Fractured Reality
Part 8
She didn’t even bother to pick up the pen; what’s the point, she thought as she stared blankly at the test paper in front of her. Mrs. Johnson glared at her, her expression a mixture of disappointment and concern. Ashley felt a surge of anxiety as Mrs. Johnson's voice rose. "Ashley, what's wrong with you?" she yelled, making Ashley jump. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Ashley said, her voice barely above a whisper. Mrs. Johnson's gaze drifted to Ashley's face, and her expression softened slightly. "What's with your face? What happened?" she asked gently. Ashley shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears. "Nothing," she said, her voice cracking. Mrs. Johnson's expression turned stern again, but there was a hint of kindness in her voice. "Ashley, I don't care what's going on at home, but you need to focus on your schoolwork. Now, take out your pen and do the test." Ashley nodded mechanically and began writing, her tears falling onto the page as she scribbled down random answers. She had no idea what she was doing, but she didn't care. The pain and sadness that had been building up inside her for so long seemed to overflow, and she felt like she was drowning in her own despair. As she wrote, Ashley's mind wandered to her father and the way he had looked at her, his eyes filled with anger and hatred. She thought about the chair he had thrown at her, and the pain that still lingered in her face. She felt like she was living in a nightmare, and she didn't know how to wake up. The test seemed to drag on forever, but eventually, Mrs. Johnson announced that time was up. Ashley put down her pen and pushed the test paper back to Mrs. Johnson, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. She didn't care about the test or her grades; all she wanted was to escape the pain and find a way to heal. As she walked out of the classroom, Ashley felt like she was walking through a fog, unsure of what lay ahead or how she was going to get through the rest of the day. But she knew she had to keep moving, one step at a time, no matter how hard it seemed.