• I swept my school books from my desk into my backpack as I looked at my watch. 8:15. I was late again. I scurried down the stairs and into the kitchen. I looked at the bench and the note that lay on it.
    Don’t forget lunch. There is some lasagne left over from dinner last night that you can have. Grab a snack from the pantry. Love mum xxo. PS. Lasagne is in the blue Tupperware container, on the top shelf in the fridge.
    I rolled my eyes at the short letter. I’m pretty sure I’m capable of getting my own lunch. Lasagne is in the blue Tupperware container, on the top shelf of the fridge. I let the words dissolve as I rolled my eyes again. She doesn’t need to give me directions. I’m almost seventeen and she still treats me as if I was five. I sighed and opened the fridge to get my lasagne. I didn’t bother with a snack.
    I left the house without another thought and hopped into my old rusty Holden Commodore. I placed my daggy backpack in the passenger seat and put my seatbelt on. It was only then that I realised I would have to ride my bike to school, as I was yet to have my full license. I could only drive with a licensed driver. I cursed and jumped out of the car, dragging my school bag to the shed where I kept my bike. It was still as shiny as the day I first bought it; I had only ridden it a few times. Anyone caught riding their bike to school at my age were payed out until the sun went down. I would have walked to school, but considering I was already very late, I didn’t want to waste any more time.
    When I had finally reached the school the bell had already gone, and there were no students to be seen. I cursed under my breath for my first subject was biology. I would have loved the subject if it weren’t for the horrible teacher, Mr Kinraide. He would take any chance he had to send students off to detention. Except of course Tara, the know-it-all goody-two-shoes teachers pet who could get away with any of the minor mistakes that she would so rarely make. I sighed and strode into the biology room. As soon as I opened the door each of my classmates simultaneously lifted their heads to see who had entered. After a second or two everyone put their heads back down to their work, except Mr Kinraide.
    “Nice that you would join us Georgia. So nice in fact that it would bring a great pleasure if you also joined me in detention this afternoon” Mr Kinraide said with a slight smirk on his face. One of the girls in the back of the class giggled. Both Mr Kinraide and I glared at her, and immediately she fell silent. Mr Kinraide returned his gaze to me and I nodded. I sulked into my seat without saying a word to my friends on either side of me. They glanced at me, their eyes filled with pity. I didn’t need their sympathy.
    The day droned on, no better than the start. I spent detention doing my homework. I had finished it all by the time detention was over. I sighed, thankful that school was over for the day. I rode home glad that at least no one had spotted my bike.
    I groaned when I reached the house, seeing mum’s car in the driveway. She had come home early, and now she knew that I had gotten detention. I fiddled with my bike as I put it away, biding my time so that I could think of an excuse for my coming home late. I could think of none. Shoulders drooping I walked inside and prepared myself for what would come.
    My mum was standing by the counter preparing dinner. She didn’t turn around to greet me. I returned that gesture and didn’t say a word as I put my bag away. I came back into the kitchen and asked mum what we were having for dinner.
    “Soup” she answered in a flat voice.
    “What kind of soup?” I asked, trying to get her speaking.
    “Minestrone” she said, in the same flat tone she had used before.
    I looked at her, determined to make her speak normally. “Are you ok?”
    “Yes” she said simply. I sighed knowing that she would speak when she was ready.
    I went up to my room and looked through my measly supply of CDs. I settled for an old “Spring Hits” album. I placed it in my Walkman, not wanting to disturb my mother.
    I woke the next morning feeling groggy and hungry. I had fallen asleep with my headphones on, and I hadn’t had any dinner. I dragged myself out of bed, bracing myself for the next dreary day of school. And it was only Tuesday…