“Deloris” mother screamed my name from the kitchen. She knew I hated it, she knew I cursed her for her name giving skills happy that I was an only child and no one else had to suffer such an excruciating existence.

Standing up from bed was the most difficult task in my life; it was like trying to slay a fierce dragon that was already burning you in its flame.

Death was practically inevitable and in my case resistance was not an option. I was the kind of girl who begged for three minutes of sleep but was still found in bed three hours later.

“Deloris Paige knight don't let me come up there” mother screamed, this time she was serious — sounding like a ballistic Godzilla and I knew if I didn't obey that Godzilla I would end up being banana for breakfast.

“Coming” I screamed and as sluggish as a snail I crawled to the door, my eyes suffering from the calamity of dark circles, my black hair tangled in a mess.

My sleeping manners weren't the most charming in the society. Sometimes I roll over, other times I snore and most times I have bed fights with my bed — that was the weirdest one. Bed fights, it was like I took all my frustration out on my bed because I knew in reality I couldn't even flick a finger at the bitches and dicks of the universe.

After hours of the greatest struggle of my life I finally arrived at the dinning table — my third zone of torture.

I couldn't help but wonder what concoction mom had stirred up — maybe burnt octopus, a grilled grizzly bear or even a laughing hyena. Any of those would be good right now because if I swallow another piece of pizza anytime soon I wouldn't need sleeping pills to commit my own suicide.

“Morning dear” dad kissed my head and took his seat beside me; unlike me he was already dressed up for work. He had his favourite polka dot tie on with a matching pair of white shirt and black pants. His briefcase was comfortably resting on his lap suddenly the thought of being a briefcase didn't sound half bad.

“I present to you our newest dish — scorpion sting” mother announced proudly as she placed the horrifying dish before us. My mouth fell agape in terror — staring at different varieties of scorpion tails with a horrifying sauce at the side.

“The sauce was specially made from scorpion venom” she added and then I couldn't take it anymore. I was at the verge of total body malfunction. My organs were being stuffed with pizza and my eyes were being blinded with sickening sights of unimaginable dishes.

“Are we really meant to eat this?” I shrieked at the sight.

“Of course” mom smiled. “It's delicious” she took one of the tails and raised it to her mouth, opening it wide not even scared that she was about to stuff down one of the deadliest animal on the planet — cooked or not. Immediately I gagged on dad's favourite pants.

“Oh my God Paige!” dad squealed. I felt awful at the mess I had made but it was actually an expected reaction. The pizza had been growling in my tummy since last night and the sight of this torture wasn't helping. Dad immediately rushed to the room briskly and after a quick change he raced out of the house as if running from an actual alive scorpion.

Mother's eyes sparkled at me, indirectly begging me not to desert her but I wasn't sorry to disappoint her. The dish deserved no consideration or redemption.

“I'm going on a hunger strike” I sighed and went up to my room ready to prepare for school. For the third time in a row I was going off to a miserable institution on an empty tummy.

Times like this made me Miss Kelly, she would always pack a spare breakfast for me but now she was so far away and I couldn't wait for her return — it was a matter of life and death. Another day like this, and I was going to have a nervous breakdown.

What to wear, what to wear. I thought even if I had no idea why I attempted to think when I always end up with the same fashion disaster.

I always dressed to disappear but it seemed my invincibility spell wasn't functioning properly I felt even more exposed to the world than I should.

I was the only mad girl who wore black all through, or sweat pants every day of her life and today, went with the all black, suddenly wishing I was a descendant of Harry Potter and inherited his invincibility cloak.

****
With every step I took into the hallway my tummy growled even louder, awakening the beast inside me. Today had to be one of my crankiest day ever, the first person to approach me was going to get it and as I closed my locker sensing a presence behind me I knew exactly who it was going to be.

“Breakfast” Brandon offered, raising a mini brown bag to my sight. I was about to snap at him but watching him swing the mouth drooling beauty in my face made it hard to invoke the beast. I had no idea what was inside but anything was better than scorpion venom.

Too staving to appreciate the kind gesture I snatched the bag, descending on the sandwich and cold yogurt like a savage beast returning from the desert after a month of dehydration and starvation.

Brandon just stood there admiring my piggy nature and the vicious spirit I had kept hidden.

“How did you know?” I asked with my mouth full still currently stuffing more.

“I noticed Kelly's back up food and figured it was for the cave monster best friend” he smirked leaning on my locker trying to find a comfortable posture and continued to admire my classic manners and etiquette.

“What? Mom's a bad cook?” his voice dripping with sarcasm like it was impossible to have a monstrous cooking mother — if only he had met mine he would swallow his words back in one shirk.

I shook my head saving mother from the sad embarrassment.
I finally rushed down the cold yogurt savoring every taste hoping it could replace the stench of pizza that surrounded me.

“Don't expect this gesture daily it's just my way of saying thank you”

“Thank you?” I asked confused as I wiped my mouth clean with the back of my palm.

“Yeah for this” he raised his A+ chemistry paper to my face, I had even forgotten about the project being drowned in the drama of my daily life.

“Here's yours” he handed me my paper expecting to see a beautifully designed A+ I found myself staring at an inferior A. my mouth gaped open like a lost sheep.

“Oh the plus is missing because of your absence” Brandon smirked, satisfied with the expression of confusion and frustration on my oval face.

“Absence” I exclaimed immediately glancing at my watch. I had been completely unaware of how fast time had flown and even more unaware that I had missed the first period of the day — chemistry.

“But ... but ...” I stammered dazed on what to utter, probing for a good defensive.

“Hey Brandon” Naomi flashed him a seductive smile as the annoying brown headed girl passed by, I always thought she was the reincarnation of Chuck but then I realized that at least Chucky had a sense of humor.

Naomi was completely dumb and unaware of the true meaning of living. She and Brandon would do well nicely dumb +dumb = more dumb may the heavens help their children. It wasn't their fault they were bestowed with such parents.

Here I was throwing darts at Naomi instead of my chemistry teacher, after all the efforts and sleepless night, after having to stay in the same room with Brandon, after straining my eyes for the perfect measurement.

Here I was with an A while Brandon the one who did nothing except gawk at me and stuff stupid ideas into my head — there he was with a perfect grade an A+ plus.

“Argh!” I screamed like a mad barbarian. Today had to be the worst day of my life.

“Calm down Paige it ain't the end of the world” Brandon chuckled, the glare I flashed at him was enough to burn him down to ashes.

“Get lost” I growled.

“Aren't you even going to say thank you?”

“Thank you for being the misery in my humble life” I stormed off in anger.

The great plan was to beat Casper at all our subjects then maybe he would spare a minute to notice me but how was I going to do that if the heavens itself was against our union and then there was Brandon, the devil child.

Today was going to be a long day I sighed and walked into English class.

****
“Words, words are words you SAY!, words you used to express EMOTIONS!” Mr. ferrate was at it again, exclaiming his last words with the force of a hurricane, forcing the whole class to awaken from their slumber with a heart attack.

He was one of the most boring teachers in the institution, but he couldn't accept it, so he found a new means to inflict torture on his students.

“Words are a BEAUTY...” he carried on with his madness, growls of frustration filled the air, it was impossible to sleep and it was impossible to learn so what else were we meant to do?

Mr. Ferrate had always been a charming man, in his late forties he was already suffering from depression and insanity. A man who had been left at the altar five times by five different brides — that said a lot. And then his vicious cats weren't helping matters it was like every year he added a new cat to his current collection of forty.

Most times he would drift from the topic of the day and divert to the problems of his life.

“Do you know what it means to be left on the altar SIX TIMES!?” six, looks like he had been left once again and yup I told you — let the diversion begin.

“What's wrong with you women?” he roughened his black soft hair like a mad beast. “Why accept the engagement ring only to leave a man at the ALTAR?”

“You can't blame them they had no idea what they were getting into” Riley shouted and left everyone bursting into a loud laughter, the corners of my eyes caught Casper actually laughing, his eyes beaming with fascination and interest.

“My friends have even stopped attending” Mr. Ferrate cried. “The number of attendants reducing at every trial”

“No woman would love to marry a man when she has to fight against forty darn cats for his affection — she's outnumbered” Kylie shouted again creating another roar of laughter.

My gaze had drifted from Casper to Riley, assessing her neck short black hair and hazel colored eyes. We had never uttered a word to each other, but she was a nice girl. The outspoken type, never hiding her feeling, never holding back her punches, never failing to stand up against a douche bag — she was my ideal role model but now I couldn't help but loathe her. The spark of interest in Casper's eyes had aroused a nasty feeling in my gut.

My eyes fell back on Casper, his eyes never leaving Riley's back. Sitting at the end of the class was all he ever got to gaze at — backs.

The corner of my eyes suddenly caught Brandon's gaze, a wide grin on his face. It was as if we had a link — a connection, like he could read my mind.

“I told you so” he mouthed and I knew what he meant. Riley sparked an interest in Casper not because she was pretty but because she was outspoken, she was tough, she was everything I wasn't — she was a bad girl something I could never be.
****

Classes was over and I walked up to Brandon watching him dismiss Ashley Wesley like she was a puppet who complied with no complaints.

“Here to accept your defeat” Brandon grinned, this was a grin that couldn't be wiped off his face no matter how much I wanted too.

“No” I replied. “Am here to strike a deal”
His eyes had changed from a victorious look to a curious one.

“Go on” he gestured noticing my hesitation to continue, but I had too. I had worshipped Casper for too long to have him stolen by someone else and if I didn't act fast it was going to happen sooner than later.

I couldn't imagine myself having front row tickets to watch him and Riley make out a window away from me. I would die at the spot.

“I want you to help me become a bad girl” I muttered under my breath, embarrassed at my request.

“Sorry I didn't get you” Brandon smirked deviously, I knew he heard it but just wanted to have the victory of having me repeat my words and maybe choke on them in the process.

I wanted to punch him so badly but I had no right too when I was here making the most stupid request of my life.

Growling in anger, I mustered the last bit of courage I had in my bones and screamed out the words.

“I want you to make a bad girl!”
His lips curved into a cocky grin.

“I thought you'd never ask” he winked at me.

****
A/N: Thanks for stopping by my book, I hope you like it. Don't forget to click on the cute star and comment... Bye!