Home Again

Early Poptropica

~ALICE~

My mother shoved the clutch right under my armpit, sending a stab of shock through my body.

Great. I was done. My life was screwed. I glanced at the woman with depressed, teary eyes. She looked back at me with sympathy, but her lip quivered. The look in her eyes said 'I'm sorry'.

"I'll drive you today, Alice. How about that?" she offered, in her kindest voice. My face didn't even twitch. I wasn't sure if I was more angry or sad, especially with that crutch stabbing my armpit. Mom put her hands on my shoulder. "Look..." She stopped for a moment, as if the words couldn't form on her tongue. I considered helping her find the words, but my own tongue was dried up. A great help that would be.

My mother released her hands and bowed her head, like she was getting a punishment. "Maybe... Maybe you should stay home today... If you want..." She looked at me, as if those words hurt to say. I think her words were just as muddled as mine in this situation. Maybe less, as she could actually speak. All I did was look at the floor.

"I'll take that as a yes, love," Mom sighed, staring at me, with more sympathy. "Are you alright? What really happened yesterday?"

"I want to go to school." I blurted out. The words hit me in the head and in the heart, like I couldn't control them. But there is always a reason why words hit you. I just didn't know why the words hit me at the time. My mother raised an eyebrow, like a police officer.

"Are you sure?" she asked. I nodded, grabbing my clutch tighter than before. Perhaps it was my courage that made me say those words... No... I didn't have any courage.

"I have... A history test," I lied. I eye-gestured to the door. "Come on, we'll take the car."

The tension in the car burned my soul more than I thought it would. Mom and I didn't speak a word to each other, our throats clogged by our own fear. I was both relieved and horrified when our car pulled into the school carpark. Then I started regretting coming to school. What was I thinking? But it was too late to turn back... Besides... Home would just be as awkward as ever..

I went over to the boot and pressed the button. It flung open, revealing my black school bag. I grabbed it and flung it over my shoulder, trying to ignore the pressure it physically put on me. I was already overloaded with my mental crap.

"Alice, you forgot your crutch." Mom said from the front seat. (1) I felt a drop of sweat roll down my cheek. I reluctantly grabbed my crutch from the boot and slung it under my armpit. I sighed and left the car with a dry tongue, not even saying goodbye to my mother.

~THIRD PERSON~ (here we go)

Students were chatting happily to each other, as if they had no idea of the incident that had occurred the previous day. A group of girls were huddled close to the lockers, their voices low and subtle, the atmosphere dark and dreary. Compared to everyone else, they were a storm cloud in a sunny day.

"Do you think she's coming?" the tallest one asked, raising her brow. Her acquaintances shrugged, fear displayed on their faces.

"I hope not. She practically did that on purpose. Poor Lou. She told me that jacket was the thing her mother gave her before she died." the medium height one said, depression hidden in her eyes and expressed in her voice. The shortest one bowed her head, her hair falling off her shoulders.

"It's a shame really... After... A-Alice ran away- Don't ask me how she can run- The school called her mother and gave her a crutch... or something." she said quietly.