troubled young minds: chapter one

Dee Haverschafe cautiously pushed open the bright blue doors for the first time. The students looked at her in close scrutiny, trying to decipher whether she was latin American or Puerto Rican.1

“Ah and you must be the new transfer student, yes?” asked the teacher, Ms. Vager. Dee smiled and answered,2

“Yes – yes I am, though I’m not sure I’m meant to be here.”3

Ms. Vager smiled obligingly and gestured for Dee to take a seat, “I’m sure you are – we’ll sort it out later dear.”4

Dee precariously tiptoed through the bags and folders which were lining her path to the spare seat. She was acutely aware of the staring eyes, and hushed whispers.5

Ms. Vager proceeded to teach the lesson as Dee gazed at the unfamiliar faces around her. Her eyes rested on one particular girl, she had seen her around school before but yet didn’t know her name. She was sat directly diagonal to Dee, and wore a worried expression constantly. Dee yearned to find out more about this mysterious girl, who kept flinching and kept her head down low as though her life depended on it.6

Finally the bell signalled the end of lesson, and Dee hurried to the front of the classroom so that she could catch the mysterious girl just before she went to lunch.7

“Hi! I’m Dee – I’ve just transferred here from Puerto Rico, where are you from?” she said cheerfully.8

The girl did not respond, but picked up her bag and left the room – her cold eyes never once rising to meet with Dee’s dancing brown ones.9

She sniffed, “fine be that way,” she commented to a lonely classroom.10

The soft morning sun spliced through the stale morning air in Dee’s rather large bedroom. She groaned and rolled over. Was it really time to get up? The cleaner burst through the door with the hoover, 11

“Salana! No! It’s too early for housework!”12

Salana smiled apologetically and left the room, Dee glanced at the clock and suddenly remembered that it was Saturday. The perfect time to track down the mystery girl.13