Mary knew the route fairly well, most of it was just walking down a main road. The journey started surrounded by other students, but they gradually dissipated as they took their own paths until she was left on her own.
It was pretty uneventful until she was 5 minutes from home. Up ahead at a bus stop was a group of 4 people, smoking, shouting and blasting music out of a phone. As she got closer, she noted there were 3 girls and 1 guy, probably similar in age to herself.
"Can this bus just hurry the fuck up?! We've been 'ere fuckin' ages!" Shouted one of the girls, leaning against the wall. She was heavily made up with fake tan, and long bleach blonde hair. Her long, pink nails matched her pink tracksuit. She was taller than Mary, who stood at around 5"2.
"It'll probs be here in a minute and we can get out of this shit'ole, just calm your fuckin' tits babe" replied another, smoke flowing from her mouth. She was slightly shorter than the blonde, and had long black hair tied into a ponytail under a baseball cap. She was wearing white trainers, black leggings and a white crop top.
Mary kept her head down as she approached, preparing to walk through the middle of them. She hoped they wouldn't pay her any attention.
"Oi oi, look at this little rich bitch" the blonde directed at Mary as she walked through. She tried to power past, but was yanked backwards as the black haired girl pulled on her backpack, then shoved her against the wall.
"Oi, she was fuckin' talkin' to ya, you not gonna say anythin' back?" she spat. Mary froze up, tears welling in her eyes. She'd never had an encounter like this before and didn't know how to react.
"Aww, rich bitch gonna cry are ya? What a little pussy" the blonde mocked, laughing in Mary's face. The third girl and the guy sat in the background on the bus stop bench, laughing together.
"L-leave me alone... p-please" Mary sobbed, frightened. The guy then spoke up.
"Ay girls, bus is 'ere, back off and let's go" he said. The bus then started to pull up at the stop.
"Aww guess Daddy's allowance is safe this time huh?" The black haired girl cackled. She took one last drag on her cigarette and blew the smoke into Mary's face, flicking the butt off to the side. The blonde did the same, then spat at Mary's feet before turning around and getting on the bus.
Mary remained against the wall, frozen and crying as she watched them take up window seats, pointing and laughing at her as the bus drove away. After another minute, she composed herself enough to run the rest of the way home. She let herself in and ran straight to her room, face planting on to her bed and unleashing the rest of her tears into her pillows.
She was home alone for the next few hours as she waited for her parents to get home from work. It gave her enough time to sort herself out, deciding she didn't want to mention the incident to them. Both parents got home around the same time, as Mary waited in her room.
"Mary! I've got Chinese!" her Father shouted up the stairs. She made her way downstairs and joined them in the dining room, the pair of them just finished unpacking the food her Dad had brought home.
Once they'd all settled down and loaded up their plates with different dishes, her parents began the usual dinner chit chat.
"So sweetie, how was school today?" her Father asked.
"It was fine" Mary replied bluntly.
"Are you sure? You've usually got more to say than that" he said, then laughed.
"I know sorry, it was just the usual, pretty uneventful" she lied.
"And did you get home okay? Sorry I wasn't able to pick you up today, I was called into the office for an emergency meeting" her Mother enquired.
"Yea I was okay" she lied again. Her parents got the point that she wasn't particularly talkative, and instead started talking about their own days. Mary didn't really pay attention, instead just absentmindedly playing with her food as she thought about the girls at the bus stop.
"Mary, are you sure you're okay?" her Mother asked, bringing her back to reality.
"Yea... I'm sure, I'm just tired and not feeling very hungry. Is it okay if I just go to my room and study?" She asked politely.
"Of course it is, if you're feeling unwell perhaps you just need some rest" her Mother replied, shooting a quick concerned glance to her husband.
Mary got up from the table and went to her room, spending the rest of the night on her own. She didn't get any studying done, and didn't sleep particularly well either, tossing and turning as she kept picturing what happened to her earlier. She didn't feel scared by her thoughts though, her brain was more concerned by how the girls looked and acted in general. Their clothes, their hair, their makeup, their smoking, they were all so confident, but why?
Mary kept thinking it all over until she eventually passed out.