Part 1: The Beginning
Chapter 1: That Girl
"Ugh" was the first thought to enter Darrell's mind that morning, that and "FLIPP!" he was late for school again! He didn't think Miss had anymore kids who wanted his autograph ( he already had been late 6 times last term, not that they were counted of course) this was one of the few times he actually was almost glad he was a famous singer! Darrell thought about it and decided that he was already late, so why not be a tiny bit later, and get some decent sleep, since he'd woken up feeling more tired than he went to sleep feeling (ironic, huh?) because of some dream he kept having, this had to be like the fifth time just this week...maybe he should see a doctor...for what felt like the thoasanth time that morning Darrell wished he could get this girl - Merrissa - 's name out of his head, before it slipped out in an interveiw or something and everyone starts thinking she's his girlfriend, or he at least wished he knew who she was!
Having given up with trying to think who this Merrissa might be, Darrell rolled over in bed, hoping to finally get some rest, when his mum came in, shouting his name at the top of her voice, "Right here mum" he replied, covering his ears with his pillow.
"Get out of bed, now!" his mum continued to shout, pulling the covers off him, "You're late for school AGAIN!,"
Darrell started to speak - "But mum-" he was cut off in the middle of what he was saying, or rather had been saying, by his mum shouting;
"No ifs, buts, or whys," she continued to say, "Just because that teacher of yours isn't punishing you, doesn't mean I'm not!"
Darrell once again attempted to say "But mum it's just-"
"NO BUTS!" was what his mum said to that as she marched downstairs, "AND GET OUT OF BED FOR GOODNESS SAKE!"
Darrell slowley got out of bed, groaning, he felt like a zombie and going to the mirror found he looked a bit like one too - his usually tousled dark hair framing his face looked messy but not that bad, it was the huge dark cricles framing his deep brown eyes that made him look like the "walking dead", oh well, it was summer, he should be getting a tan soon anyway, and that should hide the marks. The next thing he saw made him grin, all that working out his fitnesss instructer was having him do was almost paying off - his lanky figure was actually looking slightly less lanky. He still couldn't believe his mum had hired him a fitness instructer, what was she trying to say? Darrell's thoughts quickely snapped back to what he was doing when he saw the clock in the mirror behind him, it was half past 9 already - and school started at 9, it'd be almost ten before he was out the door! He quickely got dresed and ready for school, grabbed some toast and ran out the door, (luckily the bus stop was just outside his house) jumped on the late bus, it maths first aswell, and his maths teacher hated him, and his music!
Darrell got to school and signed in as quick as he could, and looking at the clock was almost relieved he'd missed maths, that was until he ran straight into Mr Gregory, his maths teacher, and also the deputy head at his school, unfortunately.
"Darrell Smith, where to you think you're going, and whilst we're talking, would you like to tell me where happened to be during my maths maths class?"
Darrell, being stressed, tired, and annoyed already this morning, automatically replied without thinking, "Well, sir, right now I'm headed to my next class, and in your maths class I was at home asleep, since I figured that's what I'd be doing anyway," then having realised what he just said Darrell threw a hand over his mouth and started muttering muffled apologies, which he quickely stopped when he noticed that Mr Gregory was turning purple...and now blue...Darrell began to worry that sir might expplode...
"Sir, are you alright?" Darrell asked Mr Gregory.
"You, and you!" both his hand and voice were shaking with rage as he pointed first to Darrell and then to a girl who Darrell hadn't noticed before, who was giggling in the corner,"DETENTION! TOMORROW LUNCH!"
"But sir-"
For the second time that morning Darrell was cut off with the words; "NO BUTS!"
The moment Mr Gregory was gone this girl ran over to him shouting his name, great a craazed fan, thought Darrell, this day just keeps getting better, as the fan started to babble about him he quickely said;
"Excuse me, but I've gotta get to class, and so have you," with that Darrell practically ran to his next class, lucky his next teacher likes him!
The rest of Darrell's day ran smoothly , and it was now his last period. Darrell stepped tentatively into the mobile that was to be his classroom for english this term as the english rooms were being remodeled at the moment. The dank, damp smell of the rarely used mobile almost overwhelmed Darrell, he already was dreading the hour ahead, he walked quickely to a desk near an open window, hoping the air would make the smell better, it did, but very little, so Darrell buried his nose in his arm and began to breathe through his mouth, Darrell being in such a hurry before hadn't noticed before but there was a group of girls gathered closely round the desk directely in front of him. Taking a closer look Darrell could tell all the other girls were talking, but the one in the middle was silent. Darrell listened in on their conversation and realised that all the other girls were bullying the one in the middle, and he could tell that every word that the girls said was like a pin being thrown at the girl, puncturing her self esteem, and confidence, as she sunk further and further down in her seat obviously wishing that she could disappear, and Darrell couldn't help being reminded of a tortoise shrinking further and further back into it's shell, until it's shell was all you could see. Why would those horrible, spiteful girls do that to someone, a fellow human being, with feelings? Why should they gain popularity from anothers deppression, from ganging up on and breaking another's spirit? Why do that? Why? It was so messed up. Before Darrell knew what he was doing Darrell was out of his seat and saying;
"LEAVE HER ALONE!" - he had to save her, as nobody else would, "WHAT HAS SHE EVER DONE TO YOU?"
All the girls suddenly seemed to shrink back down into their seats, and Darrell hoped so badly that they felt guilty for what they had done, but honestly he still wasn't sure if they even had hearts. Darrell suddenly wished that he could save all those people in the world who were being bullied - he was so going to write a song about this!
Darrell now walked up to the girl who'd been being bullied, and said to her in a concerned tone;
"Are you alright?" , the girl nodded, "What's your name?" he then asked her.
"Merrissa," At her answer a huge ball of shock, and emotion, and memories hit Darrell and he had grab onto her desk to stop himself from falling to the floor as he in his head saw so many memories he couldn't distinguish, or place, or barely even recognise, memories, of sadness, guilt, love, friendship and so much more, and those eyes, her eyes, those beautiful, soft, kind, loving, yet strong, determined, and purely amazing deep, deep browny, greeny, hazel eyess of hers that he would recognise anywhere, framed by her beautiful soft wavey long, brown hair. Her voice, he could hear it now, a soft, kind, welcoming, strong, determined, almost bell like voice, he had so many memories he didn't even know of ...he could hear her calling him now, at first it was soft but it was getting so loud now...
"Darrell?" he could hear her voice - she sounded really worried,"Darrell?"
"Sorry..." he said, slowly, confused, he couldn't remember the last few seconds, which had seemed like hours, "...I must've zoned out or something..." he continued, smiling in an uneasy, nervous kind of way, then he suddenely thought, "How do you know my name?"
She began to answer;"Errrmmm..."
At that moment the bell rang, and the teacher walked in, saved by the bell Darrell bet she was thinking. Darrell then noticed that even the teacher had paused at the door having noticed the awful smell, and looked as if she were deciding whether or not she would run. The lesson that day went reaally slowly for Darrell as all he could think about was Merrissa, this must be the Merrissa whose name had been stuck in his head for weeks, especially since he just couldn't shake this feeling that he knew her from somewhere, or sometime.
An hour later the bell rang and they were dismissed, Darrell had been planning to ask Merrissa if he knew her from somewhere at the end of the lesson, but the moment they'd been dismissed Merrissa, ran, and really ran so fast out of the door, despite the teacher shouting;
"No Running!"
Darrell immediately ran after her but the teacher put an arm out in front of him, stopping Darrell in his tracks, and by the time he got outside, Merrissa was gone, and his lunchtime detention that next day was now an after school.