New Life, New City, I Wish It Never Happened

• Bethany Kenny, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2013

I’m dreading today, as I do every day. Having to face everyone calling me names, pointing, starring and laughing. Ever since that first day, that first terrible day, I have never been the same.
Hi, my names Taylor, I have an Aboriginal background and was living in Perth. But mum got a new job, which meant the whole family would be moving to Sydney. The day came that we left Perth for a whole new life, a whole new city and lots of new people.
It was then a Sunday and I started at my new school tomorrow and wasn’t really looking forward to it. That night I lay in bed imagining all the possible scenarios good and bad but finally fell asleep. Dreaming of my friends, my family and myself all laughing and looking joyful. I was enjoying the dream but was rudely awaken by the loud and rather annoying sound of my alarm.
I didn’t want to but eventually got out from the warm comfort of my bed and started my routine. Back in Perth I’d be able to walk up the road and be at school but not here, from now on I had to take the bus and that’s something I wasn’t very happy about.
For a few minutes I did nothing but stare. I was finally snapped out of the day dream when the bell rang for class and quickly made my way into the large building and found my first class quite easily.
I took a deep breath outside the door and walked in. The teacher looked at me with a puzzled look so I said “I’m the new girl... Taylor Danguri” “OH! Yes of course, class meet Taylor uh...uh” “Danguri” “right Taylor Danguri, take a seat up the back dear”. I made my way, slowly, to the back of the room and on my way I heard things like “look at her skin” and “did she cover herself in poo before she got here?” All of these comments really hurt me, especially when I heard someone say “she’s so skinny, is she anorexic or something?” that one hurt the most. I was expecting a few comments here and there but none this hurtful.
I would spend my lunch time sitting under a large tree in the far corner of the yard away from everyone else trying to avoid any more comments that would hurt me even more than what I was already. In class there was no escaping the names and disrespectful comments that kept coming and weren’t stopping.
A week at this new school went by and already I hated it just as much as everyone else hated me. Home was my escape from life even though I went to sleep crying and wishing that none of this ever happened and I was back home in Perth. I hated my new life, I hated my new school and I wish I didn’t exist.