Daunting Truths

0: PROLOGUE

0 :  P R O L O G U E

I wished I could say it was a quiet Monday morning. I wished I hadn't woken up feeling so tired, despite the fact that I went to sleep earlier last night. My school bag felt heavy on my shoulders as I made my way up the stairs of the school. The students' chatter bounced off the walls loudly and echoed through the school. I found myself frowning without realizing it. The loud chatter irritated me. I blamed it on the way my morning had started off.

I dropped my school bag on the floor once I reached my locker. The bag fell with a single thud. It was barely audible against the loud, talking voices of the students. I opened my locker and hung up my jacket before grabbing the stuff I needed for my first period class. Right as I closed my locker, the first bell rang. There was an expected swarm of students that filled up the hall.

I heavily sighed as I gripped the textbook in my arms and began testing the waters, trying to find a way into the waves of students. Somehow, I managed to get through. I got stuck behind a slow moving line of students going the same direction I wanted to go. On my way there, I was bumped into and pushed by students moving in the opposite direction. My irritabilness seemed to increase, unsurprisingly.

After what seemed like a long time of shuffling my feet along to the snail-like pace the line was moving at, I finally reached my classroom door. I quickly paced towards it the second I saw no students in my way.

As the door closed behind me, I made my way to my seat. I sat down, taking my school bag off my shoulders and letting another school day begin.

****

The next day during the end of the day, the final announcements were being made as I transferred things between my locker and school bag. I felt tired and completely drained out of energy. I hadn't done well on my math test, scoring only a 59 on it.

It was hopeless if I tried anyway. I could never get anything above a 70. When I was younger, I used to get angry at myself all the time because of the low scores I would get on my tests.

I don't do it as often now. The flaming anger for myself seemed to have diminished, leaving a soft candle light that only sometimes sparks out.

As I closed my locker and pulled my school bag off the floor, I heard voices that came my way. I turned around and spotted a group of students carrying various boxes and materials while following a teacher.

"Oh, hey Audre!" The arts teacher, or otherwise known as Ms. Adams, said when she looked over at my direction.

"Hi Ms. Adams," I replied while looking over at the train of students behind her. Among them I recognized Olivia Rose. She was in the same grade as me with a difference between us being that she was actually smart. I've envied her before. It was always because she never seemed to have trouble acing a test or getting excellent grades.

It just didn't seem fair to me how everything was so easy for her. My grades would be shameful if they were ever compared to hers. Luckily for me, there isn't a slight chance that could ever happen.

"You're heading home I presume?" Ms. Adams asked me.

I nodded. "Yeah."

"You guys can go ahead and go to the art room. I'll be there in a few," Ms. Adam said towards her really small group of students. When they began to walk away, she turned back to me, "Is there a chance that you'd like to join the homecoming committee? We're all heading to the art room to work on decorations. Of course you don't have to."

"Um," I hesitated for a moment. I didn't really have anything urgent to do after school, but homecoming committee wasn't really something I can see myself in. Besides, I would probably make the worst decorations out of everybody.