At last! I finally got a version of this written that I (sort of) liked, at the moment I know what's gonna happen at the beginning and at the end of this but everything in the middle is extreeeeeemely hazy... xD 

Chapter 1

I push my glasses further up my freckled nose and run a hand through my unruly brown curls, my dull, blue eyes raking over the page of the math test in front of me. I was so deep in concentration that I jumped when a screwed up piece of paper landed on the desk in front of me.

Cautiously reaching out, I grabbed it and quickly hid it under my desk before the teacher, Mrs. Grahams, could spot it. I carefully unfolded it under the desk, not making a sound as I flattened it on my lap before taking a peek at what was written on it. There was a picture of a whale with frizzy blond hair, wearing big, thick glasses with an arrow saying 'Mrs. Grahams' pointing to it.

Confused, I glanced up in the direction it came from and Tricia Hendon smirked evilly at me before it contorted back to the 'angelic' expression it usually held as she turned the front, throwing her hand in the air and whining,

"Mrs. Grahams, Hendry Ryans is passing notes!"

Realization curled down my spine as I opened my mouth to try to defend myself.

"What?! But, I wasn't-"

"What have you got in your lap there Miss Ryans?"

The teacher interrupted me and, before I could stop her, she had whisked the drawing out of my lap. She glanced at the picture and let out an outraged cry.

"Hendry Ryans!" she started to shout, "This is disgusting behaviour! Get out and go to the principal's office!"

"But- but I-"

"Now!" she cut me off again.

I slouched out of my chair and walked, shoulders hunched, out of the classroom; down the hall to the principlal's office. I knock on the glass window of the wooden door and wait for an answer.

"Come in." the raspy sound of my principal's voice reaches me from inside and I, reluctantly, turn the door handle and step into the room with a sigh."You again Miss Ryans? This has become quite a habit. Though I'd much prefer not to see you in here every day... What happened this time?"He croaked at me. His lips pursed in distate.

I fumbled over my words trying to get my story out,

"I was- I was d-doing my test an-nd Tricia she - she... and I... I..."

I slumped my shoulders at the hopelessness of the situation, no teachers ever payed attention, much less cared about my side of the story. Especially when Tricia Hendon was involved.

Sure enough, the headmaster grunted impatiently at me as a tear slid down my cheek from the corner of my eye,

"I do not care for your tall-tales miss Ryans... Miss Hendon is a model student. Nor do I care for your crocodile tears. Now, let me put this more simply, why did you get sent out of class?"

My bottom lip started to wobble as I explained to him why the teacher sent me out, leaving out all remarks about Tricia and the unfairness of the situation.

"I see... So the truth finally comes out, hmm? Well, Miss Ryans... This is your fifth time out this week, and seeing as we are only just arrived at Wednesday, I think that a suitable punishment would be... Detention. For three days. Until Monday. Now, get out." He finished sharply, pointing to the door at his final words.

My head - if possible - sinks even further down, resting on my chest as I struggled to keep my tears at bay.

I slouched out of the room and back to the classroom, taking a deep breath and opening the door. "Who is this? Opening my door without knocking! How rude..." Miss Grahams thundered, before her tone turned spiteful,

"Oh it's you... Why are you back here?"

I stared blankly back at her, before lowering my head again and dragging myself back to where I was sitting and dropping back down into my seat. I could see that Miss Grahams was about to make a cruel remark, but - just then - the bell rang, signalling the end of the day.

More like the beginning of my hour of torture.

.     .    .

Shoulders slouched, I dug around in my beaten up Peppa Pig school bag in search of my front door key. After I found it I unlocked my door and dumped my bag in its usual spot by the door.

I dragged myself in to the living room of the dingy, one bedroomed apartment that me and my Mom shared and slumped down on the worn out couch.

I didn't mind that the apartment was dirty, though, or small; just like I didn't mind that it was a thirty minute walk from here to school - a journey I made everyday, twice, at the age of eight. I didn't mind any of that stuff, because it was home. At least I have somewhere to go.

I've been taking myself to school everyday for two years - since I was six - and you'd think that someone would have stopped me - to ask where my parents were - but no-one ever has. You see, no-one cares about me.

Except my Mom.

In my Mom's eyes, I'm a princess. And - I know it sounds cheesy, but - my Mom is my hero. She is like a literal superhero to me, because - even though she works three jobs - she still finds time for me, even if it's only ten or twenty minutes here and there.And that's why I hate letting her down.

Half an hour later I hear my Mom arrive in the house and I get up from the sofa and run to her, almost bowling her over with a hug. She automatically sensed that something was wrong.

"Hey, darlin'. What's wrong?" She asked, wrapping her arms around me.

"It was Tricia Hendon again, Mommy, she got me put in detention for the next three days!" I let the tears that I'd held in back in the classroom out now on my Mom's shoulder. She didn't seem to care that I was getting her cardigan all wet, though, and she just held me until I stopped crying.

When my sobs finally did stop she pulled away from me and knelt down to my height.

"Oh, honey... you gotta just ignore that girl. I know it's hard, but when they see a weakness they dive straight for it, I know that if anyone is grown up enough to be the bigger person against her and not give her the satisfaction of getting a reaction out of them, it's my big, grown up Hendry. Okay?"

I smiled a watery smile at her pep-talk, and nodded.

"Now, you know I would love to stay and cuddle up with you and make you feel better. But I have to go to work." She said, her beautiful eyes losing their twinkle and I saw sadness cloud them over.

"It's okay, Mommy, I understand. Besides, I feel much better now, thanks to you anyway." I replied truthfully.

She smiles sadly back and then muttered, "You shouldn't have to understand, you're only a little girl." She pushes a strand of my hair behind my ear, "I wish that I could shower you with all the gifts and the money that you deserve. You're a little angel, you know that?" She looks at the floor, sadly, before plastering a smile on her face and kissing my nose, "I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay." I replied with a small smile and a wave as she stands up and leaves the house again.

I hear her footsteps along the walkway and, when they have faded completely, I go back to my old position on the couch.

.     .     .

Later on I find myself in bed awaiting my Mom's arrival, I hear the front door close downstairs and a smile spreads across my face again.

I quickly lay down in my bed as I hear her light footsteps on the stairs. I quickly snap my eyes shut as I hear my bedroom door open and pretend to be asleep.

I hear her sigh and walk over to my bed and I feel her place a feathery kiss on my forehead. I hold back a proud smile as I think I've got her fooled.

"I know you're awake, Hendry, nice try." she whispered, sounding amused. I let my eyes peel open again and smile innocently. She laughs lightly and whispers, "I love you, Hendry. Goodnight." She smiles and stands to leave.

"I love you, too, Mommy. Good night." I say with a tired smile on my face, suddenly hit with a wave of sleep. I hear my Mom chuckle and my bedroom door close before I let sleep take me over.

.     .     .

I wake to the sound of my Thomas and the Tank engine alarm and I slowly pull my eyes open, sitting up and turning it off.

Let me explain. Me and my Mom have a routine that we go through everyday.

I wake myself up every morning with my alarm. I get dressed and ready for school, before leaving the apartment - making sure the door is locked first. I visit my Mom at her job at the local store, where she works the night shift, to say good morning and give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. I then continue my journey to school.

My Mom would go home when her shift ended at nine and get a couple of hours sleep, before going to her next job at the paper mill in the next town over, which was an hour's walk away, she's still there when I get home from school, which is usually around four o' clock on a day that I don't ave detention.

She pops in about an hour and a half later, to make sure I'm home safe, then goes to the police department nearby and cleans there after work hours, when all the policemen and women have already gone home.

Then she gets home at about seven at night and sleeps for another hour, before going to work at the local store, and then the cycle repeats.

Except today it didn't.

I got ready for school as usual, picking up my backpack as I leave. I double check that the door is locked, before walking to school.

I smile as I get closer to my Mom's work, excited to see her as usual. The smile drops as I turn the corner and see the store. The policemen and women surrounding the building.

My Mom can clearly be seen the window. As I get closer I saw a guy in a mask with something black and shiny looking in his hands pointing at my Mom.

There's a lot of shouting going on for some reason.

Who is that man?

What is that in his hands?

My Mom looks out the window then, she spots me straight away, walking up the street, confusion plastered all over my face. Her eyes grow wide and she turns back to the man. She looks almost as if she is begging him to put the thing in his hands, whatever it is down.

She takes a step toward him.

And another.

She's about to take one more when suddenly a deafening crack echoes through the air.

Through a shocked haze I realize what the object in his hands is as, almost in slow motion, I see my Mom drop to the ground, a hole in her head.

A gun.

*****

:(((((((( Hope you enjoyed it, though! xD