Aliea

Just be normal, I said to myself, remember your name is Ginnie Holiday. 

The sun was rising as I saw the glow of warmth, rushing upon my face as I took a deep breath and tried to get my brain to understand. For the next few months, I’m Ginnie Holiday, I’m not Darcy Mae anymore, that was the last name. I could feel time ticking at me, getting closer and closer to seven.

Soon, the alarm will ring, and another first day of school waits for me. The paper with my new name, my new backstory was on the side. I spent the last few days reading it whilst me and my mother unpacked. I don’t want to make any mistakes, not to make anyone suspicious.

Every few months, something like this happens, we move to another apartment, always in a different town, a new name, a new life. The usual. It always feels like after a few days, mom decides to move us about again, and I must be stuck being the new girl again.

The alarm then rang for me, telling me to wake up and get ready. Not that I needed reminding. I rushed to the kitchen after I had gotten dressed and Mom was there, making breakfast as usual. I know a lot of children say it but mine is the prettiest woman that I had ever met. I had inherited her blonde hair though mine was a shade or two lighter, her’s was a golden sheet and was very thick as well. She had grey eyes that reminded me of the clouds after they rained, and she had a golden soul on the inside too. I know, it seems like most children would describe their mother, but my mother is really those things.

It’s just me and her. It had been a long time. Other family members weren’t worth mentioning, especially my father. When I ask her questions about any of them, she always tries and changes the subject or just tells me that I’ll have to wait until I am older, that I won’t understand.

I have long since given up trying. She can keep her secrets.

Walking to school was one of the best moments of the day. It was one of those times where you can just be yourself, in your own space of mind as you breathe in nature’s air. It’s one of those times when you really feel connected to the world around you. Peaceful bliss.

But then, you always must go to school. Annoyingly. It’s not the lessons that are the problem but the in-between times when you socialize with others. When I was younger, it wasn’t so bad, I always had a group of friends every few months, every school until I realized that I would always have to leave them.

There was Candy, Ginny, and Hannah from Backside Elementary, Jarad from Scarlett Jones Elementary, and countless others. I don’t want to see any more disappointed faces looking at me as I leave the school gates forever. It’s easier not to make any friends, especially because of another secret that I even hid from my mother. It’s easier that way.

I walked through the doors of Garland Middle school with the sounds of chatting pre-teens and teenagers, talking about the usual bland topics. Not the type of conversations that I’ll put myself into. Of course, there was a popular clique that was whispering about other people behind their backs or trying to destroy school property by practicing their sports inside. The usual.

I’ll just have to pretend to these guys that I’m normal for a few months before moving away. Piece of cake, right? Well, let’s just say that after sorting out my locker, drama came my way, and her name was the Queen Bee of this school. It was obvious just by looking at her, dark glossy hair, blue eyes that could melt in your mouth, that smile that had been faked thousands of times over. To her and her crew, who looked strangely alike and looked way too old for their ages. The society we live in now.

“Oh, you’re the new girl. What’s your name?” her sickly-sweet voice filled my ears, the fakest voice I had ever heard.

I then took a deep breath, better not be an enemy to those girls, they can make your life miserable tremendously. Better to have them on your side.

“My name is Ginnie Holiday, and you are? I answered politely.

She then looked at her crew as she gave a small titter as she then looked at me as she then said, “You don’t know why I am, Jennie? Wow, I am so surprised.”

“It’s Ginnie... not Jennie.” I corrected.

She was not in the least bit amused about my little comment. Though it be true, girls like her never like to be told that they were wrong. She then took a deep breath and then answered, her voice wavering a little, cracking the mask,

“Trinity Blake, that’s my name. Queen bee of this school, past schools, and many more to come. How can a small nobody forget that I exist.”

She then looked into her own hand-held mirror as she made a duck face as she then muttered to herself, “Flawless, right girls?”

The lookalikes then nodded, having no brain of their own and having no other purpose in life other than to obey the Queen’s command, no matter how deadly. Trinity then turned her focus onto me as she then answered,

“Good day Jennie and don’t worry, we’ll assess you soon.”

Those words came ringing into my ear as I then shivered. You can’t change people like Trinity’s mind. It was just not possible. Believe me, I tried. The bell then rang as they walked off like those false models. Guess it was time for lessons. A break from socializing with these kinds of children.

Lessons come easy for me. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because they repeat the same stuff at every school and my brain got into the rhythm. Every so often, they change but very rarely do they change. It was the same few facts repeatedly. Easy to remember. Better chances of higher grades. Just had to act as if I had never done the work before. The only thing that changes is the classroom, the teacher, not the lessons, they stay the same.

The bell then rang for lunch hour. Not that I usually had lunch. I don’t really get hungry around this time. I never have, not sure if I will one day or not. I usually just try and find a library and try and study up and find books I haven’t read before. It’s been more of a trial these last few schools to find one.

But when I had just got my head stuck in a delightful book, of course Trinity and the copycats had to appear. Of course, just my luck. She then snatched the book off my hand as she then said,

“You’re trying to study up, swot. OMG, how lame is that right girls?”

They all then laughed along with her without any thoughts of their own. Trinity then looked at me and then grinned as she then said,

“You know, you broke one of the rules that is in this school, do you know what that is?”

“What is it?”

I knew that it was a trick question, but I just thought it’s better to answer it, maybe you’ll get off a little easy. Maybe I should stop dreaming. Trinity then put her face upon mine as she then whispered into my ear,

“You disrespected the Queen Bee and now you pay.”

“Why, for not knowing your name?”

She then frowned at me as she then said, “Adia, Aria, you know what to do.”

She then gave a sly grin as she then took a step back and two of the alike blondes then grabbed me by the shoulders as they then shook me violently. I could barely see straight as I could fell a few pokes in my eyes. I wondered if the librarian would notice the cuffuffle and maybe put a stop on her reign, but it seems she might have been on a lunch break as well. Typical.

Death seemed to have been close to me as I could feel a rising energy from my body. I knew that feeling and I wished it didn’t appear. Not now, please. But I had no control. I could feel it rising, coming out as I then could hear screams as I was then let go of.

I then opened my eyes and saw clearly for the first time. I could see all five girls, twitching on the ground, sparks flying though their bodies. Their eyes were stained red as blood poured out of their eyes. I then shivered as I then plotted my escape. Oh, why now, I thought as I then tried to rush out.

But someone was grabbing onto my leg. Trinity, now more natural than I had ever seen her. She then tried to glare at me as she then whispered weakly,

“What the... how did you?”

I then shook off the limp arm off my leg as I then ran off. This is the quickest this curse has appeared at a new school. Sometimes It doesn’t appear for moths but there was always one every so often, reminding me that I’m not always in control. Guess we’d better move again. New record. Yippee.

Just keep this secret from Mom. That was the thing I was hiding from her. I don’t want to give her another worry on her mind. It’s just not fair on her. I did my best to avoid her as I snuck into my room and put my face down on the pillow and silently screamed.