"Brrr-Ring. Brrr-Ring" Shouted my alarm clock. I snapped up and stretched my arm. It was a beautiful fresh day. A perfect start of term. I got out of bed and neatened the bed cover and the pillow. I walked to the mirror and stood in the spot light of the sun and scanned my face. It was clean, fresh and young. I smiled and grabbed the hair brush from the dresser and brushed my hair high and wrapped it with a hair bubble, creating a perfect pony tail in the middle of my head. I walked out my room to the toilet, shutting the door quietly so mum wouldn't wake up and inspected my teeth. Shiny bright and squeaky clean from the night before. I brushed my teeth and checked myself over one last time before I went down stairs and poured myself some cereal and milk. I felt better than ever today. It was the first day of spring term, I had my best friends waiting for me at school and everyone liked me. What a life! I walked out the door before mum could tell me off for not washing my bowl. I crossed the zebra crossing and turned the corner.
I'm Elizabeth, also known as Liz. I'm 13, in year 8, doing pretty good at life.
I live with my mum, dad left us when I was 5. Neither me nor mum know why he left us, it just happened. I don't remember him or mum ever having a fight or falling out; they were a perfect couple until one day he decided to leave us.
I entered the school gates after 10 minutes of walking. The twins, Roxy and Ricky were waiting by the gates, giggling and talking. When they saw me walking into the school, they stopped and skipped up to me.
"Hey Liz!" they squealed. There brown short hair bobbed as we jumped up and down. We all squealed when we saw Amy get out of her sisters shiny black car. She ran to us and we started the welcome back seminar.
Our parents were college best friends, so us three were technically best friends before the age of one. Ricky and Roxy are both sport girls, going to every sports club and fitness centres. On the other hand, Amy is a classic lady, wearing her hair in different styles, up to date with the latest fashion news and kept track of the celebrity gossip.
"Quiet!" Screamed Mrs Davies, Her face turning bright pink from trying to make us quiet. Unlike most teachers she's the only one who we enjoyed having.
"As you all know, Margret had to move to Manchester, so tomorrow we will be joined with a new student." Mrs Davies was our class teacher for English and Registration. In both of her lessons, I sat on a table with Amy, Roxy and Ricky.
I tore a paper from the back of my literacy book and started to scribble some words down.
Tall, Short brown hair, Blue eyes, Rude and bossy.
I passed the paper round my table and patiently waited until it was passed back to me. Ricky finished writing her last word without the teacher suspecting anything and handed it to me.
Short ,Long blonde hair, Blue eyes, Spoiled brat and popular. Amy
Average, Green eyes, Curly black hair, Talented and teachers pet. Roxy
Short and fat, Dark brown eyes, Short blonde hair and freaky. Ricky
I laughed at the predictions. I hoped she's not as bad as we think she will be.
The school bell rang, signalling first lesson, which for us was English.
I stepped inside my small and comfy bedroom and shut the door that mum painted brown, to tie in the brown leopard printed wall and everything else that was either leopard printed or brown in my room. I was just so fascinated by the unique prints. Take my bed cover for instants, covered from top to bottom in black and white prints. My dresser? Brown prints. TV? Decorated with dark purple fury prints, and half my clothes were prints.
"Liz! Dinners ready!" mum bellowed from the kitchen. Mum was the typical lady, very feminine, nails and hair done every week, lipstick applied every morning then every two hours and she freaked if anything was out of order. I ate dinner with mum in the living room and had a girlie talk about make up. I just played along with it. When I finished, I went back to my room and checked on my friends before i called it a day.
Welcome to my life.
Dear Dairy
I chewed down the last bit of burnt bread and flushed it down my mouth with milk and headed for the door. But before I could make a run for it, mum stopped me.
"Forgot something?" She asked walking down the stairs with her reading glasses sleeping on her head. I looked around the house and shook my head. Mum lightly tapped her checking, sighing for a kiss. I sighed and met her half way up the stairs, gave her the little peck she wanted then ran out the door. I was already 15 minutes late! I didn't want to be any later. I tried to pick up the pace after every step until my tall skinny legs couldn't go any faster.
Unfortunately, I didn't make it in time, I was 5 minutes late.
I turned the dull bronze knob and entered the class room.
"Good morning Elizabeth, why dont you take a seat?" Mrs Davies greeted with her adorable welsh accent. I was surprised to see that for once she was wearing her hair out with beautiful curls on the sides, topped with a simple plaited head band. I pulled a chair from the side of the room and took it to my table.
"As you are aware, we have a new pupil joining us this term, her name is Victoria Brown. She will be arriving shortly but for now we will have a short English qui..." Ma'am paused her sentence as she was interrupted by knocking. A little head peeped through the door.
"Ahh, Victoria, how wonderful of you to join us!" A tall brunette walked through the door with her uniform smartly presented and a Persian green bag dangling from her shoulder. Her black fringe covered her eyes and her long hair fell over her shoulder She walked over to Mr Davies desk and stood at the side, waiting to be introduce.
"Well class, this is Victoria Green, your new class mate. You will give her a welcoming start" She looked at Jay and Louis, the class trouble makers. "Ok Victoria, where would you like to sit?" ma'am asked. Victoria looked up from the floor scanning the class room for a suitable place to sit. There was the nerds at the far end, the Goths, the near the window, the silent speakers and us.
"Can I sit at the front table?" Victoria asked. Mrs Davies nodded as she handed a chair to Victoria which she placed next to Amy.
"I'm sure you'll fit in Victoria" Mrs Davies reassured. "Amy, Ricky and Roxy would you kindly be Victoria's tours?" The three nodded and lesson began.
Dear Dairy
I finished the pizza just before the third period bell rang. Me, Amy Victoria and the twins walked into our drama class and waited for instructions from the teacher.
Victoria was good company; she was quite funny and friendly. I haven't learnt much about her, mainly because she just arrived yesterday and because she's not an open person. I think she'd fit in perfectly with the Goths. After this week she'll probably realize that she doesn't fit in with us and find some other friends.
"Ok class!" Sir sang "Our new unit is miming. To warm-up, get into groups of four and create a short scene about anything. NO TALKING!" Sir instructed. I quickly slipped of my shoes and skipped over to Amy who was accompanied by Victoria.
"I've got an awesome idea! There's a thief and he robs... Are you ok? I asked her. She was awfully quiet.
"Yes, it's just that me, Roxy and Ricky were suppose to look after Victoria" She answered. I looked from Amy and Victoria to Ricky and Roxy who were messing about near the windows.
"I understand" I vaguely answered. I decided to sit out in the corner of the drama room and watched everybody make a fool out of themselves. Every once in a while Amy would throw me a sympathetic smile. I caught several glimpse of It won't be like this for ever I thought, It'll be over in a week, Victoria will find other friends and everything will be back to normal. Everything will be back to normal... I'd hate if this was how things were, permanently.
Dear Dairy
"I've literally been replaced by the girl!" I exclaimed. I moved my finger backwards, not wanting the knife to slice my hand off.
"She hasn't even had her first week yet, and everybody is just all over her! Even Amy likes her!" Mum tuned in her every-once-in-a-while mmm hmm to make it look like she was listening, but the earphones in her ear and the heavy music that was leaking out of it made it obvious she wasn't. I chopped the last bit of cabbage and added it to the salad before taking it to the table in the lounge.
"Darling it's ok, everything will turn out just fine" mum said, translating into 'Don't bother me, I'm busy right now.' Mum put on her black oven mittens and took out the roast chicken and put it on the table. She took of the mittens then threw it onto the counter and plucked out her ear phones.
"What was it you were saying?" She joked. I frowned at her before sitting down on the polished oak chair.
"Your just jealous that Vicky is smart, pretty and popular" mum teased.
"Don't call her Vicky!" I growled. Nicknames were for best friends, and I had enough of Ricky and Amy calling her that.
Mum grabbed the cutlery from the draw then handed it out between us.
"Help yourself." I broke of a juicy tanned chicken leg and served myself some Chinese rice. I quietly ate my Chinese rice and bit at the chicken.
" I've been thinking about applying for a job!" mum squealed "I've taken job interviews, I've bought new smart clothes, I've everything planned"
"Really? For what?" I beamed. I was really delighted mum was getting things back on track, ever since dad left us, she was so confused about what to do, how to pay the bills, how to cover the school fees but she covered all her worries with a mask called a smile. She had become so good at it that even a lie detector couldn't read her mind. When she's sad she smiles, when she's angry she smiles, even when she's worried she smiles. I think that's what makes her so young and beautiful.
"As your registration teacher!" My mouth dropped open to what I heard. I know I said I wanted mum to find work but as my teacher? Think how awkward that would be!
"You what?" I asked. Praying that I misheard.
"You heard right! Say Good morning to Miss Lincoln!" I teared of some chicken and stuffed it into my mouth.
"Mum tell me the truth!" I pleaded. "What have you applied for?"
"I am telling the truth why don't you believe me?" I glared at her with my i-know-your-lying face.
"Alright! I applied for a job at the fashion industry, They said they will be sending me a letter tomorrow letting me know if I got in" Mum whispered, acting like she applied for newspaper person or dustbin man. My mouth dropped a second time but this time because of amazement.
"Are you kidding me?" I asked, not believing my ears. She nodded with her head down. I jumped of my seat and screaming at the top of ears I hugged her.
"Amy Lincoln Annel, daughter of Elizabeth Lincoln Annel, working in the fashion industry, designing the latest fashion wear all over the globe, how about that?!"
"Don't get ahead of yourself! I haven't got in yet remember?"
I crawled up to my bed and snuggled inside the duvet. How about it? My mum a famous fashion designer... That would be crazy and unbelievable. Me and her would travel all around the world, promoting her latest trend, we would have a big house...Our own butler...Millions of people would want our autograph... And the whole world would be dying to become my best friend. And not even Victoria could replace me... Maybe everything will turn out just fine.