The Whispers (Seraphina's Fall)

Confusion

       I walk through the halls on my way to class. Five more minutes, I think to myself. I pick up speed until I am almost running past class room doors that line the bright hallways.
     
I skid to a stop at room 113. My homeroom. I bend down with my hands gripping my knees trying to catch my breath before entering. I straighten up, and push the door open right as the bell rings loudly through the school.
     
As soon as I step into the room, it's like stepping into a storm. Papers flying, people talking loudly, and no teacher in sight.
      
I quickly notice my friend, Alisa, waving me over from the middle row of desks.

I slip through a group of popular girls giggling about some sleep over at so-and-sos house. I role my eyes and sit in my chair.

"Hey Ali, how was your weekend?" I ask when I finally get my books in order on my desk.

She smiles at me with a sly grin. "So far so good, Sera. Did you get the plan together?" She asks with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

I grin at her and pull out a thin folder from my bag. "You mean this plan?" I say mischievously.

Alisa opens the folder slowly, and laughs out loud when she sees what's inside.

"This is the perfect prank, Sera! I knew you'd come up with something awesome. I will get the boys to meet us up after class to start on it," She says after reading through the papers.

I smirk a bit, and give her a mischievous look. "You can go ahead and say it," I say.

"Say what?" Alisa asks tilting her head.

I role my eyes and give her a smug look. "That I'm a genius and you don't know what you'd do without me," I say sweetly.

Alisa scoffs and cuffs my shoulder. "Yeah right, and I suspect you'll want a big golden trophy?" She asks.

She clasps her hands together and stares dreamily at me from under her long dark eyelashes. "Oh, Seraphina, can I get your autograph? You're my hero!" She says in a higher voice.

I mockingly put my hand to my chest and place a look of surprise on my face. "Really? I would be honored to! Your hero? Why, I'm flattered!" I say sarcastically.

Alisa shakes her head and roles her eyes. "In your dreams weirdo," she says with a smile.

At that moment the teacher was in to start class. Fashionably late as always.

I sit and try to listen, but my thoughts wonder until the bell rings loudly overhead.

'Already time for break?' I think in disbelief.

I welcome the bustle of break because it means half an hour of freedom until algebra. My least favorite subject.

As I'm walking to my locker I hear a noise behind me, and am knocked to the side by one of the tall blonde cheerleaders.

"Watch it strawberry!" The girl says.

I glare at her and suddenly it's like I'm standing frozen in time. I hear noises around me and hear the girl in front of me say something about me being ugly or something.

I barely let the sentence finish before I'm lunging at her with my fist connecting to her face.

Honestly the rest is a blur. One minute I have a sudden rage, that never happens, and the next I'm in the principles office as my mom and the principal are having a heated argument.

●      ●      ●
Three weeks later
●      ●      ●

I look up dazed at my mom as she asks me a question. I look at her guilt clear in my eyes as I ask her to repeat the question.

"Honestly Sera. Why can't you just be considerate, or just listen?" I hear behind me.

I whip around angrily, only to find my older brother, Arlo, standing behind me.

"Maybe you should mind your own business, Arlo!" I say with a glare.

He tilts his head slightly and gives me a confused look. "Sis, I didn't say anything," he says slowly.

I look between him and my mom. "Y'all act like I can't hear, like I'm not here or something," I say with tears filling my eyes.

My mom shakes her head and it falls into her hands.

Arlo looks at her then at me. "Seraphina, look, I don't know what's going on with you. Ever since dad left on that trip you've been acting weird. Now you're getting in fights at school, and all of a sudden you're blaming me and mom for something we haven't done," he says, and I can tell he is trying not to get angry.

I narrow my eyes, and my blood rushes angrily. "Don't try and teach to me Arlo. You don't get it. You won't listen. Trust me, if you were in my shoes you'd understand. When you can figure out what happened, come tell me, because I don't even know what's happening," I say. Tears now streaming down my face.

Arlo looks taken aback. He sets his jaw and stalks off, not able to control his anger anymore. Or maybe just disappointed in me.

I look at my mom once more and head upstairs to my room. I close my door, a little to loudly, behind me, and fall onto my bed. My face smushed into the pillow.

I rethink over the past couple of weeks, and how I've gotten to this point. I can barely remember what me and Alisa talked about yesterday at school. If that tells you anything.

I sigh and flip over onto my back, and look up at the ceiling.

'Tomorrow will be different,' I think to myself before falling into a dark restless sleep.