The Potter and His Clay.

A Bad Dream.

She watched him walk past their table, completely endorsed to what his best friend was talking about, she slouched back into her chair and poked around her beef pasta on her lunch tray, she didn't understand boys and their antiques to have girls run so many exaggerated claims that her subconscious sprung at her like a yoyo. With everything going on with her aunt and the fundraiser happening in two months time, she couldn't get herself distracted by some stupid boy. 

"whatcha you think Liz?" 

Eliza looked up from her tray absentmindedly "what?" she asked 

Ethan chuckled, Theo smirked "don't you think Ethan should ask Tracy out on a date?" he asked again, she looked at Ethan and grinned "if he has the guts to do so" 

Theo laughed "that's what I said!" he exclaimed, clamping Ethan on the back. Ethan rolled his eyes and forked his carrot, popping it into his mouth, Eliza checked her watch and sigh "I gotta go"

"it's lunch break" Theo stated, looking at her with pout, she got to her feet as she shrugged "we have to come up with a fundraiser idea" 

with that said, she takes her tray, places her apple in her mouth and returned her tray before she made her way out of the cafeteria. 

***

"What are we doing here?!" Heather whined as she was pulled into the library by Amberly, she looked around the room and looked back at her best friend "because this is the last place that stupid jock will come looking for me" 

Heather frowned at her "what are you talking about?" 

"wow, this is epic" 

they looked at Chelsea Freeman with books in her arms, they faked a smile "oh hi there Chelsea" Heather said between her barred teeth, her face cracking from her fake smile, 

"you guys must be lost" she snickered "this is where people with actual brains come to look through knowledge about actual facts" 

Amberly laughed humorously "oh Chelsea! you're so funny!" her smile suddenly drops, she smacked her books to the floor "you dropped your knowledge" she spat, they walked over her books and made their way to a table by the window, looking out to the school garden. 

"Who and why are we hiding ?" Heather asked, staring plainly at her, Amberly looked at her best friend "Rolland's black mailing me for our weed situation last night" 

"what?! Why was he at your place?" Heather hissed, leaning forward towards her best friend 

"his parents and my parents had business to talk about" Amberly explained, Heather sighed in thought "what a prick!" she snapped annoyedly, slamming her fist on the table 

"SSH!" hushed the Librarian, they ducked their heads low, "I know! He's threatening to tell my Dad if I-" she stopped in her sentence as she lowers her head to the table, Heather took both sides of her head and lifted it up, "what?" she whispered 

she groaned "he wants us to go out" 

Heather's eyes widened, she suddenly drops Amberly's head, letting it hit the wooden surface in a thud, 

"ow!" Amberly protested, sitting up as she rubbed her forehead. Heather sat in silence as she stared for a while, Amberly looked at her best friend , waving her hand in her face "Heath?" 

Heather cleared her throat as she shook her head "do it" 

Amberly frowned at her "what?" 

"if you don't go out with him, he rats you out and bye bye allowances and bye bye to that Mercedes you always wanted!" she exclaimed, grabbing her hand 

"shush!" cried the Librarian as she shot daggers from her desk

"sorry!" Heather says in a sharp whisper, Amberly groaned "Dad's not buying me that until I go to college! And I hate that no brained moron!"

"well that no brained moron has you in a diabolic plan that's allowing him to get what he wants" Heather smirked, sitting back in her seat

"whose side are you on?" she deadpanned, Heather sighed "look, just play along and I'll dig up dirt on our scumbag" 

Amberly's face lit up "yes!" she cried, grabbing her hand 

"GET OUT!" yelled the Librarian from her desk as she pointed towards the exit and glaring straight at them. They ran out of the library in fits of laughter. 

***

"I still think my car wash idea is the best" Jason scorned, tapping his pen repeatedly on the table

"your idea is sexist and disgusting" Kate snapped, rolling her eyes 

"agreed" Eliza nodded. She looked around the room "anyone else?" she asked,

"what about an all day fun sports day?" Wren Mathews spoke up, from the far end of the table

"that's a great idea!" exclaimed Kate "we can have teams compete and whoever wins, gets a prize" 

"yes!" snapped Wren, flicking her fingers at her. Eliza smiled, "that sounds great", she looked at Pepper for any protests, her smile grew wider as Pepper sat quietly and focused on her phone, she drummed the table excitedly "anyone who opposes say nay, those who approve, say yay!" 

"Yay!" everyone said in unison. Eliza got to her feet "great! now that we've agreed to an event, we have a month and a few days to organize it. That will be all for today, we will have our next meeting, next week Tuesday, same time and same place, so bring in fun activity ideas we can have for the fundraiser!"

everyone exits the room, Eliza sat back into her seat and leaned back, she looked at her watch and saw she had a few more minutes till the bell rang, she shut her eyes and drifted off into a slumber. 

***

Twelve year old Eliza Williams sat at the table as she wrote down answers for her homework, she stopped for a bit as she looked at the tv, her mother placed a glass of milk by her daughters book and brushed her hand on Eliza's head before getting back to the sink. The front door of their apartment swings open and Mr. Williams walks into the living room, plopping down at the sofa,

"hi daddy" Eliza greets with a smile, he waved at her and drops his brief case on the floor, he rubs his temples with his thumb and index finger in frustration.  Mrs. Williams walks into the living room and sits on the arm of the sofa, massaging his shoulders 

"how was work today, hon?" she asked softly 

"tired" he simply answers, she continues to massage his neck and back, he suddenly shrugs her off "can you leave me the hell alone?!" he yelled angrily

Mrs. Williams froze as she stared at her husband, he gets to his feet and goes into their room. She got to her feet and looked at her daughter, Eliza stared in fear, she shook her head "it's okay, finish your homework" she instructed, Eliza looked back into her book and focused on the numbers as hard as she could. Mrs. Williams turned up the tv volume and went in after her husband,  Eliza stopped writing and looked towards her parents room, her hand gripping her pen in anxiety as she hears her Fathers voice get louder and angrier. Eliza got to her feet as her heart beat faster to the sounds of their yells, she stares at the door, somehow her heartbeat echoed in her ears, the door seemed to zoom in towards her, she hears her Father scream her mother's name in agony. She ran to the door and swung it open, she looks at her Father on the floor as he cradled her mothers body in his arms, she stared at the at the carpet as it soaked up her blood. Her entire body began to shake, she fell to her knees and crawled to her mother's side, she took her hand into hers 

"mama?" she cried sobbing, "mummy!" she yelled, she cupped her cheeks, sobbing in her chest. 

***

"ELIZA!" 

she jolted out her dream and frantically looked around in heavy breathes as tears flowed down her cheeks, Theo grabbed her arms, shaking her, "Eliza!" he cried, trying to meet her eyes "you're okay, it was just a nightmare" he says.

Eliza looked up at Theo, her entire body felt a wave of exhaustion flow through her, she fell to his chest and let out a muffled cry. He froze as she sobbed, he slowly wrapped his arms around her and patted her back gently.