My alarm wakes me at half 6. "You're not alone, together we stand. I'll be by your side you know I'll take your hand" is what I hear after the familiar guitar riffs of 'Keep Holding On' by Avril Lavigne before I smack my hand over the alarm clock. Avril is probably my second favourite artist after the Beatles. Actually, I might like her better. The Beatles are just my favourite band, Avril is my favourite singer. I blink, adjusting to the light and flicking some of the sleep out of my eyes. I forgot that I had that stupid alarm set. That was when I had to wake up early for school every morning. The only school remotely near that home was about 10 miles away and there was quite a bit of traffic so we used to have to get up earlier. Damn..It's Monday today. The other kids must be going to school, right? Well not me because Mike hasn't talked to me about it yet and, besides, I have to see Max today. I can't go to school today, no way. I swing my legs out of the bed, still debating this over and over again in my head. They wouldn't send me to school with no notice, right? I hope so. I try to stop a yawn, and fail, before sitting down in front of the chest of drawers and my mirror. My straighteners are already plugged into the socket conveniently placed next to the door. They're purple, like most of my furniture. It's my favourite colour, obviously. I flick the switch on the side and watch as the red light starts to flash telling me that they're heating up. While I'm waiting I brush out my hair with my brush which is backed with bamboo wood. It's still silky smooth from yesterday when I washed it back at my old care home. As I start to re-part my hair, the red light stops flashing meaning that they're ready to use. After straightening my hair and long bangs I start to debate over what to wear today. In the end I decide on a plain black tank top underneath a loose white top that says "Life is better when you dance" surrounded by musical notes. I pull on some leggings with studs down the side and I'm ready. Apart from my makeup. I don't normally use foundation, it makes my face too oily and I don't normally need it. I just dab some concealer onto a small blemish on my forehead then start to do my eye liner. I do it in an emerald green with a small flick at the end then behind it I use a bold black eye shadow and also put a little on my lower lash-line. I contour it out slightly, almost reaching my eyebrow and I'm done. My eyes are my favourite thing about me, so that's what I focus on when I do my makeup. I add a little tinted lip balm to my lips, but I'm basically done. I put on some ankle length socks and my black converses. They aren't real converses like the ones I tye-dyed myself, they're just the same style but black. I take a quick glance in the mirror and narrow my eyes at my reflection. I look well rested for once and the eye liner was definitely a good idea. My emerald eyes are some how bigger and brighter. More alive. I give a slight nod of approval at my appearance then start to head downstairs.
As expected, most of the other kids are wearing their school uniforms. The ones who aren't are still in their pyjamas. I quickly look over everyone and notice that they aren't all wearing the same uniform. Of course, the younger ones go to primary school. A couple are sitting at the breakfast bar, the rest at the table, "Nice of you to turn up," Johnny. What is his problem? I clench and unclench my fists, glaring at him, "What, are you too stupid to go to school or something?" He smirks, looking my outfit up and down. The way he says 'stupid' gets to me for some reason. Not because he's specifically calling me stupid, but because 'stupid' is what kids used to call Adam. I have never like that word, "Now, now Johnny," Mike says coming into the room, "Zara, your uniform," he says to me. What. He hands me a folded white shirt and plaid skirt, my size but they look wrong. Like I could never wear them, "No, I'm not going today," I say as calmly as I can, handing back the uniform, "I'm afraid you've got to. It's the law,"
"But...but," I stammer trying to think of a good enough reason for me not to go, "Max is coming today,"
"I know, he called me. He'll speak to me then, after you come back from school, I'll talk to you," He hands me back the uniform. I sigh, slightly defeated, "I'll go," I say at last, breaking the silence that has formed in the room. Mike smiles, but I'm not finished, "But I'm not wearing the uniform. I'll wear what I've got on," I gesture to my outfit,
"I would have thought you wouldn't want to stand out?" Mike is also defeated and is not up to arguing with me. I raise my eyebrows slightly and grin. They really don't know me. Yet.
I sit at the back of the mini bus next to Rick, simply because there's no one else. So he annoys me like hell and I was rude to him, but he's still the only person willing to talk to me nicely, "Have you ever, you know, been to school before?" He asks suddenly. So far we've sat in total silence while the rest of the kids talk to each other, "What kind of question is that? Of course I have," I snap, studying his face to see if it was a joke. I guess not. He's wearing his uniform, unlike me. It's a plain white shirt, black blazer and light blue tie. I remember briefly that there was a tie the same in the pile Mike handed me, along with a blue tartan skirt. Why do I get the feeling that the school's theme is blue, my least favourite colour? "Why?" I want to know why he thought I hadn't been to school before, "Well because you seem pretty keen to stand out," he looks down at my outfit. It's not really an outfit that stands out, but it's no uniform that's for sure, "Yeah well I want them to remember me," I state simply, pulling my sunglasses off the top of my head and back over my eyes signalling that the conversation is over, "Oh they'll remember you alright," he mutters under his breath.