one thing I had been dreading since I was old enough to understand the need for fear… I had to finally ask my mother and step father to enter such a competition.
Black Veil Brides have been one of the main influences in my life and have kept me anchored to the world through all of the painful events in my past. My mother divorced my biological father when I was five as he continuously drank himself silly and was an abusive man – to his wife and daughter. After that, I spent my years living with my mother and her new abusive husband. My mother then gave birth to a son and daughter (twins) a few days after my eighth birthday. She named them Luka and Ally and they were the two biggest trouble makers I had ever set eyes on but I loved them either way.
I am now 16 years old and counting down the days until I am able to move out and start a new life in a new town. I would leave now if it weren't for Luka and Ally as they are the only ones keeping me here. My mother is always too busy with work to notice any of us and my step father was simply too much of an abusive man to even look past his gambling to notice us either.
As I was saying, Black Veil Brides have recently released a competition, giving their fans a chance to have the boys attend their school with them for a number of weeks. I have always dreamed of a chance to meet the men who have kept me alive through their music and having them attend school with me would only make the deal even better.
"Clarrisa, are you even paying attention?" Ms Lavendar, my English teacher demanded as she tapped on the whiteboard with her marker. I glanced quickly at her and the board which had numerous questions written on it, regarding The Boy in the Stripe Pyjamas which we were reading and working on this semester.
"This novel uses friendship as the key theme as we see it presented between the young Jewish boy Schmuel and the young German boy Bruno. They are clearly unaware of each other's situation and are separated by the large fence between them yet their friendship does not waver." I replied smoothly without a hint of hesitation as I glanced down at my open notebook which contained my work. I did thoroughly enjoy the look of frustration which painted the woman's face as she realised that her accusation was completely wrong. With a fake smile and a 'thank you', Ms Lavendar turned back to the rest of the class and continued on with her lesson.
I blew the single breath I had been holding for the past minute through my lips as I once again tuned out the class and turned my attention back to my open laptop to the side of my desk.
It was open to the internet page which contained the verification for my submission into the Black Veil Brides competition. Without a second thought, I quickly clicked 'Accept' and shut the lid down. I felt an elbow in my side as I turned to see my best friend Tahlia grinning at me like the idiot she was as she saw what I had been doing on my laptop. She knew I was completely obsessed with the band and to be completely honest she really didn't mind their songs herself. I smiled back at her as she twirled her strawberry blonde hair around her finger while staring vacantly at the white board. Myself and my two other friends, Sara and Jaquie, always teased her saying that she was the blonde one of our group whereas Sara was the badass and Jaquie was the sporty one. I however, was known by many in my class as the scene faggot or 'Goth girl' as many enjoyed calling me. If it weren't for my friends I would wag school every day, just to avoid the scrutiny I was put through by the sluts and jocks of my school.
I sighed heavily as the bell rang and my class all rushed to pack their things and get out of there – leaving the teacher complaining about not dismissing us and taking it upon ourselves. I laughed as Sara rolled her eyes and mimed Ms Lavendar behind her back as I pulled all of my books and laptop together to continue on with the rest of the school day.