1 Chapter 1 - Una

Chapter 1

Una

" If people are doubting how far you go, go so far that you can't hear them anymore" - Michele Ruiz

Beep! Beep! Beep!

It was my alarm going off. I sighed and tried to stand up. I nearly fell over. I hopped over to the mirror. What kind of person are you? You are not like everyone else. Just a freak according to everyone… I thought. I continued to hop over to the wall. There was my prosthetic leg. I put it on with the best of my ability. Should've done my arm first. I sighed. I finished getting ready for school.

" Are you ready for school yet? It takes you forever!" asked my brother, Fred. So what if we were siblings? He was nothing like me.

" First," I replied after taking a bite of toast, " you don't have a prosthetic arm and leg."

" That is true." added in my mom.

" Second, all you have to do to get ready is just to put on a shirt. You wear the same pair of jeans every day."

" She's got you there, Fred."

" Not helping, Mom." replied Fred.

" I'm just proving a point."

" You're always on Una's side mainly because she can't do anything or stand up for herself! Why can't you be on my side every once in a while?" Fred asked. I looked down at the ground, trying not to cry. I grabbed my backpack and slammed the door.

" Look at what you have done Fred!" I heard my mom yell at Fred. It was a bit muffled but I could tell what she said. I sighed and started walking to school. Why does he complain so much? I thought. Three more steps, a whole lot of thoughts, and hopes crushed. I don't have much to lose. I arrived at the school. Surprisingly, before Fred. There's something wrong… I thought. It usually takes me forever because of my prosthetics. I looked around. Maybe he's just trying to scare me. I thought.

" Fred?" I asked looking around again. Nothing but silence. I started to worry more. I headed inside and got to my first class. Everyone stared at me like I was walking with chains on. What they didn't know was that I did. Metaphorically, of course.

" Today, class, we have a new student. Una, would you like to come up here and introduce yourself?" asked Mrs. Frane, the science teacher.

" Can't I just stay here and say who I am?" I asked.

" I'd prefer that you came up here please, Miss Una." she replied. I sighed. Clearly she didn't get the point. I stood up and went to the front of the class. I felt their cold stares looking. Heard them whisper words behind my back. They can clearly see my prosthetics.

" I'm Una. I had to transfer here because of reasons. I have a brother…" I said before I got interrupted.

" What's with the prosthetics?" asked a kid. I guess they can't control what they can and can't say.

" W-well…" I said. Everyone was waiting for me to answer. I sighed. " I was born without an arm so I needed the prosthetic arm."

" What about your leg? What happened to your leg?" said the same kid. I had a flashback. Bright lights. A horn honking. Screams. A familiar face. I shook my head.

" I don't really want to answer that question."

" Aww come on! Please?" said the same kid. I sighed. No one understands do they? The teacher sighed.

" You don't have to-" I interrupted.

" It's a long story… Besides, it's pretty boring." I replied. The kid surrendered.

" Any other questions?" asked Mrs. Frane to the class. A kid raised their hand. " Yes?"

" Why are you a freak?" asked the kid in the back. I had another flashback. Tears. Hurtful words. Hopes shattered. Robot.

" Umm…" I said trying to decide how to reply to that. " How am I a freak? I'm just different." I replied. Different… All I am. Just different.

" You are a freak. Just admit it."

" I'm just different…" I replied.

" You're a freak AND a robot. You're nothing but a robot freak." Tears filled my eyes. I tried holding them back.

" E-even robots have feelings." I answered.

" So you admit it. You are a robot. FREAK!" those words shattered everything I had left (mentally). I looked down at the ground. I saw the shadow of someone familiar. It was the shadow of a loser. The outcast. It was my shadow. Why is life cruel to me? I thought as a couple of tears fell down to the floor. The closet slowly but surely creaked open. I gasped when I saw what was in there.