Before I start, lets get one thing straight. I come from the south. No, I do not wear hoop dresses and tight corsets that cut off my airflow. Nor do I eat pastries and gossip all day while being pampered by African American maids. That time in the south is over and has died out a long time ago; try the end of the Civil War. So, when you start making comments that I'm a redneck southerner girl who says, "I do declare!" or "Twiddly dee"

Start thinking to yourself how would you feel if I made fun of the region or country you come from? Wouldn't be fun huh? Oh, and by the way, everything that I say happen did happen. If you can't believe that, then you're out of luck. Please just close this book now and chunk it in the trash bin. But, if you read this and believe it, then you my fine friend are not a doofus. Sorry for the rude introduction, but later you'll realize why I had to be blunt.

My name is Tara Paige, I'm fifteen years old and my life has just recently been turned upside down. You see, a couple of months back I was enjoying the Texas small town rural dream, as people sometimes like too call it. Then my mother got me accepted to a rich Athletic Academy in Manhattan. Before you say, "Yay, Congrats, Tara!"

It gets better, and by better I mean worse. The kids here are little demons that like to stomp all over the poor and middle-class. The first day I walked in and spoke in the front of my first-period class, I was doomed the second the students heard my accent. I've retaliated against them at first, but then I quickly learned that would get me a one-way ticket to detention by almost every teacher. Now, I'm just glad the last day of school is finally today. Four long months of fending off a demon horde of psychotic rich kids finally has taken its toll, I can't wait to leave this preppy prison.

That is why I am determined to keep my mouth shut, no matter how horrible this day is. I do not want detention on the last day of school. I'm so determined; I even stopped myself from back sassing Carrie Johnson, a major cheerleader snob, for several harsh comments on the way to seventh period about my 'average' attire and how my mother couldn't raise me properly by herself.

This continues until we walk into my seventh-period class, U.S. History 101. Carrie shuts her mouth as soon as she crosses the doorway and flashes our teacher, Mrs. Dodds, a gleeful smile like a little princess and takes her seat in the front row. When I walk in however, Mrs. Dodds glares at me like I'm some piece of worthless trash that should pulverized by a trash compacter. I try not to make eye contact with her as I take my assigned seat next to her desk. Mrs. Dodds in our new U.S. History teacher from Vermont. For her age, which I'm pretty sure is ancient, she wears dresses that come down to her knees, high heels that could be used as spears, and a lot of makeup. And I mean a lot of makeup. Don't be fooled, she may seem like a harmless old Lady who can't hurt a fly, but she is pure evil.

My first day at this school it seems as if this woman has made it her personal goal to make my life miserable. She would often give me detention for little things, like giving back a snarky remark or having my phone out after we were finished with class.

"Take out your books and turn to page 832, please" Mrs. Dodds demands as she turns on the class active board.

And so hell begins.

(~)

Mrs. Dodds began class and started going over the segregation laws in the south, how ironic for my last day. She showed the class videos and pictures of Martin Luther King and his peaceful protesting. Then she showed the class old news broadcastings of southern white protesters against equality and how violent they were towards African American protesters. She then went on by saying how there is still a lot of racism in the south going on because of privileged white southerners who can't accept the change for equality. I grind my teeth together and grip the sides of my desk to stop myself from lashing out. To this worse, the kids behind me began to say my name when Mrs. Dodds talked about some of the things white southerners did to keep African Americans to keep their voice from being heard. Carrie Johnson stops her when she raises her hand.

"So does that make Tara a racist, Mrs. Dodds?" Carrie Johnson asked her sweetly and with a smile.

Oh, she most definitely did not just ask her that question.

I shoot Carrie a glare and look back at Mrs. Dodds, who had stopped and now was examining me over with her piercing eyes. I locked eyes with her and then slowly leave her gaze to look down at my desk, fiddling with my pencil. Mrs. Dodds begins tapping her chin and turns back to her active board and looks back it me, like she's comparing me to the southern whites in the fifties and sixties. She smiles wide at me, revealing her crooked teeth to the class.

Keep your cool Tara

"Yes, That would make Tara a racist, Carrie" Mrs. Dodds says while writing on the active board, "Because she is a privileged white southerner, who can not accept basic human rights for all people."

I lost it, my jaw slacks and the class starts nodding their heads in agreement. A few look at me and shake their heads at me in spiteful disgust. I can't believe this is actually happening. Mrs. Dodds hates me, but this is a new low, even for her. Carrie begins to laugh uncontrollably and a few students join in with her. I quickly turn a give a growl in her direction, shutting her up a little bit.

Wrong move

"Mrs. Paige! How dare you threaten Mrs. Johnson with that animalistic growl!" Mrs. Dodds' eyes are filled with furry as she turns around and slams her palm on her desk, "Of course what should I expect from a girl whose cousins have been marrying for generations, all those mixed genes are not a good combination"

The class hollers in laughter. I slam my hands on my desk and rise up from my desk; the class goes silent as I glare Mrs. Dodds down. She looks at me and evilly smiles again, this time letting out a laugh that could make the deaf cringe. I the turn my attention to Carrie.

"Shut your mouth Barbie," I hiss, "Before, I slap the Botox right off your face!"

I then turn my attention to Mrs. Dodds, I'm so going to regret this later.

"And just how would you know that, Mrs. Dodds?!" I scream back at her, "I suggest you keep your mouth shut before making illogical statements!"

The class gasps

"Oh, but, of course, what should I expect from a woman whose brain is the size of a peanut." I say mockingly and give a smirk.

Mrs. Dodds face began turning colors I thought weren't even possible for the human face. The pointer that she had picked up snapped in her hands and she began to tremble as her face started switching to a deep dark red color. From the corner of my eye, the class is looking back and forth between Mrs. Dodds and I, with their mouths open.

"M-M-Mrs. P-P-Paige…"

Before she could even finish her sentence, like a gift from God himself, the school bell sounded. The day is over, Mrs. Dodds can't hold me for detention. I gave a sigh of relief and smiled widely back at Mrs. Dodds, Who looked like she was about to go on a murder spree. I turned to the class, gave a quick wave, giggled, and then turned cheerfully to leave the classroom. An inhuman growl sounded behind me, I stopped immediately in my tracks and turned to face Mrs. Dodds. Even the other students look at her in astonishment.

Mrs. Dodds looks at me as if she's about to attack me and rip me to shreds with her sharp nails, the horrible thing is: I can see her doing just that.

"Well Mrs. Paige what are you waiting for; get out of my sight"

She quickly turns and sits down in her chair. Some students stop looking at her and begin packing their things. Whatever just happened probably wasn't very important; I'm finally free! I shrug it off and make my way through the horde of students. I think stopping by my favorite gym before I get home is a good idea to celebrate my victory over the academy. I quickly turn north and run down the street, little did I know I was being followed.

(~)

"Oh man, you should have seen her face when I insulted her intelligence!" I laugh while racking a dumbbell, "She looked as if she was going to explode"

Tell the trainer, who is also my friend, Grover Underwood. He cocked his head to the side at smirks at me. Since I applied to this gym, although he looks young to be a trainer. Grover has been listening to my complaints for months about my new school and it's little satanic demons called students. He's helped me get through this drastic time in my life.

"Good, she probably deserved it." Grover spots me as I hang cling a barbell, "Why hasn't your mother done anything?"

I drop the barbell, letting it hit the floor at full force, "Because I don't tell her, not even Chance."

Grover looks at me strangely, like I had something on my face, "And why haven't you told them?"

I shrug as I grab my towel and wipe my sweet from my face. Grover has a point, telling my mother would be the best cause of action. But I don't want her to worry about me; after my father died the troubles of the world was thrown out at her at once. Raising two kids on her own and trying to find a job without a college education, while in mourning. Getting me into a rich academy up north was a blessing to her, one that I didn't want to ruin.

"I don't know", I respond

Grover looks at me with sympathy and then hands me a bottle of water, "Well I have to go, see you later?"

"Sure"

Grover picks up his green athletic bag. I watch as he leaves, he turns and gives me a wave before heading out the door. Smiling, I wave back and began heading down to the gym's basketball court. Shooting some hoops and some pole vault should finish up my workout.

My phone begins to ring, "Hello?"

"Hey, Tara!" It's my older brother Chance, "Can I ask you a quick favor?"

I roll my eyes, "Sure do I need to beat up someone again for you?"

A few short moments of dead silence came from my phone, and then Chance exploded. I had to hold my phone away from my ear from his screaming.

"That was only one time Tara!" He cries, "Could you please just let that go already?!"

"Nope" I laughed

"Wow, you're the best sister a guy could ask for," He groans. I laugh back at him, I usually save him when he try's hitting on another guys girlfriend or he needs to pay someone back. You see, my older brother isn't much of a fighter and when it comes to the point that he has to fight, he shuts down, crawls into a ball, and probably cries, a lot. He's scrawny and slightly taller than me; he looses his temper when something doesn't go his way. And he's the kind of guy that likes to avoid people and stay in his room watching a lot of weird anime shows and fangirls over his shows.

"You know I am" I take out a basketball and begin dribbling, "So what do you want?"

"Ok-OK!" His voice cuts out and I hear the crumbling of papers, "OK- So would you-"

"No" I cut him off

"You didn't even know what I was going to ask!" He cries back.

"You want to borrow some of my hard earned money so you can buy another one of those anime dolls of yours"

Silence again, "They're not dolls and besides that's not what I wanted the money for!"

I sigh and take a seat as he continues to whine, this was our sibling routine. I continually roll my eyes as he gives a sob story about how he lost his money from work by accidently dropping it into a sewage drain. As great of an actor, he is I wasn't going to let him have my money for nothing in return.

"And what do I get in return for this loan?" I ask

"What do you mean?"

"I'll let you borrow my money, if you take me anywhere I want this summer." I widen into a grin as he coughs through the phone.

"For the summer?!" He yells, "Are you crazy, I have a life too you know!"

"That's my offer take it or leave it, doofus."

Before I could continue negotiating, something entered my line of sight. The only thing was it wasn't a thing, it was a she and I knew her by sight. Mrs. Dodds walked slowly towards me, her high heels click loudly on the court floor with ever step she takes. The way she looked at me was beyond furious it was pure evil. A soft growl sounded from her throat as she stop in front of me, placing her hands on her hips. What does she want?

"Chance I'll call you back," I say as I fully turn to face Mrs. Dodds

"Wait, Tara-" I click the power button and set my phone down on the bleachers. Then I dropped the basketball and it slowly rolls in her direction. Her eyes follow it, like an insect, she lifts her foot and puts the end of the heel on the basketball. With a quick jab, she punctures the basketball; it deflates in seconds. I was right about using her heels as spears.

"You know you have to pay for that you know" I shake my head in disbelief, "What do you want?"

"You've been giving me trouble, honey", She began to growl, "No one mocks me like that!"

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, whatever, last time I checked a teacher doesn't have the authority to give a student detention during the summer, so bye Felecia!"

Little did I know, I shouldn't have said that. Mrs. Dodds took a few steps closer to me.

"I will not go that easily, you piece of trash!," She hissed, "Your time has come, I've been waiting a long time for this"

What is wrong with this woman? Then it hit me.

"Wait-" I began, "You want to fight me? Me?"

Mrs. Dodds shook her head angrily in reply and took off her black heels. She cracked her plump old people fingers and cracked her neck side to side. This woman was serious I couldn't control myself. I began to laugh hysterically and stomping my foot.

"Y-you w-want to fight me?" I laughed as tears rolled from my eyes, "How can you possibly achieve that without back surgery?"

"Your time on this horrible earth has come to an end!" She hissed.

I was too busy laughing to notice what was happing to her. Mrs. Dodds' eyes turned into burning grill coals. Her fingers elongated into razor sharp talons. Her black dress melted, then shifted into to the wing like that of a bat. I stopped laughing immediately and took in the sight of Mrs. Dodds. She wasn't human, no whatever she was now looked like and old hag. Her mouth widened and revealed crooked yellow fangs ready to take a bite out of my flesh.

"Oh, so your-um-ok-wasn't-AHHHHHH!" I scream at the top of my lungs and run towards the double doors. Mrs. Dodds flashed past my vision and blocked my exit, snarling at me. I scream again and this time I run for the bleachers, with a cry I drop to the floor as Mrs. Dodds launches herself past me.

"Running is useless, Honey!"

No, but hiding is one of my options; I quickly roll under the bleachers, while Mrs. Dodds gave a murderous scream as she tries clawing her way to me. Through the cracks in the bleacher my heart beats fast and I squeeze my eye tight in terror. I was right when I said this woman was like a monster, she is a monster! The clawing becomes less rapid and then ceases all together and Mrs. Dodds' figure moves away from me. Everything goes silent; the only thing I can hear is my heavy breathing and my pathetic whimpering.

THUD

I adjust my head to the direction of the sound; my heart skipped a couple of beats. On the court floor was my phone, my brand new phone that I had saved up for, split into two and being pulverized by Mrs. Dodds. I don't know how to feel scared, heartbroken, or furious. So I did what any normal American girl would do: I turn and grab a pole-vaulting pole, quietly roll out from under the bleachers, and charge at my phone's attacker.

"You won't be-OW!" Mrs. Dodds began to roar as I started beating her continually with my trusty pole-vaulting stick. No one destroys my phone!

"That was my new phone, you monster!" I scream, as my pace quickened and my blows to her became heavier. Mrs. Dodds shielded her head and rolled up into a tight ball. I'm not sure what happened next, because she picked me up and threw me across the court into a water cooler. I groan as try to get up, but that wasn't happening everything hurt. Water spilled out over the court and on me, great. To make matters worse I can't move my head, Mrs. Dodds could be on me at any moment. Then it happened, Mrs. Dodds popped out of nowhere above me and swooped down at me, screeching and bearing her fangs at me in the process. I take whatever strength I have left and bring my arms to shield myself and scream.

"Hiss, you're a daughter of Poseidon?!"

Daughter of Poseidon?

Wait- I'm not dead?! Hooray! I feel another figure run into the court, "Away Alecto, Tara Paige is under my protection!"

Evil chuckling fills the air, I sit up and my eyes widen at the sight. Grover faced me and Mrs. Dodds was one the other side of the basketball court drenched in water. My eyes weren't widened at her but at Grover, his normal human legs were no longer there in their place were brown furry goat legs.

"Are you ok?" He asks as I take his hand, "No permanent damage?"

"Ummm no…" I answer, my gaze never leaving his new set of legs, "Grover what-"

"Tara I'll explain all of this later," He says, "But our best interests might be in right now might be running"

"But-"

"Die!" A growl comes from Mrs. Dodds as she lunges towards us, flapping her wings at high speed.

"Ladies first!"

Finally, the first chapter is done, ugh it took me awhile to edit this. Give me your thoughts in the comments!