Don’t Believe Them by Leah Parker (the beginning after the end read novel TXT) 📖

was hectic. First of all, I kept tossing and turning, then, I got comfortable and next thing you know, it’s morning. My eyes were glued tightly shut, and my eyelashes had welded together. It was hard to open them, my first thought was “oh no, now I’m blind” I was so calm too, I didn’t care if I was blind or able to see.

Mum walked into my room yelling at me. It was 6:30 and she was yelling

“Come on Jesse-Ringo! School doesn’t wait for you!” After she walked back out of my room, I clambered out of bed- still blind- and ripped my pyjamas off as I didn’t know how to take them off unable to see. Sadly, because we had moved into this house, I didn’t know my way around my bedroom when I couldn’t see so I kind of fell over. I fell over my bed side cabinet. It hurt, my shin hurts.

Quicker than you can blink, I grabbed my backpack and skipped all the way to school. It was hilarious to see people’s faces when they saw me with my shirt inside out. Come on, I was blind. When I got to school, I saw Tucker at his locker. Suddenly, I walked over to him and said:

“Hey dude! How are ya?” We high-fived and walked to form. Sometimes, I hate the people in my form. One of the ‘cool’ kids, had taped an air horn to the wall behind the door, so when I flung the door open it made both me and Tucker jump with fright. I knew it was one of the popular kids because they started laughing and slapping hands. It was not funny. Okay, it was funny to see an OCD kid get scared but not funny as I got scared too. Pranks were always my go-to thing but at Rose, pranks are life.

Tucker re-aligned all my pencils and I couldn’t stop myself from chuckling to myself. He didn’t like it very much so I just allowed him to get on with it. It was hard not to stare as he was cleaning our desk with antibacterial wipes. He’s a strange kid but so am I so we are a perfect match. He kept chatting about his dog. I learnt how to switch off but nod my head and smile so it looked like I was listening- I wasn’t.

I know it will sound like I’ve done drugs but Tucker reminded me of someone but I can’t think for the life of me who. It can’t be Riyadh or Reagan because neither of them have OCD or any other mental illnesses. It was so bizarre. Why? Who was he? Scaring the life out of me, my phone bleeped. It was a text from -unknown-. Who is it? Hesitantly, I opened the text. It read

Hi Jesse, just to warn you there will be an incident. Hugs and kisses Unknown.

Oh my gosh! An incident? With who? Instantly, I heard screaming in the hallway outside my class. What the heck, is someone hurt? All I could think about was if someone was injured. The lockdown alarm went off and we all- without thinking about it- pulled the blinds down and hid under our desks. Our tutor locked the door and turned off the lights.

“THIS IS NOT A DRILL!” She yelled, scared. Even in the dark I could see Tucker smiling. Seriously, we have a lockdown and he’s snickering? Don’t quote me on it, but I have a bad feeling he had something to do with this, but what? I don’t get it. Surely his OCD wouldn’t allow him to do this. I better look up OCD when I get home. If I get home. I looked over at the desk near the door. Adalyn was sobbing. Not thinking, I crawled over there and brung her to under my desk so she was away from the door and I could comfort her. Her head was pressed up against my chest while I was stroking her hair to calm her down. We heard loud, heavy footsteps that stopped outside our door. BANG BANG. Whoever it was, kept knocking at the door. The handle kept shaking, basically they tried getting into our class. Luckily our tutor had locked the door.

Addie was so frightened and her sobbing was becoming loud so I briskly covered her mouth with my hand, which shut her up. Remembering, I quietly unzipped my bag and pulled a shrink wrapped four leaf clover that I found down a quarry three years ago. I passed it to Addie and she hugged me to tight I thought I couldn’t breathe. Adalyn wasn’t the only scared one, I was scared but I knew Tucker had something to do with this. Miraculously, I saw him texting some guy called Levi. Okay now I feel like a police officer, but it could come in handy if I ever have to give in a statement.

About twenty minutes later, the all clear alarm went off and Addie looked so grateful. I hugged her after form and she gave me back my clover. I was really happy we all got out alive. My heart was beating faster than a train. Honestly, I was paranoid that whoever it was outside- my guess is Levi- could hear my heart and my breathing. Also, it wasn’t as scary as having a knife to your face. All day, I was eyeing up Tucker and once he caught my eye and he winked at me. Is this kid some kind of PSYCHOPATH!?

When I got home, Mum ran up to me and squeezed the life out of me. I was so happy to see her and she was so delighted to have her little boy home, safe and sound. We cuddled for about five minutes non-stop. Our picture was still on the wall, and I think Mum was actually cooking for once. I followed the smell all the way into the kitchen; it smelt so nice. I looked in the oven and it was off, I peeked into the microwave and that was off too. Mum was smirking at me and pointed to the saucepan on the hob. She was cooking! It was a lovely smelling pork biryani.

I just had dinner and I got a text from Tucker:

Hey man. I saw you look at me today. Trust me mate you wouldn’t have wanted to. Look after yourself.

What the hell was he talking about? Lord give me strength. I’ve been through so much lately and I have to see him tomorrow.

Mum was scrolling through her Facebook and found something odd. Someone named ‘YouDontKnowMe’ posted a video clip of what happened today. I watched it and it said that I had paid the guy to storm into the school as someone had recorded it and from the angle it was filmed at in the classroom, it looked like I was texting Levi. Great, who was this person?

 

30/6

So, yesterday was the last day at school for the holidays and today I had such a long lie in. Literally, I woke up at 10:56. I was so happy, until I remembered Tucker. I couldn’t help but feel like he had something to do with it, including the video. At half eleven, I turned my phone on and I had so many hate comments on my Facebook wall. A lot of them were telling me to kill myself and I’m going to hell. I didn’t do it! I swear!

At that moment I wanted to die. I wasn’t sure if it was bad to feel disobeyed, but I did. Whoever did that will pay, and that’s not a threat, it’s a promise. Okay, police, please do not arrest me. I’m just pig sick of people blaming me for everything that’s gone wrong. That’s why we left Galway, that’s why we left England. Am I that much of a burden, that everyone has to try and get rid of me the only way they know how? It’s not fair. I have a right to life too, but it seems like I should just give up on life all together. I’ve had enough.

I walked downstairs and Mum had made me a bacon and egg sandwich to make me feel better. She handed me the plate.

“We can move again if you want.” She reassured me. I shook my head with wide eyes.

“No, I know it was Tucker. And I will sort him out.” I said pushing her to the side. I know it was mean to push your mum but I needed to do something. And she didn’t stop me.

I was walking down the road and pedestrians were giving me dirty looks and some of them were yelling profanities at me. I wasn’t walking down the road, I was walking down the path of shame. I didn’t like who I was- even though I’m innocent. Something in my body told me I was lying, but I wasn’t. It was peculiar. It was a crescendo. Every time someone looked at me, my face started burning and I think my eyes said I was guilty but I was INNOCENT. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right; this is harassment and Tucker wasn’t going to walk free. I will get payback and it will be sweet.

I found Tucker’s house and picked up some broken glass from the floor. I didn’t know what came over me I wanted to kill him. I wanted him to pay and I didn’t care how. Just as long as he pays. It would be his doom. His last day, his last breath. Geez, no! I’m not this person. I think I was possessed, I didn’t know why I did that. Because I have a kind heart, I dropped the glass but I did cut my hand which made my mum worry that I did something. I didn’t.

“Baby!” Mum screamed when I walked in the house “You didn’t, did you? Oh my, look at your hand! Let’s get you cleaned up.” I assured my mum that I didn’t hurt him and followed her to the kitchen. I sat on the stool and mam rinsed my hand under hot water. It stung so bad. After that, ma covered my hand in TCP and, lord did that hurt? Mum then, bandaged my hand. The cut went from one side of my hand, diagonal to under my thumb. It stung like a bee. Obviously I can’t swear so that’s just a euphemism.

I didn’t realise before but I sliced my right hand which is my dominant hand. Also, I didn’t realise how much it hurt because of the adrenaline going through my veins. I hope no-body finds that glass, otherwise they can get my DNA and find out it was me. I couldn’t live in jail. All the men around me would freak me out. Being away from my mental mother will freak me out.

I was so angry with Tucker, Mr YouDontKnowMe, I know you. I know what you are capable of and I know that you are a coward. You don’t want to cross me twice- or once for that matter. Or you will be hurt.

 

30/6- Again

Today was the last day of June. Starting tomorrow, I will start planning my revenge. It will most probably be violent and Tucker will be the one who gets hurt, not me. I know, I know I sound very violent but what can I say? He did me wrong. Can’t a boy get his way once. I never got my way as my mum is like a dancing table when she’s on her pills- useless. It sounds harsh but she is. She goes emotionally numb and she’s like . . . Braindead.

Its hard having a mother who always has to take medication. We barely ever had a holiday or even a day out. She can never be longer than an hour away from a hospital because if her pills decide to be mean to her and overdoses her, she will need