~~~~~~11TH GRADE, THE WHITE'S HIGH SCHOOL ~~~~~~~
Marissa stepped into The White's High School, feeling a surge of good luck wash over her. She believed the shoes her grandmother had given her brought her fortune. As she walked through the grand entrance, she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and hope. The school was breathtakingly beautiful, with large classrooms and long hallways that seemed to stretch on forever. Students milled about, dressed in expensive-looking uniforms, their designer bags and shoes a testament to their affluence.
Marissa's eyes widened as she took in the opulence of her new school. She clutched her bag tightly, feeling a little out of place in her worn jeans and hand-me-down top. But she didn't let that deter her. She was skipping along, her heart full of excitement, when the bell rang, signaling the start of class.
Marissa approached a student, asking for directions to the principal's office. The student looked her up and down before reluctantly agreeing to show her the way. As they walked, Marissa chatted to Fluff, her white kitten, who was hiding in her bag. "Don't worry, Fluff," she whispered. "We're going to make the most of this opportunity. Grandma said we'll make it work."
When they arrived at the principal's office, Marissa's confidence began to wane. The principal looked up from his desk, his expression transforming from annoyance to disgust. "What do you want?" he barked. "You're late, and what's with the... attire?"
Marissa looked down at her clothes, feeling a flush rise to her cheeks. "I-I didn't have a uniform, sir," she stammered. "My grandmother said she'd take care of it."
The principal sneered. "You call those jeans you're wearing suitable attire? You look like you're in your pajamas."
Marissa apologized profusely, explaining that her grandmother had recently paid the school fees. However, the principal's expression turned even darker. "There's no record of any payment from a Mrs. Paige," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "And even if there was, the fees are $800,000. You were accepted on a scholarship, but that doesn't cover the full amount."
Marissa's eyes widened in shock, and she felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. "But... but how can that be?" she stammered. "Grandma said..."
Just as she was about to beg the principal for mercy, Fluff burst out of her bag, leaping onto the principal's desk and sending papers flying. The principal was startled, and Marissa tried to grab Fluff, but the kitten was too fast. The principal yelled for security, and soon, Marissa and Fluff were being escorted out of the office.
As they left, the principal's parting words hung in the air: "Pay your school fees, or you're out." Marissa felt her world crashing down around her, and tears streamed down her face as she clutched Fluff tightly, wondering what she would tell her grandmother.
"What do you want, you dirty shit?"
"Someone told me it was the start of class. I'm a new student."
"New student? The janitor's daughter?" The two girls laughed mockingly.
"No, I'm not a janitor's daughter. Let me in, please." The two girls blocked the entrance.
Marissa attempted to go in.
They pushed her and she landed on her butt.
"Fuck off, bitch!" They slammed the door.
"Fluff, can you see what they are doing?" Her voice cracked in tears.
"Oh, well. Like there's anything you can do."
"Why are you sitting here? Aren't you supposed to be in class?" The teacher approached Marissa who was still on the floor.
She stood up.
"I - I'm a scholarship student, ma'am. But they're not letting me in because they think I look too shabby.."
"Come in." Marissa hesitated, but the teacher held her hand.
"Good morning class. We have a new student." The other students were disgusted at what they saw.
Only few of them found her pretty.
"Introduce yourself."
"My name is Marissa Connor..."
"Who's your father? A famous businessman?"
"A founder of an orphanage?"
"A renowned doctor?"
"A dentist?"
Questions were thrown at her.
"No...he.."
"Stop. You don't need any explanation. Why are you asking her those questions? Go sit, Marissa." She was heading to the seat the teacher pointed when a boy let out his leg and she tripped.
Everyone laughed and she was red with embarrassment.
"If anyone bothers Marissa starting from today, I'll have you in detention."
~~~~~
It was lunchtime, and the cafeteria was filled with students. Marissa's books were clutched in her hand, held to her chest and she was talking to Fluff about the school's unfriendly environment.
She arranged her books in the locker and some guys passed by.
It was evident that they were snickering at her.
Another guy walked up to her. His locker was right next to hers.
"Nice shoes you've got there."
She shook her head, avoiding his gaze.
"Thank you. They are good luck shoes but apparently, your school is filled with nothing but bad luck."
"Nope. You're wrong. You are the problem here. Being poor was the mistake. Actually, existing was the mistake." This words made Marissa's heart sink.
"Anyways, my name is Miguel and I'm interested in you."
"Interested?"
"Yeah. I don't have female friends and I want to start with you."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Maybe in your next life. You might be opportuned to meet me again, when you're richer." Marissa rolled her eyes. She was pissed.
"If you have nothing reasonable to say, excuse me." Marissa walked away, heading to the cafeteria.
"Are you going to eat? That's the way." He pointed to the restroom and laughed.
Marissa's eyes searched for a table in the cafeteria, clutching the one dollar she had to buy food.
"Hello. Look who we have here. Miss. Marissa Connor." Everyone clapped with smiles and Marissa's look was unreadable.
"You look hot.." One of the guys said.
"Yeah, very hot. You need sunscreen." There was a round of laughter.
"Looking for a seat? This is not your place, babe. Students like you eat in the restroom."
"But....this is the cafeteria...food is being sold here and...."
"Yeah!" Claudia rose up and walked to her, her minions following.
"Food is being sold here but not one dollar meals." Claudia snatched Marissa's dollar and she gasped.
"Give that back." She gulped, speaking with a little confidence.
"Nope." Claudia hung it in the air and Marissa tried to reach it but Claudia passed it to Sandra who tore it.
"No!!" Marissa cried out.
"Aw, poor girl. The only dollar you've got. You reek of cat food." The girls snorted.
Marissa wanted to leave their presence in anger but Nadia pulled her back by her hair and threw her to the ground.
"Ah!" The bullies surrounded her, joined by other girls who were irritated by her attitude.
"Really gutsy. You had that frown on because??"
"I know why, the last thing her grandmother had.." They giggled.
Marissa's eyes welled up with tears.
"What did I do to you? Why are you bugging me?"
"Your existence sucks, Marissa Connor!"
"Try to get a deodorant cause you stink of poverty."
"You wanna know what you did to me?" Claudia leaned closer to Marissa.
Marissa nodded.
"Why were you talking to Miguel?"
"M...Miguel?"
"Yeah. That guy is my man! What's your business with him?" Claudia yelled.
"I...I..I..wasn't..." A slap landed on Marissa's face.
"Breathe in this school again and you'll regret it."
Marissa was trembling.
Nadia stepped forward and threw a plate of rotten food at her.
All eyes were on them as Fluff's purr made Claudia flinch.
"What's that?" Claudia was sure she heard the sound from her bag. She snatched it and took out the kitten.
"Please don't touch her...she's mine...I'll do whatever you say, just don't touch her." Marissa shook with fear.
"I'm touching her already." Claudia admired the kitten.
"Did I hear....you'll do whatever we say?" Nadia made another snort and Marissa nodded vigorously.
"Okay then, to get your kitten back, you'll have to stay away from Miguel, first and foremost."
"I will."
"But for now, she'll be with us." Marissa's eyes widened.
"No!"
"Don't worry. We'll take care of her."
~~~~~
Marissa trudged through the halls of The White's Academy, her heart heavy with the weight of her struggles. Despite her exceptional intelligence, she found it challenging to fit in due to her socioeconomic status. The students from wealthier families seemed to effortlessly form cliques, leaving Marissa feeling like an outsider. The only ones who showed her kindness were Diana and Damien, but even they couldn't always be around to protect her from the bullies.
Every day was a battle for Marissa. She faced constant ridicule and belittling from her classmates, particularly Claudia and her minions. They resented Marissa's academic prowess, which earned her praise from their teachers. Marissa tried to ignore them, but the constant barrage took its toll. She often found herself crying in private, overwhelmed by the loneliness and isolation.
One day, Marissa thought she might finally have a chance to retrieve Fluff, her beloved kitten, from the bullies who had taken her. In a moment of desperation, she agreed to help Claudia with her assignment, hoping that this small act of kindness might earn her some goodwill. However, disaster struck when the assignment accidentally fell into a bucket of water. Despite her best efforts, Marissa couldn't dry it in time, and Claudia arrived, furious and demanding.
"You're useless!" Claudia yelled, her face red with rage. "How could you be so careless? This is a disaster!"
"I'm sorry, Claudia. You could just dry it...."
"Dry?? I told you to do something for me you witch. And you're asking me to do it myself?"
"The assignment is done, Claudia. Just dry it...and I have Fluff back, right? You have so many friends and people who run after you because you're popular. Fluff is my only friend, let me have her back. Please I'm begging you." Marissa cried.
Claudia pinned her to the well angrily, holding tight to her neck. Marissa gasped, gripped by fear.
"You foolish poor thing! If you don't do another assignment before the bell is jingled, you'll be fucking dead!" Claudia gritted her teeth. She threw Marissa to the ground and she nearly hit her head.
Marissa was shocked. She coughed profusely.
Claudia wanted to storm out of the bathroom when Marissa's brave voice made her stop in her tracks.
"You're so evil!" Claudia's eyes widened. She turned around.
"Instead of you to be friends with me, you're hating on me for no reason. Just because I'm poor. Is it a crime to be poor, huh??" Marissa stood up.
"Is it a crime to be poor? If you can't be my friend, then don't be on my neck all the time. I only help you with your assignments because....because I miss Fluff. I've stayed too long without her. But you've seen that as an opportunity to mess with me. You made me lick your muddy shoes, threw your garbage at me, invited me to your mom's house just so I could do your chores, you always hit me everytime, you've made me understand that I'm nothing but unwanted in this world. Why? Because I talked to Miguel. But I'm not talking to Miguel anymore. So why are you still on me? People like you made me promise myself to work hard and get rich."
"Wait, are you even rich? I heard it's all fake. I heard your dad was a nobody." Claudia attacked Marissa immediately and held her head tight. She dragged her to the sink and dug her head inside, turning on the tap.
"Ahhh!!!" Marissa struggled but Claudia held her tighter.
When she realized Marissa's breathing wasn't the same anymore, she threw her against the wall.
Marissa's head hit the wall.
She was weak and was panting heavily.
"How dare you? How dare you talk about my dad like that, Marissa?" Claudia growled.
"Nadia!!" Claudia called out.
Nadia and Sandra came out of the female's changing room, holding hockey sticks, evil smirks on their faces.
Marissa was horrified. She wanted to scream.
They suddenly dropped the hockey sticks.
Nadia took out the kitten from her handbag.
"Fluff!!" Fluff purred to see Marissa again.
Nadia clenched Fluff in her fist.
"Please don't do anything to Fluff, give her to me, please!! Please!!" Marissa cried.
"Do you want Fluff to die?" Marissa shook her head, weeping profusely.
"Then fucking hold my leg tight and apologize!" Claudia sneered.
Nadia was still clutching Fluff.
"Don't, please! She's still little..."
"Hold my leg tight and plead for mercy, Marissa! Or lose your kitten." Without thinking twice, Marissa crawled to Claudia and held her leg, crying bitterly.
"Claudia please, Claudia, please, please don't harm Fluff I'm begging you. She's the only one I've got. If anything happens to her....I don't know what I'll do...Claudia, please don't harm her." Marissa noticed blood dripping from Nadia's nails and her kitten. They watched her, giggling. Fluff was also mewing weakly.
"Fluff!!" Marissa shrieked with fear and went to hold Nadia's leg.
"Nadia, please, Nadia please stop, Fluff is dying..." Marissa's voice was hoarse from crying.
Nadia suddenly pulled Fluff's head off and threw it out the window.
"Ahhhhhh!!!" Marissa's outburst made the girls mock her.
"Why did you go back on your word? I did what you asked. I did what you freaking asked!" Nadia brought the kitten's remains to Marissa's face and they laughed.
Marissa got up.
They folded their arms.
"Claudia, why are you this wicked? What did I ever do to you to deserve this much?"
"WHAT EXACTLY?!" Marissa roared. They chuckled.
"I just hate you." Claudia declared.
"Wow. Then I hate you too!" Marissa attacked Claudia, pinning her to the floor punching her continuously. Nadia and Sandra couldn't pull her away.
Claudia's nose and lips were bleeding. Her face was red with anger and her clothes were torn.
Sandra hit a hockey stick on Marissa and she fell to the ground. She got up and wanted to attack Claudia again but her minions held her back.
She couldn't break free from Nadia and Sandra's grip on her wrist.
Claudia slapped Marissa countless times and this made Nadia and Sandra very happy.
When they let go of Marissa's wrist, she fell to the ground again, this time, weaker.
"You bitch dared to insult me."
They thought she was unconscious but her eyes was open a little.
"Do you guys know that Claudia is only pretending to be from some rich background? Her dad was poorer than a church rat according to what I heard. Her mom, Professor Jennie who lectures in the college dated a lot of rich men, just to have a name for herself. Right? Right???!" Marissa mocked.
Claudia was fuming.
"Can you hear what she's saying? Did you hear what she's saying?"
"You're just...nothing but a broke ass.."
"Ahh!" Claudia ran to the other sink, took out a small knife and slit Marissa's neck ruthlessly.
Blood splashed out.
She fell silent and her head dropped dead.
Nadia and Sandra trembled. The knife fell from Claudia's hand.
"What...what did you...what did you...just..." Claudia knelt in front of Marissa's body.
"Marissa... Marissa, Marissa wake up. Marissa, fucking wake up! It's just a joke, right...Marissa!" Claudia shook her and pulled her close.
Her blood stained Claudia's hand and dress.
"Fuck!!!" She growled.
"Marissa is not breathing anymore... Marissa's dead... Marissa's dead..." She was sniffing, panting and shaking.
"Marissa....Marissa! Please....Marissa, please I'm sorry, just freaking wake up right now. Girls, am I dreaming? Is she dead? Check, please, girls say something! Arghhh!!" Tears streamed down Claudia's face.
"C...c..cal...calm down..." Sandra went to lock the door.
"We'll just stay here...until the close of school and after, we find a solution to this. Or do you wanna go out and tell everyone you killed Marissa?" Claudia shook her head.
"No, no..." She was still panting. Nadia went to cuddle Claudia and pull her away from Marissa. They crawled to a corner, trembling all over.
Claudia was crying profusely.
"It wasn't my fault...she said such horrible things about my family....and they...and they are false! They are false! Did she just die?"
After the close of school, Nadia and Sandra sneaked her body away from the janitor's closet, school building and threw Marissa's body in a dirty stagnant water.
The girls ran away, leaving traces.
"Hmm, what just happened here?" Diana White made her father's security officials break the door and shock gripped everyone at the bloody scene.
Only a phone was found.