The Famine of Happiness

Chapter One: Bountiful Harvest

It's easy for people to assume.

I should know as well as anyone, since stereotypes are the one thing I rely when meeting new people. I'll admit it isn't the best way to judge people, but when you're in high school, you have to use stereotyping to survive. And if you're someone like me, you have to stereotype even more.

I know what people think of me. I'm Julia Williams, and I'm not too nice to people. They have it coming, though. If they dressed and acted more like me, I'd leave them alone. But they have to go and be different, and someone's got to put them in their place.

That person just so happens to be me.

It's not like I spend all my time teasing them. I have other things I need to be doing, like schoolwork. I know a lot of people think that I'd be getting into college because my father used money to bribe the school, but I actually work hard to get good grades. I want to feel accomplished when I get accepted to colleges, not dependent on money.

Besides, it's not like my father cares enough to pay for my college education.

Oh, he'll pay for things like cars and clothes, but when it comes to the things I actually want, he's either ignoring me or yelling at me. My mother's not any better; she just goes along with what my father wants. She doesn't want him to start in on her. And it's killing me.

It's not that hard to put up a good image. When I was little, I used to pretend it was a show. We'd go out a pretend that we were a happy, perfect family. If I was a good enough actress, maybe we could skip out on all the family drama that would take place when we would get back into the confines of our house.

It never worked. Yet, after nearly eighteen years of acting, I haven't learned my lesson. I just can't seem to stop. Sometimes I feel like if I do, the whole world will come crumbling around me.

So I let people think what they want. I can't change it, and I'm certainly not looking to change their opinions. Not only would I be breaking character, but also they wouldn't understand. No one does.

Sometimes when things get really bad, I can't help but be glad that I'm beautiful and popular. When you're those two things, it's easier to get people to do things for you. And when you have a bottle of alcohol and a sexy boy right next to you, things are a lot easier to forget.

It's dysfunctional, yeah, but it's how I get by. I would've been gone a long time ago if it weren't for the things that help me forget.

So judge me. I don't care. I'm Julia Williams, and someday soon I'll be on top of the world.

***Please inform me of any grammar mistakes/typos.