The dreaded days of life...first day of school, last day of school, and pretty much everyday except for Friday, which is when my mother comes home from work. She's a teacher at school and it's highly irritating when she becomes drunk. It's pretty sad being the quiet girl, who doesn't any friends because she's afraid that someone will find out her secret...I got dressed for school and there she was, my mother, sitting at the dining room table and drinking her coffee like she had forgotten her previous actions. I grabbed my backpack and headed to the school, which was about three miles away from where I lived. Unfortunately, I could drive, but my mother didn't want me to. She said that she didn't want her baby girl getting in a wreck and getting injured, so here I was walking to school.

I arrived at my locker and sighed, seeing the words slut spray painted onto it and a few kids laughing. The kids laughing were none other the Pretty Committee and their boyfriends. I opened my locker, grabbed my books, and headed onto the class. I sat in the back of the room as usual and decided to reread last night's homework. The teacher walked in with her hair a mess and clothes wrinkled and she looked satisfied. I mentally sighed and listened to her call roll and then there was me, "Carleigh Davis?" I didn't answer, but looked at her, locking eyes with her. I knew what she was doing and I didn't want to answer not being rude, but because she was trying to be the first teacher to make me speak in their class. She moved on down the roll and then started the lesson. Class ended 45 minutes later and as I was heading out, Mrs. Stevens stopped me, "Carleigh, can I talk to you about something?" I nodded and waited for her to continue. She pulled a folder out of her desk and said, pulling out a paper, "This is the assignment you turned it last week, do you remember what the assignment was about?"

"You told us to pick something we felt passionate about and that is really not talked about in society." I said barely above a whisper.

"Yes and you chose child abuse and it was written beautifully. I was wondering if I could show a few teachers to see what they say about it, if that's okay with you of course."

"I don't care what you do with my paper." I whispered before I rushed out of the room right into the leader of the Pretty Committee, Massie Block. I bent down, picking up my books and she said, "Watch it, loser. I don't want your slutty ways all over my Alice+Olivia top." I picked my books and headed down the hallway. I sat down in the back and got my homework out. The teacher started the lesson and fifteen minutes later, he walked in. He being Issac Haden, the "bad" boy of the junior class. He sat beside me, ignoring the teacher talking to me, and said, rolling his eyes as the teacher told him that he had detention after-school, "Carleigh Davis, how do you do?" I decided to ignore him and continued taking notes the teacher was writing on the board, "Ignoring me, are we? That's fine, I can annoy you until you do start talking to me." I continued writing, still ignoring him since everyone knew I didn't talk to people at all unless I had to. I mean why would someone talk to a girl who is in hospitals more than the mall or who wears long-sleeve clothing to avoid the questions about nail marks or scars from her mom? I had thought he was finished bothering me as the class ended and I was leaving for lunch, but alas he wasn't. "Why don't you and I go to Ray's for a slice of pizza since the food here sucks?" I grabbed my paper bag from my locker and headed towards the attic, which was my hiding place for lunch and study hall. I opened the door with the key and plopped down on the couch on the couch and started to eat my lunch. I thought I was alone until he came in and said, "So, this is where you run off to for lunch. Do you hate people that much that you hide up here?" I continued eating my lunch, praying that he would leave soon, but no he didn't. He sat beside me and took a chip from my bag. I figured eating in silence would be fine, but I wanted to talk to him, so I decided to. "Uh...no, I don't hate people at all. This is the only the place I can eat without someone dumping their lunch on me." He stared at me and said, "She speaks. So, there actually is a voice in there, who would've known?" I rolled my eyes and continued eating my lunch. "Why don't you speak, Carleigh? I mean you sit in the back of the class and don't even speak when the teacher calls on you for roll. Are you afraid to speak or is something going on at home to make you not want to talk?"

"No, I don't like speaking, I have no reason to. My voice doesn't matter to anyone." I watched as his face changed from smug to concerned and he asked, softly, "Who told you that?" I ignored the question and threw away my trash, "Carleigh, who told you that your voice didn't matter?"

"Why are you even talking to me? You've never talked to me before, so why now? Why are you acting like you've always talked to me? You haven't talked to me since freshman year, freshman year!"

"Carleigh, even if I don't talk to you doesn't mean I don't care about you. I always have enjoyed talking to you and I've been really busy lately." I shot a glare at him and said, "Busy? Busy for the past two years! You've been real busy, screwing all the girls in our grade even the tenth grade! Why are you even-" He grabbed my arm, pulled me close, and pressed his lips. I pulled away almost instantly and said, "What is your problem?!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to." He said, still holding my arm. I pulled my arm away and sighed, "Go back to your girlfriend, Stephanie Meyers or did you forget about her?"

"I should try to kiss you more often if it gets you talking. Also, I didn't forget about my girlfriend, but you never forget about the one you first lo-" The bell rang cutting him off. He grabbed his stuff and said, "Are you spending study hall up here?"

"I am, but please don't tell anyone about this. No one really knows I hide up here."

"Your secret is safe with me, but do you mind if I join you today?"

"Uh...oh...no, go ahead. I need to talk to Mr. Craft about something."

"Don't know why you're telling me. It's not like I care." I walked out of the attic and headed to his room. I saw no one was in there and walked in. He looked up from his papers and asked, "Everything okay Miss Davis?" I nodded and said, looking at the floor, "Is there any extra credit I need to do?"

"Well...there is a student you can tutor. Will you do it?"

"Who is it?"

"Are you sure, you're okay?" He asked, concerned and changing the subject. I nodded and said, "Of course, but who is the student I'm tutoring?"

"Issac Haden, his English grade has dropped severely since we've started and I was thinking you could help him bring it up."

"When do you want me to start?"

"As soon as possible, I'll speak with him after English."

"Okay I need to get to the uh..study hall."