Fire And Ice ~ Part 2
Warning- Depression, anxiety, death and eating disorders explored throughout.
The tedious ringing of my excruciatingly loud alarm slices through the still morning air. Reluctantly, I roll out of the warm confines of my large bed and I amble over to my chilling bathroom. The agonising sting of the cold white floor boards shoots through my porcelain skin. Looking into the glistening mirror where a stranger stares back at me. Snowy hair hangs to the tops of her ribs; framing a familiar yet unrecognisable face. There is no colour in her cheeks like there used to be only months ago and her translucent skin is drawn tight over her high, prominent cheekbones. Mascara from the previous day lines her lifeless, jet lagged eyes. Her once rosy plump lips are now washed out and dry. The remains of my battered heart crumble as I come to the realisation that that stranger is me.
Carefully, I adjust the shower temperature to scolding in a worthless attempt to thaw the frozen fragments that were once my heart. The burning water hitting the tiled floor of the shower drowns out the whirlwind of thoughts that consume me every moment of every day. The monochrome bathroom matches my thoughts that were forcibly stripped of all colour and joy earlier this year.
As it is my first day at the prison which adults refer to as school, I dress myself in my safety outfit. What is that I hear you ask? Black skinny jeans and grey vest top that hugs my slender figure covered with a oversized denim jacket and topped of with white converse and the diamond pendant that my father bought me for my fifteenth birthday. When times were so much simpler. I sit at my all white dresser to apply my makeup. Nothing in this universe would be able to conceal the heavy bags under my deathly eyes. I smile wistfully at a picture of my father, brother, mother and I on Christmas Day. The beaming smile on my face radiates joy whereas now I just emit bitterness.
I make my way downstairs into my spacious white marble kitchen only to find a note from my beloved mother telling me that she has left for work early. I divulge in a black coffee and a single slice of plain toast to kick of my day. I don’t eat as much as I used to because I feel empty either way. Suppressed anxiety races through my frozen veins at the thought of entering a new school. I shakily walk over to a cabinet and take my medicine as prescribed to try and halt the shaking of my delicate hands. Once I no longer feel as though my very being is going to explode into pieces, I sling my bag over my bony shoulder and head out of my new home.
The September sun beams through the morning sky attempting to heat my body but I still feel numb. Although the golden rays illuminate the sky, everything has an icy blue tone about it. Ignoring the feeling, I climb into my brand new black Porsche and head towards my new school hoping not to get lost down these unfamiliar roads.
An immense sensation of loneliness overwhelms me as a step out of my car and into the overpopulated car park. Friends hugging and greeting each other after a long summer apart. It’s as though physically I’m there but mentally it’s as though they’re extras in a movie and I’m in the audience. Slowly, I make my way over to the gates of hell otherwise known as the school office. A kind leader in her late sixties beams up at me. “Holly Wheeler I suppose?” I simply nod trying to keep my calm exterior all through I’m crumbling inside. “Here’s your time table. If you would like to take a seat and wait for your good to show you around before the day begins.” I barely whisper a thank you before sitting down where I was told.
After two minutes, which for the record felt like a small eternity, a beautiful girl with golden locks waltzes over to me with a wide smile splattered across her face. “Hi! I’m Betty Cooper and I’m going to be showing around and getting you settled in” A pang of nervousness hits me as I’m forced into conversation. “I’m Holly. Nice to meet you” She shows me around the school keeping the conversation to a minimum. “See that girl over there; the one with the ginger hair?” Betty whispers in my ear. I nod panicking a little at the invasion of personal space. “That’s Cheryl Blossom. Her and her brother Jason rule the school. Their parents are really rich and creepy. A rumour has been circulating around Riverdale for years that their family is haunted. I’d stay away from them if I was you” “She looks pretty nice to me” I mumble.
After surviving the rest of that tedious tour and my gruelling lessons, it’s finally lunch time. I sit alone at a table outside enjoying the silence until Betty and what looks tonne her friends sit down next to me. “Hi Holly! These are my friends Archie, Veronica and Jughead.” She exclaims. I smile politely and carry on scrolling through my phone. I’m too scared to talk as my strong British accent slices through their slurred American ramblings causing a lot of unwanted attention. For awhile I was talking to Archie after he struck up a conversation about my old school in London leaving the others to talk between themselves. I can’t help but notice the cutting looks that Betty shoots my way when she thinks I’m not looking.
My captivating conversation is interrupted by the one and only Cheryl Blossom. “Hi Holly is it?” I simply nod my head to her mundane question. “I just wanted to welcome you to the school. You seem cool, would you like to come and sit with us?” She gestures over to a table full of jocks and cheerleaders. One ginger haired boy stands out. He must be the elusive Jason Blossom. Butterflies fill my stomach as we make eye contact but the overwhelming feeling of emptiness fills my icy body once again. “I’d love to but I was just talking with Archie.” I stutter out. “Well Archiekins can join us. Come on you two” With that she flounces off with us traipsing in her path. The ugly mark of jealousy stains Betty and Veronica’s faces as we leave.
After a long conversation with Cheryl, I don’t have a clue why everyone thinks she’s a monster. My father always told me to form my own opinions and I think that she is genuine and down to earth. She has invited me over to her house this evening to fill me in on everything around Riverdale. I thought that I would be alone for the rest of my school life in this strange town but I have two new friends. Two red heads that go by the names of Cheryl Blossom and Archie Andrews.