Chapter 1- I hate them… I really do

Authors Note: This is my 2nd fan fiction. Please read my story and leave a review. Hope you like it and enjoy!

All thoughts coming from the characters are in brackets. =)

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Tessa slammed her locker shut and winced at the pain that rushed through her fingers to her brain. She had slammed it right on her little finger.

"Shit!" she exclaimed, and stuffed her red, swollen finger into her mouth.

She had always been told that it was meant to help the pain, but was sad to report that it didn't exactly work miracles. Tessa scowled at the locker and swore at it once more before she made her way to the school doors. It was just another one of those days for Tessa Collins, where everything seemed to go wrong. She sighed as she pushed open the doors to the front of the school.

She was happy to be away from school, even though it was only for one weekend. As she began walking down the pavement to her house, she remembered she had been given an envelope from school. She reached into her pocket for it and ripped a bit of the paper, before deciding to wait until she got home.

When Tessa arrived home, she was surprised to find that her dad's car was parked outside. Usually her father would come home after work, in which by then Tessa would already be fast asleep.

(Wonder why dad is home so early...)

Tessa opened the door to her house. Funnily enough, the house smelt of dust, dirt and wood. She wrinkled her nose and sneezed.

"Tessa?" her mum called from upstairs.

"Yeah, mum? I'm home," she replied dropping her bag on the table. "Where's dad?"

"He's up here. Come on up, I need to talk to you."

Tessa walked up the stairs to her parent's room and opened the door. There sat her mother packing a suitcase full of clothes, and her father talking on the phone.

"Why are you packing?" Tessa asked curiously.

Her mother continued folding her blouses.

"Well, your father and I have decided that it would be best if we were to move."

Tessa stood stunned and her mouth dropped open. She tried to speak, but she couldn't get the words out.

(What do they take me for?)

"What?! And you just thought that you could move me without asking whether I want to move! Am I that unimportant when it comes to making decisions and-"

"Honey, please don't make such a big deal out of this," her mother interrupted.

"Well, it is a big deal!" Tessa yelled unable to keep the anger out of her voice.

Her father got off the phone and sat down on the bed, running a hand through his head.

"We would do much better if we were to move now," he said in a calm tone.

Tessa felt her knuckles go white. She was furious with her parents.

"NO! It would be much better for you and mum!" she yelled at the top of her lungs.

Her father immediately stood up and turned to Tessa.

"There is no need to yell, Tessa," he said in a stern tone.

Suddenly he eyed the envelope sticking out of her pocket. He grabbed it and ripped it open.

Tessa tried to snatch it back, but her father turned the other way.

"Dear Mr. and Mrs. Collins," he read aloud. "It has come to my attention that your daughter, Tessa, has been failing all of her tests miserably at school. Now this does worry us, as we will have to retain her if she does not pass her exams at the end of the year. Please see to this problem immediately."

Tessa shifted from foot to foot and looked away from her dad.

"Now this- this, Tessa… is indeed a problem," he said.

"You don't get it! School is much harder now, ok? And I'm trying-"

"You're not trying hard enough!" her father raised his voice slightly as he said it.

"Honey, school isn't that difficult," her mother butted in.

"Look who's talking. Mum you were a high school drop-out, god damn-"

"THAT'S IT! Go to your room! Now!" her father yelled.

"I'm already going!" she screamed back as she left the room in a huff.

(I hate them… I really do)

Tessa slept peacefully, despite the fact that she had one of the biggest arguments ever with her parents. She was exhausted from screaming and crying.

The next morning, Tessa was awoken by rays of light shining into her eyes through the window blinds. She kicked the blankets off and sat up, stretching her arms and legs. She knew it was going to be yet another terrible day, especially since she had a big fight with her parents. She reached for her watch.

(Oh my god… it's 3 in the afternoon! Why the hell didn't mum wake me up?)

Tessa quickly got out of bed and showered, she didn't want to be late for her Saturday job. When she got out of the bathroom and changed, she pulled up the blinds and stared outside the window, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the bright light. But the sight outside the window was one she would never adjust too. She gasped as she saw what was outside. Fire, broken windows, over-turned cars, and… people. But the people were somewhat staggering, like drunkards.

(What's going on?)

Tessa ran down the stairs to where her mother and father always were. Hoping they knew what was wrong with the city.

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Please leave a review and I will continue writing the 2nd chapter. Thank you.