unfinished

“Ashley Wilson! To the front of the class now!” I awoke in a fright to find the entire class staring at me, I glanced up to the rusty clock hanging from the wall to see that half an hour had passed.. I picked up my body and slowly dragged it towards the yelling voice. Barely awake enough to understand what she’s spouting out at me in her rage. I guess that’s what I get for staying out all night, right? Totally worth it if you ask me. When I arrived at the front of the room the snaggle toothed, hollow eyed woman that taught the class starting drilling me with questions, things like “why are you here if not to gain an education” and “this isn’t kinder garden, we don’t take naps in year 11 Miss Wilson.” I could still feel the other students cutting my back open with their sharp stares, they are hanging in suspense of what the evil witch will do to punish me, I guess I am too. When all she received was a blank stare she seemed to become even angrier, if that’s possible. She screamed and yelled but my mind was struggling not to fall back asleep, I certainly did not know how to respond. I guess it’s now apparent to me that I’ll be needing more than an hour or two of sleep to stay under the radar at this shithole, I have to do whatever it takes though, I can not and will not move schools again. My mother has always told me I’m a trouble maker but I’ve always insisted that trouble is drawn to me I don’t seek it out, it follows me around like a bad smell. I’ve been at Mount Mercy Secondary College for about a week but I am still yet to made friends. The closest I’ve come is asking strangers for directions around this maze. It’s an extremely pretentious school filled with kids that are like little robots doing exactly as they are told, when they are told. Some of them you can see are dying to bust out and be themselves but they are far too scared of the consequences of not doing what is expected of them. The teacher, whatever her name is, decided to give me another chance because I’m new although she warned me very sternly that this will be my one and only chance. Thank god because if mum found out I’d messed up already she’d lose it. I shuffled back to my seat, opened my brand new untouched book, and tried my hardest to pay attention. This boring monotone voiced cow certainly doesn’t make it easy for me. I watched the seconds tick by on the clock before finally that horrible yet so amazing ring of the bell filled the entire school, it was quickly followed by the laughter and yelling of all the other students. I silently followed the stream of students like the current of the ocean flowing seemingly chaotically but in reality it was organised and like an unspoken language, everyone ducking and weaving around each other so effortlessly. Except for me of course, I tried my hardest to avoid bumping into people and things, to my great relief I finally arrived at my locker. I was still struggling to work the stupid combination locks that everyone was required to use, I’d always had a padlock and key, but no this school is far too sophisticated for such a thing. I was startled by a young man’s voice “do you need a hand there?” he questioned but I was so startled that someone had actually noticed me, all I could do was nod. “So you’re new here?” He continued to make conversation as he smacked the lock upwards and to my surprise it popped open straight away. I had found a sliver on confidence somewhere deep down inside of me that allowed me to respond “Thanks for getting that open and yeah I sure am.” He smiled, a cheeky crooked smile “I was in your last class, the one where you fell asleep, not that I’d expect you to remember me cause you were pretty out of it.” He giggled to himself and I could feel my face flush red with embarrassment “it’s okay” he reassured me “no one like’s Mrs Campbell, if it wasn’t you she yelled at it would have been someone else.” For some reason he seemed very genuine, we continued to make small talk as we walked to the canteen. He was funny and cheeky but at the same time very polite and kind. Half way through our conversation I realised that I never got his name, what a spazz! It’s too late to ask for it now, that would be far too awkward. The sound of the bell echoed through the school yet again, I had to leave the only friend I had at this wretched school to go to maths class, it wasn’t all bad, at least it’s the one thing I’m somewhat okay at. It was the last class of the day too so at least I could now see the light at the end of the tunnel. Maths seemed different here, for some reason my brain wasn’t absorbing it as well as it usually did but I did my best and focused on the day nearly being over. The final bell of the day was a very freeing sound. I struggled to find my locker once again but as I was approaching it I saw my friend, standing at a locker two spots down from mine, it never even clicked to me that his locker was almost next to mine. By the time my little legs had reached where he once stood he was already out of sight. At first I was unsure if I’d get to see him again but now I know our paths will cross again I feel a lot better. I collected my things and headed home, I had to take two busses and a train because all of the schools near my house had already kicked me out, don’t get me wrong there’s only three of them but still. We could afford to move but mum refused, she said it was my fault I had to move to a school so far away so I had to deal with the consequences. My family is quite wealthy but they are very selfish, I’m an only child but they act like they have no children at all. Ever since my older brother Josh passed away my dad has thrown himself into his work, hence why we have a lot of money and my mum has become obsessed with herself, her social life and how she looks. I know it has affected us all so much and in different ways but it would be nice if they didn’t act like both their kids were dead. Josh died of an over dose at eighteen, it was unintentional, things just got out of hand with him. He was a very troubled young man that just wanted an escape from his reality. Sort of like me. I used to be a very normal, well behaved kid but I’m not the same person I used to be. I was only fourteen when the world lost his beautiful soul but no matter how many years pass, 3 or 30, I will never be the same.
After the hour and a half of public transport I finally arrived home, mum and dads cars were nowhere to be seen. It may sound horrible but I was glad I wouldn’t have to speak to them just yet, their presence made me uncomfortable. I searched through my bad to find my key, as I unlocked the door my phone buzzed it read “won’t be home for tea, sort something out yourself” it was from mum, knowing her she probably wouldn’t be home at all If she wasn’t going to be home for dinner. Dad usually worked pretty late too, house to myself for the night then I guess. I was going to be awfully bored at home by myself so I messaged my usual dealer to see if he could drop off to my house. I didn’t have money but I was sure there would be some lying around the house somewhere. I found 50 bucks so I bought a gram and ordered a pizza, I preferred to smoke out of a bong but it was far too risky to keep one in the house so joints it was. Now it was a waiting game, who would arrive first the drug dealer or the pizza guy? After about half an hour there was a knock at the door, it was the pizza guy, lucky for me because I realised a few minutes ago that drug dealers don’t usually carry change. The smell of the melted cheese and assorted spices was already making my mouth water but I wanted to wait for my other delivery before I dug in. When Kyle arrived he didn’t even have the courtesy to knock, he just waltzed right in. He made himself at home on my couch without even as much as a hello. I handed him the money with the expectation that it would prompt him to leave but I had no such luck. I asked him how he was going and in his mumbled and slow voice he stated “yeah alright, I guess babe.” He seemed seedier than usual so I decided I needed to make an excuse to get him out of my house, I said very apologetically “My parents will be home any minute so it’s probably best you head off but I’ll see you around” he jumped up off of my leather couch shrugged his shoulders and said “whatever.” I didn’t mind Kyle but he wasn’t the kind of guy I was fond of being alone with. I could hear his shit box of a car rev a few times and then speed of down the street. I took my pizza and my weed and headed to the back yard, making a quick stop along the way to my room so I could grab my papers and everything else I would need. We had a hammock tied between two tree’s, it used to be josh’s so it was left completely untouched except for when I was home alone. It was my safe haven, the place I would retreat to if ever I missed my big brother or even if I’d just had a bad day. I’d rolled up my spliff and smoked about half of it before I felt anything but when it finally kicked in it was like my brain had shut up at last. The pizza was more appealing than ever and I scoffed down half of it faster than I thought possible. I rolled another joint and decided to put on some music, as I unlocked my phone I saw I had a facebook notification, it was a friend request from somebody called Luke Hanson. I didn’t recognise the name but as soon I saw the pictures I recognised that cheeky grin, it was my mysterious friend from school, he had a name! I instantly accepted and had a silly grin on my face, I was delighted that he even cared enough to look for me. He must have remembered my name from when Mrs Campbell screamed it across the class room earlier today. I wanted to message him and thank him for being the only person that’s been nice to me since arriving at the school but I refrained as I don’t want to seem to eager, gotta play it cool.