Ellie completed week one of school without problems. There were the stares
in the hallways and the whispers from the cliques. Overall she felt like
she had never left the school, still an outcast.
The new week began; Ellie wasn't looking forward to receiving school work, homework and exams to study for.
"Homework tonight class is to read chapter 1 of To Kill a Mockingbird, please write a one pages response to the chapter," Mrs. Kwan said writing the assignment on the board and turning to look at the class, "and no, writing large across the page 'it was good' does not count as a response."
The bell rang, the class shuffled to retrieve their belongings and hurry to their next class.
"Remember that in three weeks we're going to watch To Kill a Mockingbird the movie. If anyone could bring in the video I would be very grateful!" Mrs. Kwan called over the class as the moved out of the room like a pack of animals.
"I so do not want to sit through some old black and white video about some corny old book," said Paige walking down the hallway followed by an entourage of girls, including Hazel.
Ellie turned her back as they passed and looked into her locker, she waited for the girl's voices to leave but they had turned to whispers.
"Cut me off a chunk of that!" whispered Paige. Ellie turned around to see what she was staring at. It was Max Peters.
"I heard he was expelled from his school in like Boston for selling drugs on campus," a girl named Erin whispered to Paige.
"Yeah, well I heard his parents through his out for holding a wild party and getting a girl pregnant," another girl named Jessica whispered as the group of five cheerleaders glanced at the boy.
"What's most likely true is that he tried to commit suicide and had to get away from his old home," Hazel said crossing her arms and glancing nervously at Paige to see if she would accept her idea.
"I say he'd be perfect for you Ellie. A suicidal drug addict. A match made in heaven," she sneered and began to laugh with the other girls. They walked off their shorter than short skirts calling attention from the guys. The guys except Max, Ellie noticed with a strange satisfaction.
She watched his pull things out of his locker without realizing that the hallways were emptying and people heading to lunch. She was caught in a daydream, but woken up when her locker door suddenly slammed.
"What?" she said turning around to face Terri McGreggor.
"You coming to lunch? Wanna sit with me?" she asked sweetly her blond hair pulled back into a pretty bun, strands of curly hair lined her face. She seemed thinner, or maybe more confident. Terri was getting beautiful, Ellie wished she was too.
"Sure, um, well actually," Ellie began to confess, "I was wondering if you had seen Ashley...or Marco..."
Terri looked up at Ellie, tears formed at the brim of her eyes but did not spill over. She composed herself and began to tell Ellie in almost a whisper...
"It was Ashley who found you, Elle...she was traumatized about the whole thing...especially with the whole Craig thing...she and her family moved away, to the United States. I heard she had to spend time with a grief therapist."
Ellie stared at the wall in embarrassment. Why was Ashley the one who found her? Why did her best friend...her only friend...have to be witness to her awful act?
"And Marco..." she asked uncertainly hoping it did not involve her.
"Oh, you know how a lot of people in our school act about Gays...his family moved to New York and he's been sent to a Gay/Lesbian school there," said Terri, "that wasn't your fault."
"Yeah...well it feels like it," Ellie said turning away from Terri and trying to contain the hot, angry tears ready to pour down her face. Why me? She thought angrily.
The new week began; Ellie wasn't looking forward to receiving school work, homework and exams to study for.
"Homework tonight class is to read chapter 1 of To Kill a Mockingbird, please write a one pages response to the chapter," Mrs. Kwan said writing the assignment on the board and turning to look at the class, "and no, writing large across the page 'it was good' does not count as a response."
The bell rang, the class shuffled to retrieve their belongings and hurry to their next class.
"Remember that in three weeks we're going to watch To Kill a Mockingbird the movie. If anyone could bring in the video I would be very grateful!" Mrs. Kwan called over the class as the moved out of the room like a pack of animals.
"I so do not want to sit through some old black and white video about some corny old book," said Paige walking down the hallway followed by an entourage of girls, including Hazel.
Ellie turned her back as they passed and looked into her locker, she waited for the girl's voices to leave but they had turned to whispers.
"Cut me off a chunk of that!" whispered Paige. Ellie turned around to see what she was staring at. It was Max Peters.
"I heard he was expelled from his school in like Boston for selling drugs on campus," a girl named Erin whispered to Paige.
"Yeah, well I heard his parents through his out for holding a wild party and getting a girl pregnant," another girl named Jessica whispered as the group of five cheerleaders glanced at the boy.
"What's most likely true is that he tried to commit suicide and had to get away from his old home," Hazel said crossing her arms and glancing nervously at Paige to see if she would accept her idea.
"I say he'd be perfect for you Ellie. A suicidal drug addict. A match made in heaven," she sneered and began to laugh with the other girls. They walked off their shorter than short skirts calling attention from the guys. The guys except Max, Ellie noticed with a strange satisfaction.
She watched his pull things out of his locker without realizing that the hallways were emptying and people heading to lunch. She was caught in a daydream, but woken up when her locker door suddenly slammed.
"What?" she said turning around to face Terri McGreggor.
"You coming to lunch? Wanna sit with me?" she asked sweetly her blond hair pulled back into a pretty bun, strands of curly hair lined her face. She seemed thinner, or maybe more confident. Terri was getting beautiful, Ellie wished she was too.
"Sure, um, well actually," Ellie began to confess, "I was wondering if you had seen Ashley...or Marco..."
Terri looked up at Ellie, tears formed at the brim of her eyes but did not spill over. She composed herself and began to tell Ellie in almost a whisper...
"It was Ashley who found you, Elle...she was traumatized about the whole thing...especially with the whole Craig thing...she and her family moved away, to the United States. I heard she had to spend time with a grief therapist."
Ellie stared at the wall in embarrassment. Why was Ashley the one who found her? Why did her best friend...her only friend...have to be witness to her awful act?
"And Marco..." she asked uncertainly hoping it did not involve her.
"Oh, you know how a lot of people in our school act about Gays...his family moved to New York and he's been sent to a Gay/Lesbian school there," said Terri, "that wasn't your fault."
"Yeah...well it feels like it," Ellie said turning away from Terri and trying to contain the hot, angry tears ready to pour down her face. Why me? She thought angrily.