When Shell woke up it felt like the sun had blinded her, everything was a haze. She groaned and rolled onto her side only to land on the floor and grab her back wincing, hearing a deep voice chuckle.

"Morning princess."

It took a minute before she managed to see him clearly and started to remember the night before, groaning and burying her head into her arm.
The man, she was struggling to remember his name, touched her shoulder only to flinch and look at the time.

"I-I need to get home!"
"I'll take you home, I can drive you there."

Part of her insisted she took the bus yet when she saw his smile words of acceptance left her lips without permission, Shell knew she had to be home as soon as possible so it was her only option anyways. Thankfully the drive was quicker than expected so she quickly kissed his cheek as a 'thank you' before running past the door into the small walkway to the back gate, climbing with effort back up to her room.

Once she was settled on her bed she took a deep breath, grinning at the thought of the man she met that night. Little butterflies swirling around inside her stomach, she could hear her dad's alarm ringing through the wall and commenced to get up.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs she grabbed the empty mugs and turned to the kitchen, getting ready for her usual activities.

The kettle started to rumble as water boiled from within, the sound growing louder as Shell looked at the mug with the untouched teabag. In any minute she would hear her father stomp down the stairs, the smell of alcohol clinging to his clothes. It was a smell that was fouler than spoiled meat, reeking all around him.

On the other hand, her uncle would kick his feet up on the couch, turning the telly on with his foot disgustingly. The only thing that made it bearable that early in the morning was the company of her cat, although she would soon hear her uncle tut and criticise her.
Sometimes she would wander into their untended garden where weeds were as tall as herself, untouched swings covered in dirt and webs.

The kettle popped with the sound of raging water dying down, pouring it into the mugs and adding water with only two teaspoons of sugar each mug.
As if on cue her father came down from his room, moving aside as he grabbed the mug and sat down on the couch with his brother.

'Consider yourself grateful you still live here young lady.'
She could almost hear the uncle think, but she stayed silent not wanting to cause trouble and be punished in the end.

So she decided to go back to her room after making herself some tea, the floor had clothes piling up in the corner, right by her closet.
This room was growing smaller and smaller, yet, she didn't consider perhaps her bed was just too big.

A thought about the night before at the party consumed her mind, the man whose name she still struggled to remember seemed to hang on the tip of her tongue. Perhaps, she thought, she could go out again tonight and dance the pain away.

Her phone pinged and just as she thought the day couldn't get any bleaker her uncle called up to her,

"Shell! Go get us some milk would ya!?"
She retorted,
"I ain't got any money!"
"Well get down here you cow and get some!"

Again with the insults, she groaned, thinking maybe she could be cheeky and ask for a few pounds to buy some alcohol, of course, she wouldn't say what it was really for.
Once down the stairs and in front of him she held out her hand and asked about getting some extra bits for dinner to which he grumbled and tutted, dropping £5 in her hand.

"Now get outta here brat."

She only rolled her eyes in response and slipped on a pair of rugged boots, walking out of the house and down the street.
It was still early so she didn't have to worry too much about the students from the school near her house bothering her, thinking only about whether she should go to the shops down the hill on her left or take a look at the new Co-op just to the right.

As she turned the corner deciding to head to the Co-op she saw a student climb off the 245 bus, at first she thought it was rather weird for the girl to be this late to school; it was already 10:54 am.

Shell continued walking only to stop and stare at the student, whose blue eyes were mostly fixed straight ahead. They glanced at Shell who for a moment said nothing before watching the girl stop in her tracks and look closer,

"You look very familiar, do I know you?"

Shell only smiled.
"Hi, Chloe."