Chapter 5 Hello fresher

Autumn Smith's first day at Westbrook High was drenched in the crisp autumn air. The golden leaves outside mirrored the hopes she had for her new school, though her anxiety made it feel like the leaves were falling inside her stomach. Moving to a new town and starting at a new school was never easy, especially for a girl like Autumn, who had always preferred the quiet comfort of home to the chaos of a bustling high school environment.

As she walked through the large, creaky front doors of Westbrook High, Autumn couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the sea of students. The hallways were abuzz with the sounds of lockers slamming and students chattering animatedly about their summer vacations. Despite the bustling activity around her, Autumn felt isolated. Her previous school had been smaller, and the transition to such a large, vibrant institution was daunting.

Her nervousness was compounded by the fact that she hadn't yet made any friends. Autumn's parents had moved for her father's new job, and the abrupt change had left her feeling like a stranger in a new land. She clutched her schedule tightly, scanning the names of her classes. Her first period was English, and she hoped that finding her classroom would be a good start to her day.

As she rounded the corner, Autumn accidentally bumped into a group of girls who were laughing loudly. The collision caused her to drop her books, scattering them across the floor. One of the girls, a tall, slender blonde with a smirk that seemed permanently etched on her face, glanced down at Autumn with a mixture of disdain and amusement.

"Oh, look who we have here," the girl said with a sneer. "Fresh meat. An ugly one at that. Look at her face, those big red disgusting pimples."

The other girls giggled, and Autumn could feel her face flush with embarrassment. She scrambled to pick up her books, avoiding eye contact. The blonde girl, whose name Autumn soon learned was Summer, made no move to help her. Instead, she watched with an expression of cruel satisfaction.

"Careful where you're going, newbie," Summer said as she turned to her friends. "We wouldn't want you to get lost or anything."

Autumn nodded quickly, mumbling an apology as she hurriedly made her way to her English class. She tried to push the encounter out of her mind, but the lingering sting of Summer's words made it difficult to focus on anything else.

The first few days of school were a blur of trying to fit in and avoid the attention of Summer and her clique. They were relentless, always lurking in the hallways, waiting for any opportunity to strike. It was as if they had made it their mission to make Autumn's life miserable. Summer, along with her followers, displayed a keen talent for cruelty, their laughter echoing in Autumn's mind long after they had walked away.

In classes, when Autumn answered questions or raised her hand, she could feel their eyes boring into her, assessing her, ready to pounce. They would exchange glances and stifled giggles, clearly mocking her from a distance. Autumn had tried to ignore them, but their presence was suffocating. Every time she spoke, she imagined Summer whispering some sarcastic remark to her friends, their laughter ringing in her ears.

One particularly harsh encounter occurred during lunch. Autumn had managed to find a quiet spot in the cafeteria, hoping to eat her lunch in peace. She had grown tired of being constantly reminded of how ugly she was and wanted nothing more than a moment of solitude. Unfortunately, her solitude was short-lived. Summer and her friends marched over to her table, their eyes gleaming with malicious intent.

"What's the matter, Autumn?" Summer taunted. "Don't you want to join us?"

Before Autumn could respond, one of Summer's friends grabbed a plate of spaghetti and tipped it over Autumn's head. The gooey pasta and sauce slid down her face and onto her clothes, causing a wave of laughter to erupt from Summer's clique.

"Looks like you're in a bit of a mess!" one of them shouted, her voice dripping with mock sympathy.

Autumn sat frozen, tears of humiliation threatening to spill. She wanted to disappear, to find some escape from the cruel and mocking laughter that surrounded her. The cafeteria fell silent as students watched the scene unfold, some shaking their heads in sympathy, others chuckling at the spectacle.

The girls continued to laugh, their voices sharp and cutting. "Maybe this will help you fit in better," Summer sneered. "Now you really look like a hot mess."

their laughter ringing in her ears.

One particularly harsh encounter occurred during lunch. Autumn had managed to find a quiet spot in the cafeteria, hoping to eat her lunch in peace. She had grown tired of being constantly reminded of how ugly she was and wanted nothing more than a moment of solitude. Unfortunately, her solitude was short-lived. Summer and her friends marched over to her table, their eyes gleaming with malicious intent.

"What's the matter, Autumn?" Summer taunted, a predatory smile stretching across her face. "Don't you want to join us?"

Before Autumn could respond, one of Summer's friends grabbed a plate of spaghetti and tipped it over Autumn's head. The gooey pasta and sauce slid down her face and onto her clothes, causing a wave of laughter to erupt from Summer's clique.

"Looks like you're in a bit of a mess!" one of them shouted, her voice dripping with mock sympathy.

Autumn sat frozen, tears of humiliation threatening to spill. She wanted to disappear, to find some escape from the cruel and mocking laughter that surrounded her. The cafeteria fell silent as students watched the scene unfold, some shaking their heads in sympathy, others chuckling at the spectacle.

"Maybe this will help you fit in better," Summer sneered. "Now you really look like a hot mess."

The girls continued to laugh, their voices sharp and cutting. Autumn felt as if the world had closed in around her, the walls of the cafeteria towering ominously as their laughter echoed in her mind. The sound felt like daggers, each laugh piercing deeper into her already fragile self-esteem.

Eventually, a teacher intervened, and Summer and her friends were escorted away, but their laughter echoed in Autumn's mind, haunting her. She spent the remainder of lunch in the bathroom, scrubbing away the remnants of her meal and trying to compose herself. The water felt cold against her skin, but it was a welcome distraction from the chaos outside.

The following day, Summer and her friends didn't let the incident go. They found new ways to torment Autumn, their cruelty growing more inventive. If Autumn wore a sweater that day, Summer would declare loudly, "Nice sweater, Autumn! Did you steal it from your grandma?" Their taunts were relentless and often accompanied by exaggerated gestures and mocking laughter.

In gym class, when they were supposed to be working as a team, Summer made sure to exclude Autumn. During a group exercise, Summer would deliberately shout, "Autumn, why don't you just stand there and let us do all the work? You wouldn't want to embarrass yourself any further, would you?" The others would laugh, joining in on the mockery, leaving Autumn feeling humiliated and alone. The gym echoed with their laughter, and for Autumn, it became a reminder of her solitude.

Even in the safety of the library, Autumn was not free from their torment. Whenever she settled down to study, Summer would show up with her entourage, pretending to browse the shelves while they whispered loudly about her. "Look at her, sitting there like a lost puppy. Does she even have any friends?" Their giggles echoed off the walls, making Autumn feel like the walls were closing in on her.

The emotional toll of the relentless bullying weighed heavily on Autumn. Every evening, she returned home feeling drained, her spirit crushed. The moment she stepped inside the house, she was greeted by the silence that filled the Smith Mansion, a stark contrast to the chaos of her day. Her mother, Elizabeth, was often absorbed in her own world, preoccupied with her own disappointments and critiques of Autumn's shortcomings. The lack of warmth from her mother only intensified Autumn's feelings of inadequacy.

"Why can't you be more like Flora?" her mother would say, her voice laced with disappointment. "She's so accomplished, and look at you-failing to make any friends. It's embarrassing."

Autumn would bite her tongue, the pain of her mother's words stinging more than any insult from Summer. She longed for a word of encouragement, a hint of affection, but all she received were reminders of her perceived failures. It was as if the entire world, from her school to her home, conspired to tell her she didn't belong.

On particularly bad days, when the bullying felt unbearable, Autumn would retreat to her room, curling up on her bed with a book. The fictional worlds provided a temporary escape, allowing her to forget the harsh realities of her life.