Exile according to me, according to Fredley

"Aren't we going to Miss Abel's class?" Ben asked me.
"Yeah, I just have to drop this paper off to Mrs. Fredley." I said.
"Okay, but hurry, I have to give Abel this book back." he replied.
"Just come with me, it won't take long." I said as I tugged his sleeve.
"Okay," he said, but he sounded hesitant.
"Oh come on," I assured him, "Fredley's not going to hurt you."
That was the last thing I said to him, and it was no lie, Fredley didn't hurt him, but what she did to me, well that's a whole other story.
My first thoughts are as follows. I should feel pain. I do feel pain, worse than any physical pain imaginable, but it's not real. It's not what is should be. I've lost everything; the pain should be so severe that I drop dead. After all those times of saying things like "I can't live without you" I keep expecting my heart to abruptly stop. My heartbeat remains. What's wrong with me? How can I go on breathing now? Damn hyperboles.
Everything feels so different. Of course, being a bug after being human is a big change, but I feel different emotionally too. I am so alone, so utterly by myself. I've always wished for a few seconds of peace, for a moment of calm serenity, but now that I have so much available to me, I crave the noise of a subway and the stress of being a senior in high school. I would give anything, if I had anything to give, to be back in his arms, to be yelled at by my mom, if only I could go back.
Just a short time ago, I was with my Benjamin, dropping off my research paper and now here I am, though where here is I don't know, alone, seeing everything through the eyes of what I think is a ladybug. Yes, that's it, I'm a ladybug. No three words have ever seemed so strange to me. In this short time, the effects of what I presume to be exile have begun to set in. I feel my heartbeat echo like the flap of a bats wings silently in the dark. All I can think is "What did I do to deserve this?"
Okay, I know I shouldn't have cheated to finish up my paper, but it was only a few lines, what difference could that make? Mrs. Fredley couldn't possibly notice a few sentences, especially at the end! I should have known better. It's funny how stupid some of your thoughts and ideas sound later on in your life, after you've grown, or in my case shrunk, changed, in my case drastically, and learned more about life, in my case life as a ladybug.
It's hard to motivate myself to do anything, knowing I have nothing to look forward to. I just can't seem to get over the fact that I am here, a ladybug, everyone I love and cared about gone, and it's my own fault. The thought of my mysterious disappearance plaguing my old pals urges me to find a way out of this mess. I talk to everyone I see, but the only 'people' I encounter aren't people at all, but bugs. I'm surrounded by tons of bugs. When talking to these bugs, (yes, bugs can talk, I was surprised too) I unravel the truth, and the story gets even stranger. First, I discover that my new surroundings are known as Bug Island, which is a tiny, uncharted island near the Galapagos. This brightens my spirits, because I think I might be able to make an escape. The sunshine in my soul dissipates when I learn that the island was created by someone known as Queen Fredley. I am shocked to find out that my own English teacher is a Queen, but things are so weird already it's hard to imagine anything worse. This Queen Fredley also has magic powers, which explains how she made this island, turned me into a bug, and banished me here. It turns out that Fredley has Entomophobia (fear of insects) so she created an island where she could send all of the bugs that she encounters. This is the first time she's ever banished a person here, and I realize I'm right, I am utterly alone.
Many of the bugs I talk to are upset with Queen Fredley, although they left nothing behind, their families came with them, and they do not really miss their old homes where they were constantly threatened by humans, they don't feel its fair for her to decide their fate. I feel I can harness their anger, and they can help me escape, so I propose a plan for them to gain revenge. Most of the bugs decide to go along with it, enough that we can carry out our practice run. We learn that three of us flying bugs can carry a large leaf holding up to three of the non-flying bugs, and in this manner we escape to one of the many islands of the Galapagos.
Here we find a ship that is heading on a long journey, planning to make a stop in Texas. Since this is the closest thing we can find to a ride home, we all stow away in the hull, and go virtually unnoticed. I would not be surprised, though, if the captain winds up spraying for bugs before his next trip. Time goes by slowly aboard the ship and if it wasn't for the fact that I was in the form of a ladybug, I would keep a daily journal of the voyage. Though I know I am one of the bugs now, I never feet totally at ease with them, or alone. I miss my family, my friends, my life. Though they are much like regular people, I still feel like an outcast, cold and alone, but I don't let this get to me. The journey is not always fun, and I have to do my best to keep everyone in good spirits. I find an old copy of Hamlet, and their are enough bugs to play all the parts, and still have many left over so I decide to give it a try. We fill our days with rehearsals, and before we know it, we are just about ready to perform.
That's when we feel the ship come to a stop, and know we've reached Texas. We pack up all of our bug sized props and set pieces, and leave. After having some leftover McDonald's, we wait for the right train at the station and when the one headed for Holbrook arrives we board; it's actually surprisingly simple to go unnoticed on a busy train which worries me a bit. The ride is very long. It is too loud and cramped for us to rehearse, let alone perform our insectified version of Hamlet, so the bugs with parts practice their lines silently, and the rest of us decide to tell stories. Oddly enough, I can think of nothing to say that is as interesting as what they say. This is just one more thing that makes me feel segregate, they had such different lives. I can't talk to them about my past experiences, they would never understand.
After what feels like a lifetime, we hear it announced that we are in Holbrook, AZ. I already feel closer to my freedom. We take a short break in the fresh air, and stumble across an old Semi at a gas station. The back is open, and after a quick look we learn that it is empty, save for a few boxes, and that it is heading for Show Low. We find this to our liking and hide behind the boxes. Just minutes later the driver shuts the back doors and suddenly we are off. It is great to finally have so much open space. The drive goes by rather quickly, but not quite fast enough. Eventually we come to a stop, and once we peek out we see that we're at a motel. It is night time when we emerge, which is perfect because it allows us to travel as we did to escape Bug Island, without being seen. We head to Show Low High School, where I plan to hide until I'm able to talk to Ben. At this point most of the bugs are ready to go their separate ways, but I convince them that I still need them, so they hide in the school with me.
I have some of the dragon flies help me get into Ben's locker, where I plan to some how talk to him. The next morning when he opens it, I have to fly around a bit to be noticed. He looks terrible, and for the first time I realize that in one way I haven't been alone; he lost me too. He hurt as I did, possibly even more, not knowing what had happened. I realize that this was terribly self centered of me, and the first thing I want to do is hug him, but I'm too small and he's too big.
Hesitantly I attempt to speak, and a combined look of relief, confusion, and fear washes over him. I know he can't hear the words I try to say, and if he can he can't comprehend them, but somehow he seems to understand. I've never believed that you could speak to someone telepathically, but so many strange things have happened that I'm surprised I didn't think of this; maybe it's a bug thing, though I hope not, because I wouldn't feel comfortable with a bug, or anyone hearing my thoughts in any other situation.
I tell him all that has happened, the truth about 'Mrs.' Fredley, and my plan to "appeal to her better nature." He doesn't really understand, but is willing to do just about anything to have me back, and have me human again, so he does what I ask. I tell the other bugs to just be patient, and they are. Ben retrieves the necessary supplies while I wait in the locker, and at lunch we head to Fredley's class.
I know that if she sees me she'll scream in her entomophobic way and send me straight back to Bug Island, so I hide in Ben's pocket. He is carrying a large bouquet of purple flowers, some new movie posters, balloons, and a few bags of Lay's potato chips. He sets these things on her desk and hands her a note. It reads:
Dear Queen Fredley,
Bug Island was an interesting place. Though I found it to be comfortable enough, I could not just sit and let my life go. I know that what I did was wrong, and I've learned my lesson. I've come here to sincerely apologize and to be transformed back into my old self. I know that you are angry with me, and very disappointed, but please consider this. I love my family, my friends, my boyfriend, my teachers, a life without them is hardly a life at all. All I ask of you is a second chance, opportunity to redeem myself, to try again. I won't let you down.

Sincerely ,
Kimberly Anne Case
Ladybug and Former student

I am now sitting on one of the desks, and by the look on her face as she reads the note, things don't seem to be going as planned. I close my eyes, expecting to be poofed back to the island any moment. She says something I can't make out and then something strange happens. I fear this must be an even more severe punishment, for escaping, but when I open my eyes, they fill with tears, for they are my normal eyes. I can't bring myself to stop crying tears of joy; I was never so relieved before in my life. Never again do I risk cheating, and sometimes mysterious bags of Lay's potato chips find their way onto Mrs. Fredley's desk.
Later that day, I get the bugs to perform Hamlet for the Queen, and she loves it so much, her fear of insects comes to an end. Bug Island is turned into an amusement park, where the bugs perform Hamlet, and other Shakespearean plays. It doesn't even matter that no one knows what they are saying, they are so spectacular that people just fall in love; besides, no one understands Shakespeare anyways.