Life was unfair, I thought after hearing the judge condemn me to one hundred and fifty hours of community service. So this was my punishment? Bullshit. If I had pulled the shit I did in America, I'd be in jail. Then again, I'm not in America anymore. "Meeting adjourned."
I didn't hesitate to walk out after hearing those words, my so-called mother, Teresa scurrying to keep up with me from behind. "Max, slow down please. Max!" she called to me in her British accent, which I could barely understand. I didn't stop until we were outside on the courthouse steps. I shoved my hands deep in my pockets, shivering against the light breeze as my mother stood by my side. I didn't want to talk, she knew that. She was going to talk though, taking a deep breath to probably calm herself because she probably wanted to kill me right now.
"Maxine? . . . If you won't talk I will then. I don't know what to do with you anymore. I've tried understanding, tried helping you and yet here we are." Teresa paused for a few seconds, waiting to see if I would reply. When I didn't, she continued in a stern tone. "Since you refuse to let me in, then I'm sorry to tell you this but I've reached my limits. I refuse to raise a criminal as my daughter."
"So what? Are you going to disown me?" I spat at her, my tone oozing with disgust. I expected this much from her, which was sad. Teresa was quick to give up when things got tough, when she had no control in the situation. Just like when she left my dad and I, she hasn't changed much. "Fine, I don't give a damn. Do what you like! Disown me! It's not like you were there for me in the first place! You can ship me back to Dad's while you're at it!"
Harsh, I know but she deserved in at the moment. I didn't stay long enough for her to respond, my back already turned to her as I walked away. I ignored her calls to me as I crossed the street. I had no idea where I was going but I could care less. I just wanted to get away from that woman, get away from her as far as I could. I hated her, hated this place and I missed my father dearly. I longed to roam the streets of Newark once more, to know where I was, where I belonged but I never would now.
As I turned yet another corner, I kicked at a beer can nearby out of frustration. None of this was my fault, I was just at the wrong place, at the wrong time, but who cares? Teresa wouldn't even believe if I tried to explain.
This was all too much for one person to handle. My first couple of months here in England were very . . . strange already. It all began with that thunderstorm the night I came here. I think I was struck by lightning, yet here I am still standing but I've changed. Strange things have been happening, things I can't control. My only friend . . . No, he was my best friend, he understood me the best, he was an outcast like me and he helped me. He knew me better than I knew myself. Life seemed so much better here when he was around but now he's dead. He never got the chance to live, he deserved it. It still hurt to think of him. My heart ached with a longing to be in his arms once more.
No wait, my heart was literally aching! I couldn't breathe. I had to hunch over in the middle of the sidewalk to catch a breath but it only seemed to worsen, I was gasping for air now. It wasn't a panic attack, no; I knew this feeling well now. This happened right before I would teleport to some foreign place. This hadn't started until I touched that damn tree hugger that one day.
I tried to brace myself, backing into a wall. However the second I did, I was thrown back as if I'd been pushed and it felt like I was falling into a hole. The world raced pass me so fast, I had to close my eyes, my arms and legs flailing to find some stable ground.
This power, this was one of the strange things that had been happening to me. I had problems before but this was ridiculous and it left me so utterly confused. I was never the same since that thunderstorm. What was wrong with me now? Would this all ever end?
Thump! The pain shot from the back of my head as I landed on the ground. I let a low groan escape pass my lip as I tried to sit up, feeling a small breeze blow against my face. Where was I?
It took some time for my eyes to adjust to the sunlight that shined against my brown skin, the rays were almost blinding. Everything was blurry but then everything came into vision. I was on the roof top of a building that had an amazing view of a lake nearby, I had to admit. I stood up slowly to keep myself balanced. Looking around I noticed trees close by with houses and apartments in the distance, as far as the eye could see. The last thing I noticed was the door that led into the building. I would have stayed to enjoy the scenery but I needed to find out where I was and find my way back 'home' again.
I turned on my heels just as the door swung open. Some teenagers, my age, emerged from the other side, dressed in orange jumpsuits yet laughing like they were having a jolly good time. I didn't know what to do when a girl with wide hips and her hair pulled back noticed me.
Her eyebrows knitted together immediately. "Uh who da the fook are you?"
"What?" I asked her instantly. I hadn't understood a word she said, her accent even thicker than Teresa's, all I knew was that this chick had an attitude with me and I didn't even know her name yet. Now all eyes were on me, five pairs to be exact.
"I asked yo a question!" The girl continued, pointing her index finger at me as she took a few steps forward.
"What is up with your accent?" I spat back at her only to be laughed at by some tall curly-top boy.
"What about yours? You don't even sound British!" He pointed out, getting another girl with curly hair and a dark-skinned boy to join in on the laughter. They were laughing at me because I was different, so typical.
"I'm from America asshole." I declared, holding my ground with a stern look on my face. I can't let them get to me that easy. My day was already going bad enough.
The curly-top boy made a shocked face, teasing me still. "America? Did ya hear that guys? We got ourselves a foreigner!"
"And I suppose the little foreigner is lost?" The other girl added after laughing her ass off, her large heart-shaped earring swaying with every movement of her head. She talked with attitude as well. What the fuck was up with the women here? "Well? Did you take a wrong turn or something?"
I had to take a deep breath, restrain myself from cursing this people out and maybe throwing a punch here and there. The last thing I needed was to get in a fight, another reason for Teresa to actually consider disowning me. "Look", I said, "Could you just tell me where I am?"
"Well if I tell you . . .", the curly top boy began, taking a few steps towards me, "What would I get in return?" The last line he spoke in a low, somewhat sexual voice as he licked his lips and winked at me. I wanted gag. The bastard was trying to hit on me.
"You touch me and I cut your fucking balls off." I threatened him. I was dead serious but he took it like joke, laughing and wiggling his eyebrows while he blew me a kiss. He advanced toward me, persistent still, but I mimicked his steps in the opposite direction, keeping a safe distance between us. That girl with the wide hips just folded her arms over her chest, glaring at me now.
"Hey America! Just take it easy, yea? Let a gentleman show you a good time." The curly-top continued, swiveling his hips and then performing some hip thrusts. Honestly, I was so disgusted by how straightforward he was being and I could tell by his friends' eye rolls that he was the annoying type. For that moment, I felt sorry that they had to put up with him. "Just let me know if you prefer it gentle or rough." He continued, biting his lip and arching an eyebrow when he mentioned 'rough'. I avoided his gaze because it felt like he was just raping me with his eyes. I noticed another boy though, catching my gaze only to look away frantically as he patted his hair with the palm of his hand. Had he always been there? He was so quiet.
God, I don't care anymore! I just I want to go home! I thought with a heavy sigh.
Suddenly, I could feel a slight pain in my heart. I grabbed at my heart just as I started gasping for air because I couldn't seem to get enough oxygen. It's happening again!
"Hey, I know I take the girls breath away but you're really taking this a bit far." The curly-top babbled on with a laugh as I hunched over clutching at my chest. As I began to stumble backwards, the curly-top seemed figure out I wasn't acting and I swear, in that second he actually looked concerned. "Hey America, look out!" He warned me as he stretched his hand out towards me but it was too late.
My foot hit the edge of something and I tripped, falling backwards, off the edge of the roof top actually. Then the world was racing pass me yet again. I hid my head in my arms by instinct, everything going dark then. When I landed, I hit a soft, fluffy surface. I actually bounced off of it and then landed again. When I unshielded my eyes, a white ceiling was all I could see at first. Then I looked to my side.
I was in my room, lying in my bed at Teresa's house. For once my power had done something right. I sighed, looking back at the ceiling, my body relaxing against the mattress, my heartbeat steady once more. I drifted off then, not caring about anything else, just wanting sleep.
These last couple of months of living in England that had passed by took a lot out of me and unfortunately it was just the beginning.
...0.
"Wake up, Maxine. You've got community service, starting today!" I heard Teresa's voice, dull and still drunk with sleep. She patted my shoulder once, seeing if I would get up but I shrugged her off. With a groan, she shook me, complaining. "Oh don't do this now Max. I've got work! Quit being such a lazy bum!"
"Okay, okay, okay!" I growled at her, as I sat up and stretched. Teresa left then to dress herself for the day while I dragged myself to the bathroom. I was not a morning person and it took every ounce of what little energy I had left to refrain from falling asleep on the toilet. Afterwards I made my way to the shower, turning the knob for hot water. I stripped down while the water ran and then stepped in, the hot water beating against my skin instantly. It felt relaxing all of a sudden, the feeling of cleansing myself. I let my hair get soak, pushing back raven locks that were in my face as I grabbed a soap bar and began to scrub my body.
Today I was starting my community service, huh? This should be interesting. After a few minutes of showering, I stepped out squeaky clean with a towel wrapped around me and on top of my head. After drying my body, I discarded the towel and dug out my outfit for the day from my closet. Black skinny jeans, a graphic tee and combat boots were my choice of the day.
I then pulled the towel off of my head from my hair, letting the damp strands fall down pass my shoulders. Grabbing the blow dryer and brush, I dried and styled my hair. My layers were visible by the time I was done with a bang sweeping just above my right eye. There. I was done and ready for community service.
"Maxine! Are you ready yet?" Teresa yelled up the stairs to me.
"Yea! I'm coming!" I answered her as I zipped up my boots and grabbed my waist-high leather jacket with my IPod in hand. When I came downstairs I didn't even have time to eat breakfast because Teresa was rushing me out the house, complaining about how late she was for work now. I got into her car and buckled in before plugging my earphones in and blasting my music. Teresa settled in after dumping her work materials in the trunk, still running her mouth off but I couldn't hear her, so every now and then I would just nod, pretend like I was listening.
Eventually I felt asleep for a short nap along the way, my music still playing in my ears. Only when I felt Teresa tapping me did I wake up and pull one of my earphones out to hear her, realizing the car had stopped.
"Maxine, we're here. Now go on, get out. You're probably late, so just tell your probation supervisor to excuse you." Teresa said to me, waving her hand hurriedly. I turned back to her when I stepped out as she rolled the window down. Inclining her head towards me, she added, "If there's any trouble just call me, okay? Have a nice day love!"
Then she drove off and she was gone, leaving me in the middle of a parking lot. Yep, she definitely hasn't changed.
I walked through the first pair of doors I saw into the building. Looking up and down the hallway, I realized I had no idea where the hell I was suppose to go. Then I whipped my head around when I heard footsteps coming from one direction. A man appeared from around the corner, stopping right in front of me. His eyebrows furrowed and his lips curled down into a frown when he looked at me. "Well, what's a girl like you doing in here?"
"I'm here for community service. My name is Maxine." I told him. He arched an eyebrow when I spoke. I'm guessing he noticed my American accent.
"Maxine?" He repeated, before going through the papers on his clipboard. "Maxine Rhode? That's you?" I nodded; he let out a snicker in response. "You're a little trouble maker aren't you, eh? Well then follow me."
He gestured for me to follow him with a wave of his hand as he led me down the hall. We turned into another hall that led into this old dirty looking locker room. I could hear voices that sounded familiar, but then again in England everyone sounds the same to me with their accent. As we passed another row of lockers, we came about a group of teenagers changing into their orange jumpsuits. I immediately noticed a girl . . . with wide hips and her hair pulled back. There's no fucking way—
"Okay, let's get this over with, huh?" The man said, but I had my back to the others, hoping that I somehow got the wrong place.
"A-am I in the right place?" I asked softly, hearing the lockers slam shut behind me.
"Who's the new girl?"
"Now don't be shy, sweetheart. I'm your probation worker, I'll be supervising you and blah blah blah." The probation worker introduced himself in a dull, unenthusiastic voice. He clearly did not want to be here, so why he took the job is beyond me. "Say hello to your new pals and if you have any question . . . ask them, don't come bothering me. And you lot be nice to her, she'll be joining you for the next couple of days or so. Okay? Bye."
He left me with them. I had no other options left and I wasn't planning on skipping so I could get in more trouble. Letting out a heavy sigh, I realized the jig was up. The thought that they might not notice me was stupid; they watched me fall off a building yesterday. They'll probably wonder why I'm even alive.
"So are yo just goona stand there?" The girl with wide hips said in her thick accent.
"No, I wish I could though." I admitted, turning around slowly as I met the eyes of the misfits from yesterday.
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and are interested. About Maxine's power, it will all be revealed soon! I promise it'll make sense when you learn what her power really is. It's not teleportation. The rating will be bumped up later because Misfits is for mature audiences only and the first season was really 50% plot, 50% sex.
This will be a NathanXOC story. I don't think my character will turn out to be a Mary Sue but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I'm American, not British so I ask to be corrected when I use a word or phrase wrong. I'm asking for help. So thanks for reading and hope you look forward to the next chapter!
See you next time then!