She slammed the door of her locker shut and arranged the books in her arms properly before lowering her head, as she always does.
"Yes that's her, she is so shameless," She heard one of the female students tell another.
"What did she do this time? Seems like I'm always lost when drama is happening in this school," The male student replied and she adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose, they were always talking bad about her.
"Thats true, did you know that she still had the guts to flirt with Zara, of the NASTIES' crush!"
"Eish! That's so shameless!", exclaimed the male student.
She cringed and walked briskly from were they stood. She lived like a "known ghost" in the school, people talked about her but avoids her like some plague.
Just as she was about to take the flight of stairs that led to the library, the bell rang signifying the start of class. She sighed and took long and quick strides to her class, Grade 12 Prestige. It was named after the school because that's the last class in the school.
She stepped into the classroom, still lowering her head.
"Oh look, the bitch finally shows up," Zara walked up to her, her three minions glaring at her from where they stood behind her.
The NASTIES was the school's popular bully, Each of the NASTIES high ranked members had at least two minions as "maid or slave" to their master. The NASTIES had 3 high ranked members and others were all their minions.
Elena Gilbert, is the head of the gang who parades herself as the Queen of the school, she has about 5 minions under her.
Zara Backer, the second in command, blabber mouth and Elena's best friend, she has 3 minions under her.
And then, there is Bella Jones, the quiet one she had 2 minions under her. Their rankings are in the order of their wickedness.
"You fool can't you talk!," Thundered Zara.
"Please let me be today,"
Zara scoffed, "Did you also dream of that, Dream!,"
That was the height of it, she has already had enough from her parents fight at home now it's their turn to pick on her because of her useless name.
"Leave my name out of this!," She whispered in a stern voice.
Her name was Dream Brooks, the school's inferior one. She hated herself, her body, her name infact she despised everything about her.
"Awww she is trying to act tough!," One of her minions mocked.
"Emma!" Zara ordered and Emma knew exactly what to do.
Emma raised Dream's chin up and slapped her twice on both sides of her face and made to grab her hair but the teacher's voice stopped her,
"Emma!," The teacher called out and the both of them bowed, greeting her.
Meanwhile, Zara had already sighted the teacher and had scurried to seat with her minions before the teacher could enter, leaving Emma to her fate.
"The both of you should keep your greetings to yourself!," Mrs Meyer shushed them and turned to Emma, "what do y'all enjoy in picking on Dream!?"
Emma kept quiet, lowering her head. She didn't know what to do, she couldn't lie because she was caught red-handed and on the other hand she still could not tell the truth, she didn't want to expose her master.
"I'm sorry Mrs Meyers," apologised Emma. Apologising was the only that came to her mind.
"You should say sorry to the disciplinary squad," Said Mrs Meyers and Emma immediately almost go on her kneels, pleading.
Visiting the disciplinary squad meant suspension or expulsion and her parents were not going to take it easy on her.
She turned to face Zara with pleading eyes but Zara only glared at her and continued whatever she was doing on her tablet.
Mrs Meyers was a no nonsense woman, it was fruitless to plead with her and so Emma walked back to her seat feeling dejected.
Mrs Meyers walked to the front of the class and greeted the class, Dream was still standing were she was standing earlier she dare not leave until Mrs Meyers tell her to.
"Good morning Mrs Meyers," The class greeted in unison.
"Dream!," She called out and Dream strode to were she stood, feeling very embarrassed.
"Before I'll go straight to the point I'm going tell you all a story, a story my African grandma told me," She told the class and the class became rowdy,
"What does the story has to do with us?,"
"If you want to stand up for her then just do so," The students grumbled.
"Hushhh just shut up y'all and listen, no noise," cautioned Mrs Meyers.
"Once lived a very ugly cat, the cat was so ugly that everyone despised her and used her as their slave," Mrs Meyers paused to drink water from the bottle she was holding before continuing,
"Eventually, the cat went depressed and stayed home for a long time without coming out, most animals thought she had died or committed suicide but at the middle of year, the cat came out looking beautiful and bolder," She said and someone burst into laughter,
"Sorry but does this means, that dimwit standing beside you could change one day and become beautiful or bold?" The person who turned out to be Dream's supposed best friend, Eva, said laying emphasis on "beautiful" and "bold"
"Yes and so?, Situations can change any time" Mrs Meyers pointed out and turned to Dream,
"Do not let anyone bully you, learn to speak for yoursel—,"
The whole class' laughter interrupted her, Elena stood up and wanted to say something,
"Enough of that miss Gilbert sit down!" Mrs Meyers yelled.
"But I haven't said anything ye--,"
"Yes, that's the more reason why you should shut up and sit," Mrs Meyers thundered and Elena sat feeling very embarrassed.
Mrs Meyers asked Dream to see her later and she nodded before going back to her seat deep in thoughts.
Mrs Meyers had really wanted to help her little did she know that she had just got her into a more tighter situation.
Dream paid little to no attention in all the classes till it was lunch time. She stood up sluggishly packing her books in her arms before taking the back door of the Geography class out, if she took the front door she was going to run into those foolish girls.
She stacked her books properly in her locker and took her purse which was filled with dollar bills before taking long but slow strides to the cafeteria.
Her parents were rich, her father owned two petroleum companies in Africa and some gas stations scattered all over America while her mother who is a fashion designer owned a clothing line. Her parents were indeed rich but her family was a mess, her mother and father were always getting into a fight almost everyday.
Dream sighed as she stood in front the Cafeteria before pushing she door open.
She walked to the counter and ordered enough food before taking her tray to the garden, the only place in school that has never given her troubles. She always ate her food there everyday, it was her place of refuge.
She sat on the bench ate her lunch and played her favorite games before the bell rang. She sighed, picking up the pack of juice she had consumed, she was going back to hell.
Dream returned back the tray, purchased some packs of strawberry shortcake and juice before going to class.
The last bell rang and the students ululated, hitting the table so that the math teacher could leave the class.
At the last seat at the back of the class, Dream heaved a sigh of relief and stuffed her books into her bag before proceeding to leave the class through the back door again but she was not so quick as someone dragged her back with her hair, spinning her around before stamping her hand on her face.
Dream groaned as the slap left a stinging effect on her skin, she looked up to know who it was. It was Zara, she had probably come because of Emma.
"I guess you already know the reason why you deserve this," She heard Emma's voice say behind her, confirming her thesis.
Students in the class had already brought out their phone to record the live drama in front of them.
"I heard you loved strawberry so we decided to decorate you, right Emma?"
"Right master," giggled Emma.
A girl dressed in a junior school uniform rolled in a little cart and left without saying a word.
Before Dream could close her eyes, Zara had already poured strawberry juice into them.
Dream yelped in pain and everyone in the class laughed.
"Now let the strawberry party begin!" Zara smirked and in a twinkle of an eye, Dream was a walking strawberry.
Her white shirt and violet skirt was soaked in a mixture of strawberry shortcake, juice and fruit.
"Awww what a Dreamy strawberry looking girl," purred Elena as she walked into the class.
"How come am I always late for important parties like this," She complained
"Don't worry Queen E there this always a next time," Eva stated and Elena nodded in affirmation.
Dream slowly crawled out of the class into the bathroom to clean herself up. She sighed finding it difficult to clean the back of her skirt.
"Hey let me help you," She heard someone volunteered