Trap Queen of Tottenham

01 - Uninvited

It felt good to stop breathing. It felt good to stop the pain-

"Hey, Chardonnay are you coming tonight?" asked Angelina as she turned to the back of the classroom with a not so innocent smile. Angelina's swooped edges of her high bun glistened in the ribbons of sunlight dancing through the windows, accentuating her caramel skin's Brazilian features. The classroom went silent.

Looking up from her novel, Chardonnay's eyebrows arched curiously as she inquired, "Coming to what?"

A sea of laughter erupted, drowning Chardonnay's self-confidence. She could feel her cheeks warm with embarrassment, luckily it couldn't be noticed through her bronzed complexion.

"Ay Anna, bro I don't think she gets it," called out a fellow student. More ripples of laughter erupted, submerging Chardonnay in more shame.

"Well," began Angelina as she strutted over to Chardonnay's table, sitting on the edge whilst looking down at her, "anyone who is anyone, got invited to a motive tonight. There are two, one in-"

"Motive?"

"Yes, a party. One is an apartment party with olders from your area actually. And another girl in the year is having some dead house party to celebrate her birthday," said Anna. "Obviously, you know which one I'm attending!"

Folding her arms, she continued, "The question is Chardonnay, where are you going to spend tonight?"

Expectantly, everyone in the classroom stared at Chardonnay. Even the supply teacher looked up from her phone, secretly hoping Chardonnay would save herself from Anna's taunts.

"Err, it's a Friday today and since it's the last day of sixth form... tonight I think I'll start a new fantasy novel."

Exchanging glances, everyone looked at each other as the substitute teacher sighed. Murmurs began to arise around the classroom as Chardonnay secretly smiled to herself. It seemed she had given an answer that appeased her fellow classmates and-

"Man said read a book uno," exclaimed a boy with waves, another student Chardonnay didn't know the name of.

Biting her lip from tittering, Anna stood up from the table and announced to the class, "It's almost sad how I even considered you would get an invite to a motive tonight Chardonnay."

"I didn't get invited to a motive, what's your point?"

"The point is you're ugly babe, that's why you don't get invited anywhere. Not even by people who live nearby to you."

Hurriedly, Anna fished into her impossibly short, black skirt's pockets. She pulled a jewelled compact mirror, holding it up to Chardonnay's face. "In case you forgot how much of a dead ting you are."

Tears began to well up in Chardonnay's eyes, but she willed them not to fall, making Anna's soulless black eyes gleam wickedly behind her glasses. Scrutinising herself in the mirror, Chardonnay stared back at herself. What made her ugly? Was it her plump lips, her brown skin, her braces or her short 4c hair in a low bun that made her ugly? She didn't consider herself beautiful but definitely not ugly. Dejected, she picked up her book and began to read again:

Closing her eyes, a faint smile crept on her pale face.

Unfortunately, no matter how much Chardonnay attempted to read the next page, she couldn't concentrate on the words. She shut the book. Her head began to swim while her eyes wandered up to the black clock on the wall. 2.50pm it read. Ten minutes were left until they were dismissed from the English classroom.

She steadied her breathing. They had just finished their final paper of the year that morning so it was simply a free lesson where they could talk and have fun one more time. Except for Chardonnay. The white walls of the English classroom were a metal cage, a frequent place of her nightmares. Etched into her brain were constant cutting remarks made by her classmates. The information cards of key quotes from the literature books, which they were tested on earlier today, were hung around the room like party bunting as if to celebrate the end of her two tedious years of humiliation in the classroom. 2.52pm. Carefully, Chardonnay took in her fellow classmates one more time who occasionally glanced back at her witheringly. Anna was practically sitting on a boy's lap surrounded by her adoring fans. She was so absorbed in her thoughts, she didn't notice a pencil was zooming towards her head.

"Ouch!" Chardonnay wailed. "Who threw this pencil at me?"

Like hyenas, the whole class began to roar with laughter and eyes were split between Anna and Chardonnay once again. Narrowing her eyes at Anna, she picked up the black pencil.

"You threw this at me, didn't you?"

Instantly, Chardonnay stood up from her chair and launched the pencil directly towards Anna's exposed collarbone.

Wincing in pain, Anna retorted, "You're so ugly, why are you looking at me? You are literally a walking rubbish bin on two legs, so I'm not surprised the pencil was thrown at you."

Stifled gasps could be heard across the room. Nobody was laughing. Nobody was smiling. 2.55pm.

Anna rolled her eyes. "Well sit down then, like why are so violent?"

The substitute teacher waved her hands to Chardonnay, indicating she should sit back down. Defeated, Chardonnay lowered her eyes and took her seat to Anna's satisfaction.

"I know I'm not your real teacher, I'm just a substitute teacher supervising your class of the day," began the teacher, "but congratulations for all your hard work these past two years. You've sat your final exam earlier today I've heard, so well done."

She looked down at the desk, tucking her dark locks behind her ears. "I've also got a notice. Prom is next Friday and you will not be allowed in without your ticket."

"Don't worry miss, we've all got our tickets for prom so I think that only applies to one person in this room," Anna chuckled. She turned back and glared at Chardonnay. "Did you hear that, you're not welcome."

Chardonnay narrowed her eyes. "I had zero intention of gracing you with my presence."

"Alright, I know it's early, it's only 2.58pm," said the teacher, "but I'll let you go. Everyone can go but Chardonnay, please stay behind."

Before Chardonnay could tuck her seat under the table, her fellow classmates jumped across the rows of chairs towards the door. Anna smiled sweetly at Chardonnay then blew her a kiss as she skipped out of the room. Rolling her eyes, Chardonnay stood and waited for the stampede to calm down.

"Are you okay Chardonnay?" asked the substitute teacher quietly.

"Yeah I'm alright, it's just that my favourite character in the novel died. Well it hints that she has since she could no longer feel the pain."

"No, I meant what's up with that girl with the glasses and bun. Miss Angelina Valdez I believe."

"Anna? She's just teasing," said Chardonnay, looking away.

"No, she's bullying you. How long has this gone on for?"

"I don't know, it started when she picked on me for where I live."

"Where do you live?"

"Tottenham."

The substitute teacher's eyes widened in horror.

Don't forget to vote guys and welcome to the first installment of the Chess2LDN chronicles - Jaymunni