"Eleanora? Are you even listening to me?" My ancient history teacher barked.
"Uh yeah. Of course." I replied not very convincingly I know, but when your life is as complicated as mine, there are more important things then staying awake in history class.
"Ok well then, I'm sure you will be able to tell the class what was the terrible historical event which occurred in the year AD 79."
I couldn't even remember what the letters AD stood for.. let alone what happened in that year. It's not that I'm a terrible student or anything, more like bad stuff just seems to follow me around. Everywhere I go. I don't know what it is about me which attracts trouble, I just know that it's always around. Especially, at the moment. The reason I'm not concentrating in history class is because I'm worried about my future. Worried about how I'm going to end up, if trouble continues to follow me around, especially after the latest little incident.
"Was it when you where born then, Ms?"
I say, putting on as masquerade of confidence and casualness, the class erupts into un-controllable fits of laughter. I don't join in; my life's not a joke any more it's gone way past the point of being funny.
The expression on Ms Hendersons face spells it out – trouble. The knock on the door spells double trouble. It's the student moniter, and he's looking for someone. Before the door is even opened I know why he is here. He is here to fetch me. He is here to take me to the head teacher's office for what I am almost certain will be the last time.
'Eleanora, it is just not acceptable. This is the sixth time you've been in here this term. It cannot go on. First you assault a fellow student with a chair. Then you set of the fire alarm not once but three times in one day, and then you are caught with alcohol on campus and now this. I'll have you know that I will be calling home about this, and that will only be the beginning. It is possible that I will even have to exclude you."
I shrugged my shoulders at the head teacher.
"I wouldn't bother calling if I where you. No-one will pick it up."
Mrs Greyton sighed and nervously pulled on the ends of her greying hair.
"Eleanora, I must ask is everything at home quite all right?"
She asks me, I see a look in her face that I've never seen before – and trust me I have see quite a lot of her this term. It's the look of concern. For the first time in my life I wonder about Mrs Greyton, and think perhaps that she is not just a head teacher, but also a mother. I wonder if her kid ( or kids!) ever got suspended or even kicked out of school?
Who is she kidding? Of course my life at home is not all right! My Mum died two years ago, and now I have a depressed alcoholic father, and a psycho path of an older brother who's in prison and not due for realese for another three years. But I can't tell that to a teacher – I'll be taken into care, and that would just break my dad's heart. Even though he has turned into a complete outcast of society
"Yeah sure everythings great." I say, trying to sound like it's the truth and everything is.
"Eleanora, I know that life might seem unfair sometimes and that maybe you have had an unfair share of trouble and tragedy in yours, but it is my responsibility to the school to make sure it's a safe learning environment. I have no choice but to exclude you. You have to learn that there is a line in life, and that if you cross that line there are serious consequences…"
I can't do it anymore. I can't just sit in that office and listen to Mrs Greyton telling me how much I've messed up my life, and where I'm going to end up if I don't come clean and sort it out. So I do what my brother – Charmont should have done on that fateful day, almost a year ago. I get up, and sprint out the door, run through the empty corridors, and suddenly I'm outside and away.