CHAPTER 2

  My DVD cellophane was put on by a psychiatrist. It was shrink-wrapped. -Tim Vine 

T'was the Mondayest Monday that ever Mondayed. Today was turning out to be worse than all the other Mondays put together, to make an uber Monday and without Zoey I was bored out of my mind. Little fact about me, I literally have no friends besides her, lame I know. I think it's because I'm a total freak and a social pariah, but also I just tend to avoid everyone, so I am absolutely and inevitably friendless. I had no one to talk to, so I just paid attention to the lesson and followed my schedule. Just one more period to go, I thought to myself.

"Alright amigos, please turn to page 394." Announces Mr. Felton with a smug look on his face. I'm pretty sure he's been waiting for this moment his entire teaching career. A few students understand the reference and a smile brightens their faces. Mr. Felton is officially a cool teacher.

"Let's pay attention to this lesson as our next test focuses..." His voice carried around the classroom and I paid my undivided attention to him.

Fifteen minutes in to the lesson and AC/DC's Back in Black starts playing from the front of the class and everyone whips their heads up to find the student who'd soon enough get in to trouble for blasting music.

I look up towards the door and a few guys hoot as a few girls swoon. Of course, who else would it be. Alexander Evans walks in to the classroom dressed like a bloody Calvin Klein model, he nods his head at his friends, winks at a girl who's giggling and says, "'sup Mr. Felton?" I hold the urge to roll my eyes. Drama queen.

"Good afternoon Mr. Evans, as much as I'd love to stop my lesson and chat while listening to AC/DC, I'll have to ask you to stop the music and take a seat before I give you detention for late arrival and disruption." Mr. Felton says sternly, he seems in a good mood today so he doesn't say much.

Evans grins and stops his music. "Sorry sir, I do have a valid reason for arriving late though." He hands Mr. Felton a small paper and Mr. Felton reads it and his eyebrows furrow.

"Alright, take a seat Alexander, we'll talk about this after class. And next time you arrive late a humble knock will do." Mr. Felton scolds.

Evans walks down the class where there's one seat left empty for him. And that seat would be right behind me. I sit in the corner by the windows and obviously no one wanted to sit near the weirdo so it's always vacant for the unlucky tardy students. As he passes by, I catch him glance at me. My heart beats fast, and no, not in a romantic way. More like a rush of adrenaline making me want to punch his pretty face. His green eyes sparkle and he holds his stare, I stare back angrily. And he looks away. I scoff, coward.

Yes, I do have a personal issue with him, but besides that he's still a world class jerk who couldn't care for anyone else in the world other than himself. I bet he doesn't care for his own family either. But of course, that's my view point of him, if you ask any other dope headed blonde bimbo, they'll tell you he's the hottest bad boy in this school. They'd tell you about his perfect abs and his amazing soccer skills ... obviously that's not the only thing he plays, if you know what I mean.

Mr.Felton continues with his lesson and the class settles down. After an hour, the last bell rings allowing all miserable humans trapped in this awful place to leave. As I exit the class excited and famished, I think about a savoury slice of pizza and am interrupted as someone blocks my path.

"Well if it isn't Miss Scarlett, the school's whore." A voice snaps me out of my thoughts. I turn around and see the one person who's been giving me hell since last year. Why couldn't the earth swallow him up whole again? "Long time, no see eh?"

I turn around to rush out of the classroom, not going to deal with this on a Monday. Honestly, the week just started and he's already pissing me off. He grabs my hand and I turn back around.

"What? Feeling shameful are we? I mean cheaters like you deserve so much worse." He sneers.

The girl on his arm sighs, "Let's go Eric, we're wasting our time on this hobo." She flips her bleached hair and looks at me. Her skin is tanned to perfection and her loose shouldered top keeps sliding off conveniently showing cleavage. "Ever consider a wardrobe change honey?"

"I could say the same for you, honey. Try somewhere other than the charity shop down the street, you're top is two sizes too small." God, that insult was horrible, why can't you think of something better stupid brain. She narrows her eyes at me, and opens her mouth.

"You slu-"

"Save your energy, your tongue seems worn out anyways. Maybe it's from sucking his cock all the time." I nod towards Eric. Shit. Did I really say that? "Slut." I spit out.

Eric looks angry and the girl is irritated. My job here is done, and before they have the chance to say anything else I turn around and walk out of the classroom.

I gained speed, angry and cursing, I almost started running. Until I crash in to someone and fall hard on my bottom. I look up to see him. Everyone has those days when nothing seems to go right and the fates have turned on them. Today was one of those days for me.

Evans looks down confused and realizes it's me. Then he just raises his eyebrows at me, as if expecting me to apologize.

I roll my eyes as I get up and walk away from him. "Bastards." I muttered.

"I HEARD THAT!" He yelled out.

"GOOD!" I yelled without looking back at him.

♡♡♡

"ARGH! For Lord's sake, what is it today." I say angrily. It started raining down cats and dogs as I was walking to my house, which was a good twenty minutes away. Usually Zoey would drop me home, but apparently her Grandfather had to be born today out of all days. Ok, rude, I scolded myself.

I ran the rest of the way and reached the Hale residence wet to the bones. I walk through the front lawn, which is perfectly mowed and has the most beautiful and healthy garden in the entire neighborhood. Of course high class people will put on the best show, their perfect lives fazing the rest of the world. Only the wise know that they use the glamour and beauty to cover up their ugly secrets.

And it's true, I can vouch for that. I was adopted in to the Hale residence last september, making it almost a year now. And let's just say I got to experience the uglier side of things first hand. I enter in the large home and walk around looking for someone. "Anyone home?" I call out.

No answer. I'm not surprised since Brianna and David are rarely home. I run upstairs, wash up and change. Then I walk back to the kitchen and put on some music as I start cooking up something to eat. I mean I didn't even have a proper lunch since I spent it reading at the library instead of the cafeteria.

After I eat it's almost 5 and I settle in with a John Green novel. An hour passes by and my phone starts ringing. The ID shows 'Dr. Decker' and I remember about my appointment today. I groan loudly, I've convinced my foster parents I don't need these visits anymore. I think I'm doing fine on my own, plus Dr. Decker is a serious creep.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Good evening Ms. Devereux, I just wanted to remind you of your appointment with Dr. Decker today at 6.30." Says a perky voice I could recognize anywhere.

"Evening Stella, I'll be there." I say bored.

"Wonderful Ms. Devereux, see you then." She hangs up.

These reminder calls are given to me specially to remind me about all my appointments since Bree caught me skipping sessions. She is now more strict than ever and ordered Stella to report about my attendance and behavior.

I grudgingly got up and got ready to go to talk with the Dreaded Dr. Decker.

♡♡♡

An awkward silence hung in the air, only our breathing could be heard. Dr. Decker, leaning back in his chair, stared at me. I fidgeted with my hands, my eyes darting everywhere but at his face. He did this every appointment, analyzing me, waiting for me to say something. We waste a good 8 minutes in silence at the beginning of each session.

Finally breaking the silence, he says, "So, Scarlett, tell me what you're thinking." His voice is too calm, too patient, and too forced.

"Nothing really." I reply.

"How are you doing? In school? With your father?"

"Not my father..." I mumble. "Dave and I are doing well. We haven't gotten in an argument for weeks now."

"Well that's good, but do you see each other often?"

"No."

"Then that's not improvement Scarlett. It's avoiding your problems. You are avoiding building a healthy relationship with your father."

"Not my father!" I snapped, and he instantly scribbled something down. Shit. "Sorry, I mean I would prefer it if you would just refer to him as Dave." I sighed.

"Okay, well before we get on, are you taking your medication?"

"Yes, I'll probably need a refill soon." I lied.

"That's good, it's progress. And that means no nightmares, am I correct?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Yep." I don't give him anything else.

"Good let's talk some more Scarlett. Your mother, or Bree as you prefer, informed me that you're cooped up in your room all day, she's worried. You know to get back to normal you must socialize and connect with people, especially your father...." I inwardly groaned. Just shut up and end the session already Dr. Phil.

♡♡♡

I get home exhausted, not physically, mentally. Dr. Decker pokes and prods at every aspect in my life, annoying the hell out of me. I hear voices in the dining room, it's Bree and Dave. Their having dinner. Without me. Not like I care anyway, I silently tiptoe across the hall to get to my room unnoticed. And of course, they don't notice me. Like always.

As I get to my room, I throw on my pajamas, flop onto my bed and start up my laptop. The home screen lights up, it's a picture of my family. My real family. My actual parents. I stare at each of their lively faces. I look at myself and I look unrecognizable. That laugh etched on my face, that glow from being so happy, so loved. It seems like only yesterday they were with me, yet it seems like it's been a lifetime since I'd last seen them.

A lifetime ended in a second. They were gone within the blink of an eye. And they left me behind. They all do.

♡♡♡

  (ALEXANDER GIF UP TOP-Alex has green eyes though)