CHAPTER 2 – FIRST GRADE & PROMISES

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"Oh shut up!" Gemma screeched in annoyance as she slammed her hand on the alarm clock that dared to disturb her sleep. She flipped on her sides and covered herself with her blanket, trying to avoid the sun light that was now peeking through her curtain window. All she wants to have was some more minutes of good sleep before she starts her first day at her school. Looking around the room, anyone could tell that Gemma was a very clean and organised person. Even though she wasn't a morning person, her manners and her dedication to her lifestyle was great. It was her bad luck that she had developed a bad habit of reading books in the middle of night, which is also the reason she was feeling grumpy right now.

"GGEEEEEMMMMMMAAAAAAAAA! WAKEY! WAKEY!" She heard her younger sister cry from downstairs, followed by a set of loud footsteps running up and down the corridor outside her bedroom's door.

"Ugh! Stop It!" Gemma exclaimed as she covered her ears with her fluffy pink pillows. She was so not in the mood to go to school today. Considering she has already covered all the material till 6th grade, she doesn't feel like it's important to wake up this early. As proven before, Gemma Simmons was an intelligent child. It's been 3 years since she had first attended her pre-school and three years since she had been friends with Caitlin Snow. Within these years, Gemma has covered almost all the material up to the 6th grade. Even now her parents couldn't deny the fact that their child is a genius. But none-the-less instead of being advancing her to higher grades, Gemma was forced to officially start her first grade this year at the age of 6 like normal people.

"Gemma, Come on WAKE UP! You've got school!" Gemma's mother voice echoed around the house just as the said 6 year old girl stood up from her bed. With all the noise going around her, she doubted if she would be able to fall back to sleep.

"Okay, Okay I'm up." She whispered to herself as she headed to the bathroom to clean herself. 3 years and she's still just a no-body to her parents. Still being ignored... Still the victim to favouritism... Only being acknowledged by few phrases such as the morning call or 'bye Gemma'.

In overall, Gemma hated her home life. A devil of a sister and fully ignored, self-centred parents. Sometimes the 6 year old wonders if her parents had ever loved her. Judging by the amount of time they give to Katya, she doesn't think they ever did.

Shaking her head, she started to get ready. It was in her best interest that she reaches school on time, otherwise god knows what would her best friend, Caitlin, would do to her if she ever got late. Caitlin. She smiled at the thought of her friend. Since the moment Gemma had met Caitlin in that pre-school, she has someone that she can lean on now. Someone she can share her secrets with. Someone who understands her life's complications both socially and physically. The photo frame on her bedside table shows her 3 years of friendship with her. It was taken last year when Caitlin had accidentally dropped paint on Gemma. And Gemma being Gemma, had scooped up the fallen paint and threw it back at her grinning best friend's face. That's when their pre-school teacher, who goes by Ms. Freya, had taken the photo. It was one of the best moments in her life. Just her and Caitlin, hugging each other while dripping with pain from top to bottom.

"Gemma! Hurry up!" Mrs. Simmons screamed in anger. The loud voice itself knocked Gemma out of her thoughts and pushed her to get ready. Even though she knows her way around the 1st grade material, she was still excited to start school. A proper school after pleading for 2 and half years to her parents. This may sound too early for any normal 6 year old but Gemma wasn't normal. She escalates in her studies more than ever.

"Please, make this a good day." Gemma prayed as she picked up her school bag and patted her fizzy hair. Caitlin was the only one who managed to become Gemma's friend. Others were just too confused or too weirded out by her and her knowledge. But, that fact never bothered her. As long as she has her best friend with her, she doesn't need anyone in her life. Best friends are rare. It's better to keep them close than let them go away.

She quickly patted her fizzy hair and notched up her glasses. With a last glance in the mirror, she headed downstairs for breakfast. As usual her parents didn't acknowledge her. Her mum dumped the breakfast plate Infront of her before going back to her younger sister's, Katya's, tending. As mentioned before Gemma hates her younger sister. Katya was only one year younger than Gemma and was a total attention seeker. It's funny how in Roman, The name 'Katya' means pure. But in Gemma's life, Katya was the definition of pure evil. Gemma remembers how many times her younger sister had gotten her in trouble with her parents.

Gemma shrugged her shoulders, as she went back to her eating.

"Mummy, I want foooodddd!" Katya whined as she pointed her hands towards a plate stacked with pancakes. To Gemma's dismay, her mother instantly got up and baby fed her younger sister. Gemma couldn't help but scowl.

"Atleast have some manners when your eating, Katya." Gemma said as she saw her younger sister stuffing her face with food like a pig. She didn't mean it as an insult or anything, she just meant it as a good will. The sight of Katya's messy face would send anyone into a puking state of her age.

"Oh don't worry honey! She's only 5! She'll learn." Her mother said not so sweetly while Katya glared at her. Unfornately, this was the last straw for Gemma's patience.

"THATS IT! I'm sick of it!" Gemma exclaimed, standing up. "Why do you always choose HER over ME?! It's every time HER. Do I even matter to you?" She screamed.

"You sit down, young lady! Is this the way you talk to your mother?" Mr. Simmons shot up.

"No, I won't! You never cared about me!" Gemma argued. "And what mother?" Gemma laughed bitterly. "The only thing she cares about is Katya, Katya and KATYA! It's always her! My own mother never cared for me! When I needed her the most, she left me alone!" The sentence itself shocked out of her stupor. Within seconds, a horror look became evident on her face as she saw her older daughter stomped out the door. Mrs. Simmons never realised how distant she was being to Gemma. Apparently her husband was thinking along the same lines. They always thought Gemma was a independent girl so they thought she could take care of herself but they never thought that they were being this distant to her.

"Mummy?" Katya tried to get her mother's attention back on her. "MUMMY!" That apparently got her mother's attention but was met with a glare.

"Stop shouting, young lady. Go to your room, No more food for you!" Mrs. Simmons screeched out before she took the plate off Katya's hands and walked away. Her father followed suit. As for Katya, she fumed with anger. This is the first time her parents had ever shouted at her and its all because of Gemma! She took a note to make her older sister's life a living hell. No-one steals Katya's spotlight.

Meanwhile with Gemma, who has stormed out of her house in anger, found herself facing the school's gates. Just around the right spot where Caitlin was supposed to meet her. Since the school was only on a 10 minute walking distance, it didn't take long for Gemma to reach there at the gates.

"Hey, Gem!" She heard Caitlin behind her, using her nickname. They were past the name 'Simmons'.

"Hey." Gemma replied quietly, making Caitlin look at her in alarm.

"Gem?.." That was the last straw before Gemma took the opportunity to hug her friend. She wasn't going to cry but she needed a warm hug to go on. "Gemma, what happened?"

"It's nothing. I-I just had a fight with my parents again." Gemma sniffed out before releasing her friend from her tight hold of a grip. "It was Katya again. I-I decided to confront them but it ended really badly."

"Oh Gemma.." Caitlin said as she hugged her best friend again.

"Ewww! Stop the PDA!" Someone yelled behind them. Both the girls looked behind them to find Sandra smirking at them with her two friends who acted more like her copycats. Sandra, full name 'Cassandra', was one of the girls who was in the same pre-school as gemma. That blonde-headed girl had always hated both Gemma and Caitlin's guts since the beginning. She had always been jealous of their friendship. Atleast that's Gemma seems to think. Caitlin on the other hand knew the real reason on why Sandra always picked on them.

"Sandra... I hate that girl. Why can't she just leave us alone?" Gemma muttered to Caitlin who also nodded at the un-invited intruder. Caitlin was very well aware why Sandra always picks on them or rather Gemma...

"Go away, Sandra." Caitlin yelled back in anger.

"Really Caitlin, I did not expect this from you." The 7 year old witch replied before she whisked off with her copycats.

"I have no idea what her problem is." Gemma said. Caitlin looked at Sandra's back.

"She's just jealous." She greeted out. "Come on." She added before pulling Gemma inside the school grounds. Just as they were about to enter the school building, Gemma stopped Caitlin and pulled her to the side.

"Do you remember the promises?" Gemma asked caitlin who looked at her in confusion before realization washed over her.

"Of course I do." Caitlin nodded before both the girls recited their promises.

"We solemnly swear to be with each other and never turn away. We promise to stay together at harder times and help each other out. We promise not to fall in school's stereotypes and let our friendship be affected. We promise to be best friends forever and ever." Both the girls finished before they grinned at each other. These promises have been their motto to try out new different things. Since school is a big part of their life, they didn't want the social stereotypes to affect their friendship. So they had promised never to turn away from each other.

"Come on, otherwise we'll be late." Gemma said before they entered the school building. She only hoped that their first day of school doesn't become the worst day of school.