Don't Trust Them

Two

Eliza

I'll admit my presence in my mother's car was uneasy. I mean, we weren't talking. We used to talk all the time. Well, I did. I used to go on and on about some painting I drew using leftover glitter and macaroni, and as I got older, some book I wrote or a play I had finished. She was never interested. She used to nod as I was talking but as I got older I soon realised she had faded out of the picture just as my glitter had.

Why was I in the car? I'll tell you why. I was moving house. My mum had been offered the position of Mayor of Ashwick. I didn't know you just receive the position like it was a gift bag at a party, but there you go.

And since I was moving house, I also had to move schools. Ashwick High School was my new school for the next year or so. I did tell my mum that I could move into my own flat somewhere far, far away from here: putting as much emphasis on the word “far” as possible, but she wasn't having any of it. Apparently I'm too young to live on my own, yet obviously old enough to be left alone for multiple nights in a row. This is the first time I've seen her properly for a few weeks.

I sat in the back of the car, listening to some song on my iPod that's been on repeat for the last five minutes. Then the car got slower and slower, until finally stopping to a hault with a bump. We were here, and my old life was officially gone. I had mixed feelings.

 “Now, you'll be just in time for third period if you run along,” my mother said, handing me ten pounds for money.

I took it and got out of the car, closing the door behind me.

 “Now, Eliza, the headteacher should know you're coming. He'll hand you your timetable and welcome you, and hopefully show you in the right direction. I have to go straight to the office. I'll see you at home.” She said, and started the car before I could reply, winding the window up that I was using as a communicational path between us.

I scoffed silently. The phrase 'I'll see you at home' means, 'I'll see you whenever I can be bothered to come home. Which will be once every two weeks.

She drove off seemingly in a rush. I watched her leave and then made my way into the building.

I was greeted; well, stared at, by a man in a white shirt, black trousers and black shoes, with a black tie tied firmly round his neck. I assumed he must be the principle.

 “Hi?” I said unsure.

 “Greetings. I am Principle Henry. Nice to meet you,” he shook my hand. It was stone cold.

 “Hi, I'm Eliza.”

 “Ah, Elizabeth. Your mother said you were coming, welcome. Here is your timetable,” he handed me a white sheet of paper with all my classes on it.

I took a brief glance at it before he spoke again.

 “You have History next, with Miss Jess. Her room is just along the hall, to your right.” He said.

I turned around, to look at where he was gesturing. I turned back again to see the blank space where he was was no longer occupied.

 “Nice to be here.” I said to myself, and then sighed, looking around.

The walls were bare, with minimal lighting and minimal..well, everything. They were white.

I started to walk along the corridor. There were a few people staring at me as they walked in, but most of them had already gone in. I was just about to turn a corner when somebody slammed into me.