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Never Alone
by Jo Steele
Everyone feels alone at some point in their life, some more than others. Amelia was an exception.
She was the life and soul of every party that she attended, more often than not, knowing everyone else that turned up.
She would drift in and out of everyone's lives, not thinking about the effect that she had on the people around her but instead taking every possible moment she could, making the most of it.
One day, this changed.
Amelia had an endless stream of friends; some who were truly people to keep by your side, others you needed to keep by yourside purely to keep an eye on them. Others stuck by her to look 'cool.'
A young boy called George was one of the latter.
Day after day guaranteed, George would appear at her side. Wanting, hoping for a friendship that Amelia was not willing to give.
Why would she want to spend her valuable time with a geeky, twelve year old? Amelia being sixteen, was loved by everyone and had a very busy social Everyone feels alone at some point in their life, some more than others. Amelia was an exception.
She was the life and soul of every party that she attended, more often than not, knowing everyone else that turned up.
She would drift in and out of everyone's lives, not thinking about the effect that she had on the people around her but instead taking every possible moment she could, making the most of it.
One day, this changed.
Amelia had an endless stream of friends; some who were truly people to keep by your side, others you needed to keep by yourside purely to keep an eye on them. Others stuck by her to look 'cool.'
A young boy called George was one of the latter.
Day after day guaranteed, George would appear at her side. Wanting, hoping for a friendship that Amelia was not willing to give.
Why would she want to spend her valuable time with a geeky, twelve year old? Amelia being sixteen, was loved by everyone and had a very busy social calender.
Many a time, she had tried to explain to him that he needs to find friends his own age, calmly at first. However, when he persisted; not so much by argueing but re-appearing the next day appearing to not so much as have any recollection of their previous conversation, she was truth be told, creeped out.
It came to a head one day when Amelia had had enough. She no longer wanted her credibility being questioned due to this young boy following her around and gorgeous boys being immediately put off once they saw how (how shall we say?) unusual the boy was.
Unfortunately for Amelia, they attended the same high school which is where the finale took place.
Having just got her lunch from her locker and making her way to the playground to find her very popular friends, as was the daily ritual, young George spotted her and from then on stuck by her side for the remainder of their lunch break
Throughout lunch, she had become fed up with the continuous sly looks that she was receiving from her friends and she at once stood up, pulling the boy with her.
Everyone feels alone at some point in their life, some more than others. Amelia was an exception.
She was the life and soul of every party that she attended, more often than not, knowing everyone else that turned up.
She would drift in and out of everyone's lives, not thinking about the effect that she had on the people around her but instead taking every possible moment she could, making the most of it.
One day, this changed.
Amelia had an endless stream of friends; some who were truly people to keep by your side, others you needed to keep by yourside purely to keep an eye on them. Others stuck by her to look 'cool.'
A young boy called George was one of the latter.
Day after day guaranteed, George would appear at her side. Wanting, hoping for a friendship that Amelia was not willing to give.
Why would she want to spend her valuable time with a geeky, twelve year old? Amelia being sixteen, was loved by everyone and had a very busy social calender.
Many a time, she had tried to explain to him that he needs to find friends his own age, calmly at first. However, when he persisted; not so much by argueing but re-appearing the next day appearing to not so much as have any recollection of their previous conversation, she was truth be told, creeped out.
It came to a head one day when Amelia had had enough. She no longer wanted her credibility being questioned due to this young boy following her around and gorgeous boys being immediately put off once they saw how (how shall we say?) unusual the boy was.
Unfortunately for Amelia, they attended the same high school which is where the finale took place.
Having just got her lunch from her locker and making her way to the playground to find her very popular friends, as was the daily ritual, young George spotted her and from then on stuck by her side for the remainder of their lunch break
Throughout lunch, she had become fed up with the continuous sly looks that she was receiving from her friends and she at once stood up, pulling the boy with her.
"Get lost loser!" She yelled, giving him a little push away from her.
"How many times do I have to tell you? I don't want you around me, go and find your own friends!"
Amelia yelled at George at the top of her voice, willing him to go away and end this embarrassment.
George did not quiver at her shouting, he did not flinch when she pushed him away; their appeared to be no reaction from him.
After realising the shouting and frantic arm movements had no effect on the small boy at all, she paused, wondering what she should now do. She certainly did not want to look silly in front of her friends.
She decided to sit back down and continue with her lunch, hoping that George would finally decide to give up and walk away. He did. After 15 minutes.
"Man, what is wrong with him?!" Amelia's friend Emma asked once he was out of earshot. "He's sooo creepy."
"I don't know. I really don't know," Amelia replied. "All I know is it is really worrying me now. He's not leaving me alone!"
"You should be worried, it's not normal. He's psycho man." Emma said.
"Alright Emma," Sarah warned her. "Don't frighten Amelia."
Sarah turned to Amelia, "It's ok, I'm sure he'll leave you alone now. No one would lower themselves to come back after that."
Oh how wrong Sarah was. Right on schedule, little George would again make an appearance and as always, would not leave Amelia's side.
There was only one thing for it; she needed to go and see the Headmistress. Amelia hated snitching and most of all hated the teachers who ran her school. However, on this occasion, she saw no other option.
Not telling George where she was headed, she began to walk in the direction of the Headteacher's office. Once they had reached the door with the brightly polished plack titled 'Headmistress, Miss Julia McKenzie' George did not look the least bit deterred.
Fair enough, she thought, if he wants to come in, let him.
Amelia knocked on the door.
Everyone feels alone at some point in their life, some more than others. Amelia was an exception.
She was the life and soul of every party that she attended, more often than not, knowing everyone else that turned up.
She would drift in and out of everyone's lives, not thinking about the effect that she had on the people around her but instead taking every possible moment she could, making the most of it.
One day, this changed.
Amelia had an endless stream of friends; some who were truly people to keep by your side, others you needed to keep by yourside purely to keep an eye on them. Others stuck by her to look 'cool.'
A young boy called George was one of the latter.
Day after day guaranteed, George would appear at her side. Wanting, hoping for a friendship that Amelia was not willing to give.
Why would she want to spend her valuable time with a geeky, twelve year old? Amelia being sixteen, was loved by everyone and had a very busy social calender.
Many a time, she had tried to explain to him that he needs to find friends his own age, calmly at first. However, when he persisted; not so much by argueing but re-appearing the next day appearing to not so much as have any recollection of their previous conversation, she was truth be told, creeped out.
It came to a head one day when Amelia had had enough. She no longer wanted her credibility being questioned due to this young boy following her around and gorgeous boys being immediately put off once they saw how (how shall we say?) unusual the boy was.
Unfortunately for Amelia, they attended the same high school which is where the finale took place.
Having just got her lunch from her locker and making her way to the playground to find her very popular friends, as was the daily ritual, young George spotted her and from then on stuck by her side for the remainder of their lunch break
Throughout lunch, she had become fed up with the continuous sly looks that she was receiving from her friends and she at once stood up, pulling the boy with her.
"Get lost loser!" She yelled, giving him a little push away from her.
"How many times do I have to tell you? I don't want you around me, go and find your own friends!"
Amelia yelled at George at the top of her voice, willing him to go away and end this embarrassment.
George did not quiver at her shouting, he did not flinch when she pushed him away; their appeared to be no reaction from him.
After realising the shouting and frantic arm movements had no effect on the small boy at all, she paused, wondering what she should now do. She certainly did not want to look silly in front of her friends.
She decided to sit back down and continue with her lunch, hoping that George would finally decide to give up and walk away. He did. After 15 minutes.
"Man, what is wrong with him?!" Amelia's friend Emma asked once he was out of earshot. "He's sooo creepy."
"I don't know. I really don't know," Amelia replied. "All I know is it is really worrying me now. He's not leaving me alone!"
"You should be worried, it's not normal. He's psycho man." Emma said.
"Alright Emma," Sarah warned her. "Don't frighten Amelia."
Sarah turned to Amelia, "It's ok, I'm sure he'll leave you alone now. No one would lower themselves to come back after that."
Oh how wrong Sarah was. Right on schedule, little George would again make an appearance and as always, would not leave Amelia's side.
There was only one thing for it; she needed to go and see the Headmistress. Amelia hated snitching and most of all hated the teachers who ran her school. However, on this occasion, she saw no other option.
Not telling George where she was headed, she began to walk in the direction of the Headteacher's office. Once they had reached the door with the brightly polished plack titled 'Headmistress, Miss Julia McKenzie' George did not look the least bit deterred.
Fair enough, she thought, if he wants to come in, let him.
Amelia knocked on the door.
"Come in!" Miss McKenzie replied, cheerfully.
Stepping into her office, she looked around at the tightly packed small room.
Looking at all the items that her Headmistress kept in the room, it seemed impossible that she could store them in this tiny space. There was not a surface space available and even the chairs in the room were taken up with piles of books.
"Do sit down Amelia. . .oh and George." Miss McKenzie gestured to the two busy looking chairs in front of her desk.
"Is there some sort of problem you two?" She asked.
"Actually there is Miss McKenzie." Amelia replied, glancing at George in the chair next to her.
Miss McKenzie did not reply. She sat there waiting for Amelia to continue with an expression on her pretty face that showed that she could not possibly know what the issue was.
How could she not realise what it is? Amelia thought. She must have seen George following me for the last six months.
"Er, you see George is a nice boy but well, you see over the last few months, he's followed me around school everyday." Amelia explained nervously.
Miss McKenzie just blinked at her with a small smile on her lips.
"I er, wouldn't normally come to you but it's been going on for a while." She glanced at George to see his non existent reaction. "I have asked him loads of times that he needs to find his own friends."
Finally Miss McKenzie spoke up after giving George a sympathetic if what, knowing smile; as though an important secret had just been revealed but Amelia was the only one that had missed it.
"Amelia." Miss McKenzie leant forward in her chair, linking her hands together. "Surely you can be his friend."
It was not a question.
Was she joking?
"I tried," Amelia attempted to stick up for herself by lying. "But he's creepy Miss. He doesn't say anything, he just stands there."
Miss McKenzie's smile stretched even further. "Come Amelia, you know that's not true. What's brought all this on?"
Amelia was amazed at the response she was getting. She held up her hands and looked between Miss McKenzie and George.
"George!" Amelia gestured to him, giving him a little nudge on the arm, "tell her that you do that."
For a moment, he seemed to not have even felt her hand on his arm. Then he slowly turned his head towards her with the same expressionless face she had seen for the last six months; that was until a smile spread across it.
Amelia could not hide her amazement at this sudden sign of emotion from the boy. He still did not say anything but instead continued to sit there with the grin on his face, watching her.
Turning back to Miss McKenzie, sure that she would now get some understanding from her. Instead, her Headmistress looked at her with almost pity that Amelia should be feeling like this; as though it was completely unjustified.
"Amelia," she said. "We suggest that you need to re-think what you've told us today." Any gleamer of a smile had now vanished from her face.
For a moment, Amelia was speechless and sat there looking at both her Headmistress and the boy beside her, completely dumbfounded. We? What on earth can she mean?
"Miss, I don't understand what's going on here. Ask any of my friends and they'll tell you what he's like. It's not just an issue of someone wanting to be my friend, he's spooky. He freaks me and my friends out and ruins my image."
Miss McKenzie's grin returned to her face. Pausing for a moment, she then got up from her chair and walked around the other side of the desk towards the closed door.
Amelia felt an unexpected wave of fear as she saw Miss McKenzie remove a key from her pocket in her trousers and proceed to lock the door.
Why would she need to lock the door? Amelia said to herself, panicking.
Once Miss McKenzie had turned back to the room, her face no longer looked pretty or held that familar smile.
Two Weeks Later
"See ya mum!"
As the new girl climbed out of her mum's car, she glanced up at the school building that was to be her second home for the next four years.
She was not nervous; or at least she would never let anyone see that she was. She had an image to uphold. She could not wait to meet all the popular, interesting girls in her new school.
Strutting across the playground to the school's reception to sign in, she saw posters up on the pillars and walls that surrounded the area. The poster displayed a picture of a very pretty young girl in the same uniform that she herself wore now. Under the picture was a desperate message asking that if anyone saw this girl to contact the number below.
How sad, she thought to herself. A second later, she had forgotten she had even seen the poster.
Hearing footsteps close behind her, she glanced around and saw a small boy.
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