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Chapter 1

Weak is the will of the one who takes the easy route- I am not weak.

Then I should have expected the heartbreak and self inflicted tears. I should have expected the bitter decisions and having to make the hard choice. I should have expected it all. After all, I am not weak. I should have known.

But I didn't.

Not when I thought my life was normal. Not when I thought I knew who I was and who I wanted to be. Not when I was sitting in class, just like any other day, waiting for when I would finally be free. Not even on the day when my whole life had unexpectedly changed forever.

No- not at all.

I more specifically was not expecting it when I heard my teacher screech my name once again, something that had become a daily occurence in this mundane life of mine. Nope, not even then.

I should have known that lives would come to rest on these decisions I would make, but back then I was still naive.

So time to que the screech:

"Melissa!"

Yup, that I definitely expected, I thought with a groan while I sat up, shooting a deadly glare at the boys snickering in the corner.

"Well? What's the answer?" Mrs Madison questioned, an impatient frown forming on her brow.

I rolled my eyes, taking a glance at where she had been pointing. An unnecessarily long equation had been scribbled out onto the board. Confidently, I stared back into my teachers eyes. After a moment a superior smirk began to form on her thin lips with a glint of triumph in her eyes. Lately she had been pestering me more and more to the point where I simply just couldn't pass up this chance to annoy my maths teacher.

"Your mom," I replied, giving her an innocent, I-could-never-do-any-wrong look.

Her smirk quickly disappeared, annoyance clearly showing on her face.

"The real answer," she snapped.

Well then why didn't she just say so in the first place? I snickered to myself, my eyes never leaving hers.

"3452.064," I said simply, relaying the correct answer to her without as much as even a glance at my calculator.

Her eyes narrowed at me as if silently accusing me of cheating, yet knowing there was no way I could have.

"Correct," she reluctantly acknowledged with a sigh.

I gave a quiet snort causing her scowl to deepen. Just as she opened her mouth to comment the door slammed open giving way to a very apologetic looking boy.

"Ah, newbie... Finally decided to join us, huh?" she snapped.

"Uh," he started, confusion flittering through his emerald eyes. "I'm-"

"Just sit!" she interrupted.

Slightly shocked by the bluntness of his new teacher, the blond haired boy hesitantly made his way to the back of the class while Mrs Madison returned to what she had been boring us with before I had annoyed her.

You see, Mrs Madison was actually longtime family friend who happened to have hated me for as long as I could remember. It all started when I was at a tender age of nine and Mrs Madison was having a big lecture on some math theory of hers in the great hall. My parents, being the responsible friends they are, decided to support her on her big nerdy day and dragged me along.

About an hour into the lecture I had managed to wonder down to the stage and had started fiddling around, attempting to entertain myself and I had begun scribbling on the board in the front. Now I know it's quite disrespectful to do that during someone's 'big lecture' but seriously though, who brings a 9 year old to this sort of thing?

Since I was bored out of my mind I started to attempt the sums she had put up on the board. After a little while I got to an answer (surprisingly since the equations had been of matric level and I was only 9), but my answer was different to hers. Confused I tried and retried to do the sum but kept on getting the same answer.

I was in my own world and was oblivious to Mrs. Madison still doing her lecture. Being as curious as I am, I innocently asked her to explain what I had done wrong. Having always disliked me (she had always told me I had too much attitude), she only smiled at the opportunity to embarrass me in front of everyone. Well long (and embarrassing for Mrs. Madison) story short, it turned out it was her method that was wrong and a 9 year old had proved it.... oops (ha ha).

"Melissa!" I suddenly heard her screech, bringing me out of my little daydream.

Just then the school bell rung out through the halls and I scrambled to stuff my books in my bag and shoot out of the class, not wanting to hang around to hear what Mrs. Madison had planned to shout at me for.

Slinging my bag over my shoulder I started down the crowded hallway wanting to get home and out of this hellhole as quickly as possible.

"Mel!" I heard the familiar voice of my dad call above the sounds of students milling about. Ducking my head, hoping he wouldn't embarrass me again and rather save what he had to say to me for home, I continued down the hall.

"Melissa! Hey, butterfly," he called managing to catch up to me and touching my arm to catch my attention. I could see Mick and his goons sniggering at me in the corner of my eye.

"Dad," I hissed turning to him. "I told you not to call me that!"

He ignored me. "I need you to take these files to mom at home."

"Why can't you take them?" I sighed, eyeing the files. They looked heavy and uncomfortable to carry.

"I have meetings till late and she needs them now."

I groaned, slumping my shoulders.

"Please butterfly?" he begged.

"Stop calling me that," I hissed, glancing at the smirking Mick.

"Why?" he asked.

"Cause it's embarrassing," I explained to him giving him a duh! look.

"But you're my baby butter-"

"Dad!" I interrupted him with wide eyes hoping he'd get the message.

"I'm your father, I am the reason you exist-" he continued.

"Ugh!" giving him a look that begged him not to do this to me.

"-that means I'm free to call you anything I want. I mean if you want me to call you Milly-poo or Missy-doodle or-"

I grabbed the files before he could continue and stomped away. Glancing back I saw him smile before turning around and heading in the opposite direction. Manipulative bastard. I thought.

Next thing I knew I was tripping over someone's stuck out foot, knocking into another unsuspecting student passing by and managing to drop all the files, scattering them all over the floor.

Looking up I saw Mick and his friends laughing their asses off at my and the guy I bumped into's expense.

"Awww, did little Missy-poo fall? Is baby butterfly going to go crying back to daddy?" Mick mocked.

Gritting my teeth I took a deep breath and glanced over to see who it was I had knocked into. To my surprise I saw the new guy from math class standing there with his hand reached out to help me up. I smiled gratefully, accepting his help and quickly picking up the heavy files.

"Here, let me help with that," he offered.

"Oh, no need. I'm taking them straight home," I smiled, struggling slightly under their weight.

He smiled, "I don't mind the walk."

Considering his offer for a moment or two I gave in, handing him the heaviest two of the four files before starting off down the hall with him in tow.

Once we were out the school building I slowed my pace, enjoying the Californian sun and fresh air. After a few minutes of walking side by side the blonde boy decided to break the silence.

"So howcome those guys are so rude to you?" he asked.

"Who? Mick?" I huffed, stealing a quick glance back at the school. "Are you sure you want to hear?"

He nodded and I sighed, but couldn't help the slight smile that appeared on my face at the thought that he cared enough to find out. Probably the onlly guy I've met that had manners.

"Long story short, he was the popular guy and I was a foolish girl. It didn't end well."

"Oh," was all he said for a little while before a teasing smile appeared again. "And your dad just pops into school to embarrass you for fun?"

"Ah, you saw that," I groaned, pulling a face. "The joys of having your parents as teachers, I guess."

He laughed, nodding in understanding. "Drama teacher right?"

I just nodded, the small smile not wanting to leave my lips, before stopping at a small garden gate.

"This is me," I said, grabbing the two files he was carrying from him. "Thanks so much for your help."

"It was my pleasure, butterfly," he winked before ambling off down the road whistling to himself.

Turning around with a goofy smile on my face I cautiously climbed the stairs leading to my house.

"Mom! I'm home!" I yelled out as I entered through our front door, dumping the files right there on the floor. If she needs them that badly, she can come and fetch them herself, I smirked.

My arms were killing me from having to carry those heavy files home, reminding me that I needed to phone the garage to check when my motorbike would be ready.

Usually I would ride home but thanks to my clumsy dad messing around in our garage, he managed to knock my bike over which cracked one of my rearview mirrors. A simple fix. In fact I could easily have done it myself but my parents believe I'm incapable of doing nothing right and sent it in instead to be fixed. Honestly I think they sent it in so it would take longer until I was able to ride it again. They never were big fans of my 'deathtrap', as my mom so fondly calls it.

"Hi sweetie! How has your day been?" I heard my mom say from the kitchen. Mmmm.... Speaking of kitchens, I think right about now would be a good time for a snack. Mwahahaha.... *insert evil I'm-going-to-kill-a-jar-of-peanut-butter-now-laugh*... yeah, I think I'm feeling a little hyper at the moment.

"Oh, you know... Just like any other day I guess," I replied as I entered the kitchen, scanning the room for that jar of peanut butter.

"Ah ohh..." my mom sighed, putting down the mug of coffee she had just been sipping.

"What do you mean 'ah ohh'? I said that it was fine." I was noe desperately searching for that darn jar of peanut butter. I seriously thought that it read my mind and knew it was in for a devouring and was now hiding in a cupboard somewhere.

"Well, as far as I can recall, your typical any other day includes putting Mrs. Madison in such a mood that our school psychiatrist is seriously considering giving her medication."

I laughed at this. Even though I was in the middle of a peanut butter deprivation meltdown this was still too funny to not laugh at.

My mom raised an eyebrow, "What did you do this time?"

I sighed, "Mom, I honestly think she just can't handle my way too amazing personality and 100 watt smile and has gone on a Melissa-The-Amazing overload." I cracked up laughing at this while I started to search through the cupboards. "Ah haaaa! I found you, you coward!" I shouted as I grabbed the peanut butter jar from the now open cupboard.

My mom just rolled her eyes and muttered something to herself about me being the one needing the medication and then she picked up her coffee and headed for her office.

"Your files are by the door!" I shouted to her, not really caring if she heard or not, my focus was solely on the peanut butter.

I grabbed a spoon out of the drawer and opened the jar (don't judge.... me and my peanut butter have a one-on-one kind of relationship, no need for bread for us to be together).

Now armed with my peanut butter, I headed up towards my room.

I liked my room: It was small and cosy and had all my favourite things in it. No-one, and I repeat, no-one, has been or ever will be allowed to go into my room. I liked my private stuff kept that way: private.

So for the rest of the evening I sat on my bed, downing my jar of peanut butter while finishing my homework (even putting a smiley face next to my math homework... just for Mrs Madison).

Just as I had my last mouthfull of peanut butter I turned off the light and got cosy in bed. I sighed knowing that I will just have to last one final year of days just like today until I will finally be free from school and demanding parents. At least I had my peanut butter to help me through it.

***

*creak*

I woke up, hearing a muffled noise in my room. Did I ever tell you that I'm a VERY light sleeper? Once, when I was 7 years old and we were still living in our old hou-

*creak*

Ok, screw that story.... who dares come into my room! Especially when it's still dark outside AND I have a sign on my door specifically saying 'No entry - Beware'.

I slowly turned my head, scanning my small room for the obviously illiterate intruder. My heart stopped as my eyes came upon a figure dressed in black next to my bed. I opened my mouth to scream at them about not being able to read my sign on my door when a hand, quicker than it took for my voice to decide to work, darted out, covering my mouth so my words came out in a jamble.

Glaring at the intruder I bit down on their hand, giving me a few precious seconds to gain control of the situation. I shoved them away and turned to jump off my bed when another two figures come at me. One held me down while the other covered my mouth again. Ha! Idiot! They never learn do they?

But just as I was about to bite down on their hand I felt a sharp pain in my arm. I gave a short yelp that came out sounding more like a loud hiccup due to one of the intruders hand still covering my mouth.

Glancing down at the figure holding my arm I could just make out them injecting me with some kind of clear liquid.

The world started to become fuzzy and I started to feel dizzy, collapsing onto my bed as a searing pain started to spread from my arm around my whole body. I closed my eyes, letting out a strangled moan. The pain started to became too much to handle- I so badly just wanting to curl up in a ball and die. I just wanted to scream as loud as I could but when I tried, no voice came out.

My eyes flew open, realizing there was no longer a hand holding my mouth. Just as suddenly that they had come, they were gone. Confusion and pain took over me causing me to close my eyes and I moaned as I felt like my whole body was on fire.

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