In our town, Alice Jenkins was the girl everyone looked down on. She was ostracised at school because she was what we called a swot.

She was a brain; she did all her schoolwork, produced outstanding assignments and always received the top marks in the exams.

In a school where most students strove to reach the depths of mediocrity, Alice stood out like the proverbial sore thumb.

Her teachers loved her; here among the throngs of disinterest was a student who had some drive.

The Librarian loved her she was the only student to use the library for what it was intended. If it wasn’t for Alice most books would never leave the shelves. As it was the only activity in the Library was at lunchtime when the boys descended on the gaming and sports magazines the Librarian had purchased in the hope that some of them might read them rather than look at the photos.

Alice’s parents were publically embarrassed by their daughter’s behaviour. They wanted their daughter to fit in, to get too far above herself, to have friends, who like themselves, never made much of an effort at school.

Instead, they had a daughter who was all things they weren’t. As Alice grew there came a spark in the back of their minds that their girl might be more than they were. Perhaps she would leave home and work in the city. Perhaps she might aspire to something more than an office secretary or shop assistant.

They decided to not discourage her but rather do all they could to support her, who despite her love of learning was a quite a lovely child.

Alice didn’t have a very good time at school, but she persevered through the ridicule and bullying as she had set her sights higher than working in Mediocrityville.

Years later she returned as the CEO of the local land council and found so many of her schoolmates working there, leaning on shovels, pushing wheelbarrows and struggling to make ends meet.

It was then, that Alice Jenkins became the girl everyone looked up to.

Written for: https://fivedotoh.com/2022/01/03/fandangos-flash-fiction-challenge-150/