2016 Friday 12th of august 15:43
Dad said this morning I wasn’t allowed to bring my diary to the church but I didn’t listen. He says my dream job writing isn’t proper whatever that means. So when dad took my diary he put it in his desk drawer that he puts everything he doesn’t want me touching in. He thinks I can’t get in because he locks it but then he just puts the key on his desk. My dad isn’t very smart; all he does is watch TV and “teach”, He supposed to be a teacher but all he does is hire this guy to pretend to be him. Everyone tells me I shouldn’t complain cause he’s rich and has a big house, but they don’t know him like I do. Only 2 people in the entire world know him like I do, my best friend and my mum. My mum is dead now but she understood me when I complained. She said he was a nice man when he met him but as he grew older his heart got smaller. It got even worse when mum was diagnosed with cancer. It was weeks and weeks of back and fourth to the hospital. Soon mum lost her hair and then she died n the 28th of july. That’s why I’m here its mum’s funeral.
“Alexandria put that away at once. Alexandria’s dad whispered in a firm but quiet voice. “
My name is Alex NOT Alexandria.” Alex said in a not so quiet voice.
Suddenly everyone gasped. Alex had said that during the ceremony.
“Sorry” Alex’s dad said while Alex was too embarrassed to say anything.
I HATE MY DAD. Alex thought to herself.
2016 Tuesday 16th of august 8:19
It’s the first day back to school after the summer holidays and I’m in my room. I just texted my BFF Bobbie (her real names Barbara, but everyone calls her Bobbie). Were going to see Ghostbusters today! Bobbie wants to be a scientist when she grows up. Her room is full of posters of famous women scientists. She’s turned her attic into a laboratory and there’s loads of tables with vials of all sorts of bubbling liquids. Her current science project is a secret. Her mum and dad said it wont work but Bobbie doesn’t listen to them. Its time for school now bye.
Alex shut her notebook away in her rainbow bag and ran down stairs. She grabbed her packed lunch (cheese sandwich and carrot sticks) and walked out the door to see Bobbie. Alex walked past all the strange people she went past everyday and cut down a dirty old alleyway and climbed up a ladder to the roof of Bobbie’s house. Bobbie was waiting for Alex. They went down the ladder and started chatting.
“So you excited about tonight Bobbie?”
“Well, yes. Obviously I am. I believe there are ghosts and I’m going to test their experiments”, Bobbie shouted enthusiastically, “ Well, after I’ve made Mr Pegasus fly”
“How are you going to make a guinea pig fly?” Alex asked curiously.
“Well, I’m doing ok. Not all the tests have worked and I can’t get hold of an eagles’ DNA so I’m just going to have to use pigeon DNA.”
“If I didn’t know what you were doing, that would have been the weirdest sentence ever.” They both giggled.
“How are you going to get a pigeon’s DNA?” Alex asked thoughtfully.
“Poo. I’m going to extract t from poo. Or maybe a feather.”
“Whatever you say. We better get going.”
2016 Tuesday 16th of august 10:40
I’m back. It’s break time and, oh no, it’s Sophie Macmillon the school bully. She bullies me so much. She makes fun of my dreams. I feel like everyone hates me except Bobbie. Speaking about Bobbie, apparently, you cant’ get DNA from poo but you can from feathers. Bobbie asked in science in class.
“What are you doing with that?” Sophie snarled at Alex.
“Writing” Alex said.
“Why, that’s a boys job. You should be putting on make up and not wearing dungarees. They’re out of style.” Sophie smirked at Alex.
The other girls and boys were ganging up on Alex too.
“Why are you writing?”
“You shouldn’t write.”
“It’s not what girls do.”
RRRRIINNNNGGGGGG!
“Bye” they all said giggling.
I wish people would leave me alone. I hate my life. I wish Dad had died instead of Mum.
Alex ran away with tears in her eyes.
How is writing not for girls? Some of the best books and authors are girls. How can it not be a girl’s job? There’s no proof.
Alex ran to class. She was nearly late – she was late.
“You should come to class on time Alex” Mrs Staminair said crossly. Alex sat down at her chair and didn’t look at anyone. Not even Bobbie or the teacher.
“Pssttt.” Mary Saminak whispered in her ear then passed a note. It had a picture of Alex throwing her notebook in the bin and wearing a torn pink dress with badly put on make-up. At the bottom it said: You trying to fit in?
Alex saw it and asked the teacher “C-C-an I (sniff) go to the toilet?
Mrs Staminair replied “ Yes – are you ok Alex?” Alex sharply said yes and walked out of the classroom.
2016 Tuesday 16th of august 1:15
What do I do? My class hates me. They’ll be meaner to me if I tell. They’ll call me a tattle-tale and – I dunno. I need to stop this. I’m going to tell someone but who? Mrs Staminair would stop them if I could find a way to make sure they don’t find out. That’s it. I’m going to tell her.
The end of class
“Um, Mrs Staminair”.
Alex was ready.
“Can I ask you something?”
She could do this.
“Anything Alex”.
“ Well, first of all do you think writing is a boy’s job?”
“No. There is no scientific point in saying that and its just absolute nonsense. And it’s sexist.”
“What does sexist mean?”
“It means when people think women and girls aren’t as good as boys and men.”
“Ok., well you know Sophie?”
“Yes.”
“She’s bullying me and some other people too.”
“What other people?”
“Mary, John, Fiona, Daniel, Amy, and Donald.”
“What do they say?”
“They say it’s a boy’s job and that I should focus on fashion. They also pass notes around in class and laugh at me. Umm, could you not tell them I told.”
“Sure, Alex”.
Alex walked out smiling. It was the first time she had really smiled since Mum.
From now on things will be different for me. I still miss Mum but things are looking up for me …..
