One Month Prior
I wake up early. What a beautiful summer's morning! I throw the covers off the bed and turn the music up on the radio. Dancing around my bedroom, I grabbed my hairbrush and start to put my hair up into a messy bun. I start singing along, "Hot damn! No I can't help, stop and stare. You're messin' with my mind, don't care! Girl I can't enough, give me what you got, if you dare! Yeah I got my top down, my girl's still stunning. She's been runnin' through my mind all day! I just wanna scream out, it's the middle of the summer; maybe Rock n' Roll is here to stay! I just wanna shout it out from the rooftops, honey; wanna shout it out all night! I just wanna shout it out, shout it out, shout it out... whoa oh oh oh, Shout it out, shout it out, shout it out... whoa oh oh oh!" The song finishes and I turn back to getting ready for school. My mind's racing. Text books; check. Lunch; in fridge. Pilling all my items into my bag, I grab my keys off the hook and run to the garage. Maybe I should tell you about me. Amelia Riggs, but everyone calls me Eli. I'm 18 years old and work part-time as a waitress at a little café in walking distance of my unit. Parents died in a car crash the day after my eighteenth and I have no other family. Starting Year 12 today at Roseburn High. It's a good little school compared to some of the bigger schools in the district and most of my friends go to Rosie. The drive is a good ten minutes from home to school. I found it odd that none of my friends spoke to me over the summer holidays, but I thought that they were too busy with work as I was. Clearing my head as I pull into the parking lot, it was a fresh start to a new year, or so I thought.
Walking the twisting pathways that everyone loved to hate, I walked into the gym as the bell was ringing. The principal made a big speech about how a new year was a fresh start. No one listened. The new teachers were announced but nothing really excited me. I was daydreaming about the Doctor from Doctor Who. He was my way of escaping the dread of what had happened three months ago, but I kept that to me; nothing gets said without the entire school knowing within two days. Whispers followed me as I walked to home group, which I ignore. That is until I reach home group and scribbled across the whiteboard is rumours which all pertain to me.
"What the hell?" I look around at my classmates, all who burst into fits of laughter. Whatever, I thought. I take a seat in the front row. Someone throws a piece of paper at the back of my head. I pick the note off the floor and read it.
"Why don't you just die in a hole you whore-mongering bitch?"
I tear it up and throw the pieces into the bin. As the teacher walks in, I say loudly, "I wish people would respect others' lives and grow up!"
"Well said, Amelia!" Mr Underwoode comments, "I implore each of you to take this advice. You are the senior students and it would be wise for you to act your age and not your shoe size."
"Suck-up…" one of the boys' mummers in the back row. I shook my head; boys will be boys, I suppose. My thoughts turn to my classes on my surprisingly small timetable. This year included: Chemistry, English Studies, Maths Apps and History. I didn't know what I wanted to do now. Plans changed when mum and dad died. I looked at the teachers I had for my subjects. I got one of the new teachers for History, Doctor Song. She sounds alright, I thought. The bell rings loud and clear, overlapping Mr Underwoode 'wise' words for the beginning of the year. No one every listens to them and this year was no exception. In less than ten months' time, I will have end-of-year exams and that will be the end of high school, forever! I get up to leave for my first lesson when a dozen letters are handed to me. Each one exactly the same but all had different handwriting.
Hello Bitch! I hope you enjoy today 'cause it will be your last day of some sort of happiness! So you know, there's a whole page dedicated to you and your lies on Facebook. The page is called Amelia Riggs: A whore and Bitch all-round! Hope you die soon.
Your dedicated haters. Protector of the world that don't want you!
I stood in the doorway shocked. Who the hell would be so hurtful that they would go to this extreme? I deal with it later. The letters get scrunched-up and tossed into the depths of my school bag, hoping they will lose value just sitting there.
Author's Note:
The song at the beginning is "Shout It Out" by Reece Mastin.
