Chapter 7
When Scarlett arrived I immediately took to her. She was my age and I desperately needed a friend my age. All the girls were older than me and only interaction I had was at school . My first day in first grade was eventful to say. I was already seven in first grade needing to repeat because my mom thought I was too small to be with kids my age.
Granted I was little for my age but I was a year older than my classmates in a new school. My house mom permed my hair in spirals, and dressed me up in leggings and a poofy frilly shirt . Picked my hair and put a large colorful bow in my hair. I was her doll. I woke up before the house so she can do my hair and pick out my outfit.
I entered the class when they were watching a movie mid year. The room was dark and the teacher told me to sit down somewhere as she stepped out of the room to talk to the principal.
A chubby girl with messy short blackhair and a brown oversized shirt stood in front of me.
" Your in my seat. Move". She demanded.
I stood up feeling like I did something wrong. I didn't know it was her seat. Instead of letting me pass she blocked me. Then proceeded to push me over the table as I skirted off the table hitting the floor. The class burst into laughter.
The teacher enter and grabbed her arm and the paddle off the hook on the wall . The class ooohhhhed in response. She took her out of the room and laid three loud pops on the girls bottom. Then came in angrier than she was .
The teacher took her to me as I stood as the light came on to see the girl fully.
" Kayla, tell her you are sorry. We don't put hands on each other." The teacher demanded.
Kayla shrugged out of the teachers grip sniveling now. " I'm sorry okay!" She yelled more forceful than needed.
That moment there I vowed I will get Kayla back.
When I left that room we all lined up and each class proceeded to gym class. There were four lines for four classes. There was a boy tall and lanky blonde hair and blue eyes a real look a like to Zack off of saved by the bell television show we watched during our one hour TV time at the group home.
We moved to the gym as I sat on the bleechers. The blonde boy made his way to me.
" I'm John . Your new here?" He asked.
" Yes. Melina. " I responded not knowing why he spoke to me. It was my first day and the entire class just saw me get my butt kicked. I was still embarrassed from that. Now this boy was talking to me. Was he here to pick on me too?
" You want to walk around the gym with me, Melina ?" He asked tilting on his heels rocking for a response.
" Why?" I asked confused . I was fine on the bleachers.
" So we can talk. " He said looking down.
I stood up and dusted off my clothes and stepped down towards him as the girls oooohhh and ahhhhh in response. Some made kissy noises as he shoved his hands in his pockets as we walked the perimeter of the indoor gym.
We talked for thirty minutes small stuff where are you from .?What's your full name? Normal friend stuff. When the gym teacher broke up the walk with gym exercises warm ups.
The girls ran up to me excited . Wanting to know what we said. I realized John did this a lot. I shrugged and joined for warm ups.
John and I were inseparable then . Passing notes between hallway exchanges . Sitting next to each other in lunch room. We were a cute new couple. His mom the lunch lady really liked me. We got food together and all .
When Scarlett came she was the one closest to my age other than my Irish twin sister. Me and her had burned our bridges in the first few weeks were were here so we didn't speak to each other. Scarlett was placed in the room with me. She played the adorable damaged girl. But in truth she was a product of her raising.
She came from a home with four older brothers and a mom that was in and out of prison and jail. In fact she was born in prison. When her mom was home she was high most of time which led her raising to her older brothers where they all slept in the same room.
Unsupervised teenage boys will do as a boy does and introduce Scarlett here to some adult concepts. When Scarlett became my roommate it was not long until those concepts became our reality. She became aggressive and manipulative towards me. She was controlling behind our room doors.
When I stared to feel oppressed and not safe from her advances anymore she lashed out. Started fighting when we were alone. Yelling and screaming. That hiding place was her idea to get alone time with me. We went on for a year like this . Then she hated me. Hated what I knew about her and her tendencies.
John and I survived the few months and graduated into second grade and he was invited to my ninth birthday party. Along with Zack a son of the preacher we made friends with at church. My current house parents were prespitarian . Zack was enamored by my sister Paula. Well she was obsessed with him more or less .
When John saw Scarlett . I was out of the picture. Scarlett batted her eyes and worked her tricks and when we returned to school I received a dear John letter. We should be friends. He was with Scarlett now and he wouldn't even speak to me anymore. His best friend Ryan saw me alone and came in for the scraps of johns baggage .
That's how them two worked. John would talk to them first then Ryan would pick up the pieces . A perfect rotation for a recycled girlfriend repurpose plan.