Sibley had never really gotten along with kids her age. She was different, smarter, unique. That being said, it was no surprise the other adolescents she went to school with didn't like her. In the weeks she began going there, they had taken to bullying. Freak was a popular name she was used to being called and it didn't hurt, it was just annoying at this point. Couldn't they at least think of something clever?
In any case, she dealt with it, she didn't care. There was a group of specific boys, year 12s, who were always on her case. Getting close, flirting while also insulting. It was clear she was just a joke to them. Something to be used. She spent many days trying to shove her way through them as they would try and touch her and tease her. God, she hated High School.
She opened up her locker, trying to quickly put away her things and grab what she needed for home when someone came up behind her as she slammed it shut. She turned to see him right up in her space. Charlie Travis.
"Hey, bitch," he smirked.
"W-w-what do you w-want?" she stuttered, trying to shrink back into her locker.
"I wanted to see what it's like to be with a freak. I'm sure you have some interesting moves," he said, moving his hand up her bare arm. She tried to move away from him but now his friends were all there too.
"L-leave me alone," she said. She was now surrounded by guys, nowhere to move.
"Come on, baby, don't be like that," another guy grabbed at her breasts. She swatted him away. She didn't like it. She didn't like being touched like that by them.
"P-please, I n-need to go home," she begged.
"You can go home with me," another guy grabbed and pulled a lock of her hair. They all laughed allowed her to push her way through, hot tears pouring down her cheeks as she ran across the school yard and quickly hailed a cab.
She ran into St. Barts down to the morgue where Molly was working alone. She looked up upon hearing the teenager enter and frowned when she saw her. Sibley's clothes and hair were awry from the struggle and she was still shaking and crying. Molly stood instantly and ran over to envelop her in a hug. She comforted her and allowed her to calm down before she explained everything.
"You need to tell your dad, Sibley. It needs to stop." Molly insisted when she was done talking.
"N-no, he doesn't c-c-care, it's fine, I -I can handle it." she said. Molly frowned, but Sibley was stubborn and she knew there was no point in trying to argue with her, still Molly was concerned.
"Alright, let's take a cab back to Baker Street," she said. Sibley waved her off and began to compose herself, taking the image of a group of boys pushing her around and shoving it into a closet in her mind.
"I'm fine. I can take a cab on my own. Thank you." her voice was formal and lacked emotion. Once again, Molly was reminded of Sherlock and wondered why she didn't see the resemblance sooner. She watched as Sibley grabbed her bag and turned, walking out of the morgue.
"You sure you're okay? You've been acting weird lately." Amber said as they stood in the shelves of books at the bookstore. Now that she didn't have to pay bills and such, the money from her job at the station went towards things she actually wanted.
"I'm fine, it's just the kids at school. They've been getting on my nerves," she said. Amber frowned.
"I'm sorry, I wish I could do something," she said. Sibley just shook her head.
"Don't worry about it. I can handle myself." she replied, "Besides, they're right,"
"About what?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows.
"I'm a freak and a weirdo. Don't know why anyone would even want to be around me," she sighed, shaking her head.
"Hey," Amber put a hand on Sibley's shoulder and she looked up, blue eyes meeting brown, "don't say that, you're amazing," her voice was soft. Sibley blinked, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"Thanks," she whispered. Amber nodded and dropped her hand.
"So, have you read the Harry Potter series?"
When Sibley finally got home that night, the flat was empty. She walked over to the fridge and looked around all of the body parts. Nothing. She gripped the handle with white knuckles, this scene was a familiar one. She closed it again and shook her head. No, they were just behind on shopping, it was fine. Honestly, maybe her mother was the source of all her problems. The reason she was the way she was, thought the way she thought.
She slammed the fridge door, grabbed her bag, and pulled on a coat. She rushed down the stairs and to the busy streets of London. The cold air tousled her short hair as she weaved through crowds of people and to her destination.
Sibley arrived and went through the required process before being led to a room lined with chairs and windows. She sat on one and waited for her mother to be dragged out.
Bre Lawrence had dark bags under eyes, her grey speckled blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail, but her eyes were clear. She was sober.
"Sibley," she said, a slight rasp to her voice after all of the cigarettes.
"Mum... How's prison?" she asked.
"Rough. Apparently buying and selling illegal drugs is enough to be in here for a while," she said.
"I haven't seen you sober in awhile." Sibley sighed, scanning her mother. Bre frowned and looked down.
"I know." she said.
"I'm living with Sherlock now," she said.
"I figured. I never wanted you with him. He's not a good man, Sib." she said.
"So far he's better than you." she said.
"When I knew Sherlock, he was going all sorts of drugs too. On top of that he was an arrogant prick obsessed with murder." Bre's normal hostile tone was now back as she spoke of her ex lover.
"Yeah, he's pretty much the same now. Though, I haven't seen any drugs with him, same can't be said for you, so you really have no reason to talk," she scowled.
"Why are you here Sibley? Come to rub this in my face?" her mother spat.
"I came to see if you were still my mother when the drugs and alcohol was gone but I think she's long gone." she replied.
"Good. I never wanted to be your mother anyways," the woman growled. Sibley slammed the phone where it belonged and walked away, leaving her mother to stare after her. It was a bad idea, but she had to see. Had to know. Now she did, her mother was always going to be a bitter old woman, and Sherlock had been a drug addict. Suspicions confirmed.
Sibley was in a bad mood. Sibley had been in a bad mood a lot lately. As she slammed her locker shut and turned she wasn't surprised, or happy, to see the normal group of guys standing there, waiting. She tried to go around them, to get away, she really didn't want to deal with them at the time, but they wouldn't leave. She walked outside and they all followed her.
"Leave me the hell alone you creeps," she snapped, to angry to be nervous.
"Excuse me, bitch? Don't talk to us like that," Charlie shoved her against the brick wall. She groaned as she hit her head.
"I'm tired of waiting, Charlie, it's Friday now, let's just take her." one of the minions said.
"Wanna go for a ride, sweetheart?" Charlie asked her, shoving her again.
"N-no." she stuttered.
"Come on, you'd be lucky to have us, babe," another said.
"Leave m-me alone. I don't l-like you," she insisted. Charlie drew back and socked her in the face.
"Shut up. We'll tell you when you can speak, bitch," he spat before punching her again. She stumbled back and fell onto the ground.
"Come on, we'll have fun tonight," another said, kicking her. They all joined in, punching and kicking. She heard someone shouting and felt all of the boys begin to run away right as she blacked out.