The Book Chapter 2

The bell rang for school and everyone piled through the corridors to find their first classroom.

Jasmine entered her home room with her friends, taking a seat up the back.

"You know what she did this morning too?" Jasmine continued, "She slapped me for swearing at her last night. I mean, I'd be angry too if my kid swore at me, but if I had put myself in that situation, I think I would've realised prefered to making it worse." Jasmine put a hand to the cheek that was hit. "Jared laughed too."

Her friend's comforted her as much as they could. Admittedly, they'd all had rough lives, but none as topsy-turvy as Jasmine's had become.

In the beginning, it didn't seem like much. Just the usual deprivation of attention, then favouritism, but the worst came when Jasmine hit puberty.

Periods, boobs, public hair... She'd heard all about it in her classes at school, but she didn't think she'd ever actually get it. And the day it came, she'll never forget.

"Oh my god!" Jasmine yelled from the bathroom, looking at the blood that was ini her underwear, pants and toilet. She was panicking. She grabbed a towel to stop it from spilling everywhere while she sought out Lilly.

"Mum," Jasmine called as she ran into the kitchen, "There's blood! My period!!"

The look that crossed Lilly's face when she saw a towel stuffed down Jasmine's pants was enough to scare the devil himself.

Lilly approached jasmine slowly, trembling. And just when Jasmine thought that perhaps she'd comfort her, and help her out, she recieved and slap. "You stupid little girl! Look what you did to my towel!! Now go put a pad on..." She said pointing to the bathroom again, "Under the goddamn sink!!"

Jasmine went back and searched the sink. After failing to find any she searched her dad's bathroom, then hers. There were none to be found. She again approached the old woman cautiously. "I can't find any..." She said nervously. The scare of her period and the harashness of her step mum had shaken her.

"Well go down to the bloody store and get some!" Lilly yelled back.

"But..."

"Why should I go down for you? You ruined my towel!"

Jasmine sat down on the bench, pulling out her book and began to read as she waited for her friends.

The book went flying out of her hands and a younger voice came, "Mum thinks you should stop reading that crap."

Jasmine picked up the book before replying, "I think you shouldn't be so rude."

Jared gave her an evil glare, "Guess who's gonna get in trouble for being mean to me then?"

"What do I care? You make up stuff anyway. I'd rather get in trouble for wht I did do..." She stood up and headed for the library.

"See you at home, book nerd!" Jared said teasingly.

'I wish Jared was still turning 11, then he would be here... He'd still be in primary school.' She thought to herself.

Taking a seat in the library, she again pulled out her book and began to read. 'They'll know Jared got me again. They'll understand...'

'Sylt pulled Elenia into his arms. "You don't have to do this."

'Elenia leaned against him, "I wish I could stop this, but I can't. If I don't, our city will be destroyed.... Our people will die."

'There was a silence between the two as they enjoyed the feeling of being in eachother's arms once again. But the silence was soon broken by the sound of horns.'