Maxwell Hall was a fairly a pleasant dorm to live in. The dorm was surrounded by thick green grass, with a pathway of crisp red brick that lead to the front door. The door was a solid white that accentuated the faded blue exterior. Maxwell Hall was the newest, yet smallest dormitory in Bayside Academy. It was small and designed to look like a house, including a living room, dining room, kitchen, two bathrooms, and four bedrooms. The dorm was home to eight of the school brightest students: Amber Millington, Joy Mercer, Linda Malcolm, Mara Jaffary, Mason Duncan, Andrew Phillips, Mick Campbell, and Jerome Clark. Inside the house the walls in the living room were painted white. There was a giant orange couch and two similar smaller couches with colorful throw pillows assorted around a brown coffee table facing the television. The house also included a large vintage dining table with eight chairs. There was a standard kitchen with a small television the students saved up for. In the basement, there was a bathroom and two bedrooms, one for Andrew and Mick and the other for Mason and Jerome. The second floor had an identical design; one bedroom belonged to Joy and Linda, while Amber and Mara shared the other.
"Jerome is such a piece of work," Mara muttered as she entered her bedroom, slamming the door shut.
"You're just figuring that out?" Amber asked while laughing at her roommate. "Where did you go so early this morning anyway?"
Mara glanced over at Amber as she made her way to her bed, "Doesn't matter. Can we not talk about it?"
"You know what you need?" Amber shouted excitedly. "You, my friend, need a girls night out! Today is the perfect day. We can go shopping right after lunch, with Joy and Linda of course. Oh, and tonight we can sneak of campus and party! I heard of this new dance placed that opened not to long ago."
"I don't know…" Mara trailed off.
"No, its perfect! I'll arrange everything now," Amber said as she rushed out to the hallway, most likely making her way to tell Joy and Linda her plans for today.
Even though Amber was Mara's best friend, they are almost polar opposites. Amber Millington was what some might refer to as the Queen B—"b" for bitch that is. She was tall, blonde, and beautiful—a worth wild combination. She was brilliant, funny, and good at everything she did, including taking advantage of the ones around her for her own best interest. That's the way Amber always had to have it: everything was to her own best interest, see where the bitch comes in? On the other hand, Mara's talents were limited to her schoolwork. She was a short brunette, who knew almost nothing about the outside world. Although she was not shy, she's not exactly valiant and confident like Amber. Mara liked to stay in her own world and rarely let anyone in. Yet somehow these girls managed to remain friends, maybe it was because Mara always did what Amber insisted.
Still reluctant about her friend's plans, Mara kept her mouth shut and walked down stairs to the kitchen. Being a Saturday morning, most of her male housemates were asleep and the girls were still chatting upstairs, so the kitchen was supposed to be empty. However, Mara found Jerome at the refrigerator grabbing an apple. Ignoring Mara's company, Jerome made his way to the living room, turned on the television, and began watching outdated Saturday morning cartoons.
"I wonder what goes on in that head of his," Mara whispered to herself as she began making herself breakfast.
"We're going to miss the cab! Mara, get out! Do you know how long it took me to even get permission to leave campus? Hurry up!" Amber shrieked from outside. Joy and Linda were already sitting in the cab, anxiously waiting for their trip to the mall. The students of Bayside Academy rarely ever had permission to leave the school without a parent or guardian taking them out. However, living in Maxwell Hall had its perks. With enough persuasion, the residents of Maxwell Hall could get away with leaving campus once a month without parents, as long as they didn't brag about it to the other students.
"Amber, you guys are just going to have to go out without me. I'm really not in the mood for this. Don't make me, please. I really just need some time to myself," Mara persisted from the doorway. "If you're my friend, you wouldn't make me do something I don't want to."
Amber gave the low-spirited girl a small smile before turning around and heading to the cab. "Feel better!" Linda shouted as she rolled down the car window. With a slight nod, Mara turned around before the cab could leave and entered the house. Before she had the chance to run up to her room, she spotted Mick sleeping on the couch and decided to have some fun. Unlike Mason and Andrew, Mick wasn't your typical nerd. He was energetic, funny, and very social. Mara had always had a little crush on him, until she met Brian. To her, Mick was the perfect person to be around. He never made her feel bad about herself. She also found him to be very cute. He was around average height, had dirty blond hair, and sparkly green eyes. The one thing that kept her away form him was the fact that he has been dating Joy for almost a year.
Right as Mara was about to scare him awake, she stopped in her tracks as her attention was drawn elsewhere. "This is all your fault!" she heard coming from the basement. She knew that voice. Her instinct took over as she snuck to the basement, tiptoeing her way downstairs. "I hate you," came the voice again. "Whom could he be talking to?" Mara questioned to herself. "You can't make me!" This time Mara could clearly tell he was sobbing. Inching closer to Jerome's door, Mara heard his weary weeps and then SLAM! She could tell that something had been thrown. Realizing this wasn't her place; Mara decided to sneak back upstairs. He is none of my concern, she thought to herself.
Ignoring the shattered pieces of his broken mirror on the floor, Jerome shuffled through his book bag desperately looking for a piece of paper and a pen. "Now that Grandma's gone, there is no reason for any of this anymore," Jerome spoke to himself. His uncontrollable tears were causing his vision to blur, making finding a pen even more challenging. Once a pen was in his hands, he sat at his desk and began to write.
Mom Joan Clark,
I want you to know all the pain you've caused me.
He needed to let this out; his beloved Grandmother's death was the last straw. He was finally done with his parents, school, and his life.
Every morning I look at myself in the mirror and I don't like what I see. I despise the person I am. You've always looked at me as a disappointment, I'm sure you're happy to hear that I know you're right. All I've ever managed to do was ruin your life. I messed everything up for you. You'd say I'm disgusting; you'd call me filth. I was dirt in your eyes. You never once thought of me as your son, just a burden. You never loved me, but I guess that doesn't matter now. My time has come. I'm tired of being unloved. I am tired of being ignored and forgotten. I'm tired of living a life I cannot handle. I can't stand keeping all these walls up so people will never know who I am. I feel so empty inside. Nothing fills the giant void. I smoke, I do drugs, I've been with countless girls, but nothing helps. You've ruined me inside, and that is something that can never be fixed. I hate you. I hate Dad. Yet, I can feel myself turning into a rotten person like the two of you.
I've always been rotten, he thought to himself. You've beaten me out of love.
I will never forgive either of you. I will never forgive Dad for constantly beating me as child. I will never forgive you for making me feel worthless. You're not a mother; you're a monster. And you've turned me into a monster as well. The pain isn't worth it when the only person I was living for is gone. I must visit Grandma now. You don't deserve a goodbye; so think of this as good riddance. Now you can be happy.
As he wiped away one final tear, the miserable boy signed the letter.
Bye, Jerome Clark – it's been hell.
He turned the paper around and searched for the accursed razor that he hasn't touched in over three years. He absentmindedly shuffled through overdue schoolwork and old photos that lay on his desk. Banging his stiff clenched fist on to the table in frustration of not finding the only item that would take him out of his misery. A slight glow came to his eyes when he noticed how the Moon's deep radiance shadowed over a mirror-like object. While hesitantly reaching for his razor, he noted a sliver chain glowing in the dim light. It was the silver chain his mother gave him the day he left for boarding school. It was given to him so he wouldn't forget his mother and where he came from. She never thought I wanted to forget, Jerome thought to himself. That's all I ever wanted. Without a slight drop of uncertainty, he grabbed the razor and gripped in firmly in his hands. His hand shook as he brought the treacherous weapon to the white, fresh flesh of his wrist. A waterfall of tears began tears pouring form the boy's miserable eyes. I've been strong for so long, he thought. Far too long. With gasps and shaky breaths, he brought the razor closer to the one vein that would end his life. His heart rate rose to as fast as the thrumming wings of a caged bird. He was about to do it. Any second now Jerome Clark would end his wretched life. "Ahh!" he cried. Just as he was about to dig the gruesome knife into his boiling sweaty skin, he dropped the razor to rigid floor beneath him. After Grandma's funeral tonight, he thought to himself.
"No; not that; Mara are you serious?" Amber said as she looked up from painting her nails to see her best friends' outfit choices for tonight. "I'll just pick something out for you!"
Of course she thinks I'm incapable of doing anything, Mara thought to herself as she rolled her eyes and moved away from her closet, letting Amber hastily look through her clothes. Amber had a disgusted look on her as she looked through the clothes she's seen countless times before. And now she'll say I have nothing to wear and make me wear one of her numerous slutty dress, Mara thought. Disapprovingly, Amber walked toward her own closet and instantaneously pulled out a rather too short, sleeveless, black lace dress.
"You've got to be kidding me! That's not even you're size!" Mara bewilderedly hollered.
"That's why it's for you!" Amber said with excitement. "Just try it on. You'll love it, I promise."
With slight hesitation, Mara began changing into the dress. She was never one to wear a dress that showed off her body too much. She kept her clothing choices shy and reserved. Until tonight, Mara said to herself. As she looked into mirror, wearing Amber's dress, she saw a different person. This wasn't timid little Mara; the person that looked back at her was brave, confident, and above all beautiful. For the first time since her breakup, Mara felt whole again. She turned toward Amber and said, "I can't wear this tonight." Amber nodded and Mara changed into a pair of burgundy leather pants and a black sleeveless shirt. She wasn't going to turn into another version of Amber. Tonight, she would be a more self-assured Mara.