Violet's POV
I woke up to the squealing of my alarm at 4am. Surprise surprise. Ever since I was three and Aunty Bella found me on her doorstep, I've been forced to wake up at ridiculously early times to clean the house and make Bella's meals for the day before I go to school. Today I got to wake up a bit later because I stayed up til 1 doing my homework.
I sat up on my bed and rubbed my eyes. Time for another fun day at school. I got up and went to the floorboard in the corner of my bare room. I lifted it up and wiggled it a bit to move it out of the way. Underneath was all the clothes I'd managed to steal from the shop on the way home from school while Bella was having her afternoon nap.
I put on some white frilly socks, my black converse, my school kilt that went to just above my knees. It was black and grey with thin purple stripes on it. I put on my white blouse and brushed my long, purple wavy hair. I built up my collection of things every monday after school and I'd even managed to get a liquid eyeliner and mascara. I put them on and his everything back under the floorboard. I gently put the floorboard back so I didn't wake Bella up.
I straightened up and swung my black rucksack over my shoulder. That was the one thing I couldn't fit under the floorboard so I kept it under my bed. I checked my reflection in a piece of the broken mirror in the hallway on the way out. Once I was satisfied that I didn't look awful, I put my bag down by the door and went round the house, cleaning as silently as I could. I made Bella her favourite meals and left them in the fridge. I went back to the front door, swung the bag back onto my shoulder and walked out of the house, shutting the door behind me.
The school was a good hour walk from Bella's house so I normally left at half six so I got into school early enough to do any extra homework and do some reading. I set off down the street, looking down the pavement as I walked. I was fifteen years old and I'd never once had a friend. I did weird things like opening doors when I was near them, I didn't talk unless someone asked me a question and the colour of my hair probably didn't attract people to want to talk to me. I got to school at seven because I didn't have a clock at home so I must have done my chores quicker than usual.
When I got into the hall where we wait for school to start, I sat on the tables which were piled up against the walls. I dangled my legs underneath me and closed my eyes. Yet another day of being invisible, yippee. I got my maths book out and did the last of my homework. Before I knew it, the bell had gone and it was time for me to go to registration. By now, the school was filled up with people walking straight past me, acting as though I didn't exist. As I looked around I noticed almost everyone was running up to their friends and I suddenly felt like one of those girls in the movies standing still whilst everyone else's lives carried on without her. I took a deep breath and made my way to registration. I just had to get through the day.
After school, I went via the corner shop to get an apple since I hadn't eaten since last week. I chomped on my apple as I walked home, watching the ground pass beneath my feet as usual. I got home and opened the door which was never locked because everyone was too scared of Bella to try and steal anything. I stepped inside as carefully as I could, hoping to the high heavens that she was asleep. I closed the door behind me and tiptoed my way upstairs to chuck my bag under my bed. I closed the bedroom door behind me and got changed into the clothes that Bella made me wear, stuffing my uniform under the floorboards as I did so. I changed into Bella's old tights and her large grey t shirt. She didn't let me wear shoes because she said I deserved the pain of walking to school with no shoes on. What she didn't know was the last time I did that was in Year 8. As soon as I was dressed, I went into the bathroom and wiped my make up off and messed up my hair. Bella couldn't stand it when I looked better than her. I stepped out of the bath room to be greeted by a slap. I sighed. I'd hoped that she might wake up later and I'd get out of the worst of it.
