The World Is Ours

New town, new life

Trisha's version ~

So I don't know her name but she's new and also she seems like she has a bit of a past. She seems like a girl I could get to know except I'm at a point where I don't really want any drama in my life. Like after my last place shut down, I've just wanted to focus on college and my friends rather than new residents. Nothing good ever happens in care anyway. What if I get to know her and we're really good friends and suddenly one of us has to move? It's a lived reality. I got separated from my best friend in Cherry Hill and life just feels so empty. I wonder if she smokes weed or goes to any parties. What course is she doing at college? Why is she here? Ugh, just finish folding up your laundry already! Instead of questioning so much I could just talk to her when she's back tonight. Shit, the time. 11.27. My lesson starts at 12 and I'm busy daydreaming. I rushed up to my room and put my favourite history drenched leather jacket on and walked out the door. Walked, not ran. Because other people need to see me as a silent but rebellious teen girl whose never bothered by anything. It's been like that since I was 14, can't change that now.

Lacey's version ~

Sandhurst is actually so much different to East London. It's much quieter here and you can walk pretty much anywhere and still end up somewhere. So plan for today: do some shopping, apply for colleges since I got kicked out my last one and hopefully find some good shit to smoke. I wonder if anyone else here smokes. I probably shouldn't ask, not yet. What if I say something wrong and that's all it takes for them to haul my ass back to East London? My heart quickened and I had to stop for a minute and breathe. I. Am. Never. Going. Back. The home that I'm at is safe and I want to stay there. Being 16 I have all the freedom I need and more although this was never about that and it feels almost overwhelming to be honest. Like never being allowed out for leisure to suddenly having a 10pm curfew? It's going to take some time to get used to but I can't complain, it's sweet. My phone vibrated in my hand, distracting me from my thoughts. It's unusual for me to get texts considering it's been 2 weeks I'm out of college and I don't know anyone here. lissyanders2005 added you. Oh wow someone from my high school, great. So irrelevant now that I've moved like 50 miles away but let's see what she wants. Probably looking to spread drama about the crazy girl from year 10 for f- sake. After snapping her for about an hour, turns out she's moved to Sandhurst and wants me to catch up and meet her college friends. I mean, I'm 16 and bored and that's what bored teenagers do right? I wouldn't know but I'm playing it cool. She said the logs in town at 4. I had to laugh out loud, everyone in town knows that's the weed hotspot. Even me whose only been here 4 days. If nothing I guess I could come back with some strawberry amni.

Trisha's version ~

It's 9 pm and my curfew is 11 but the drinks won't wear off anytime soon and also it's a Friday, so might as well have a girls' night out. Interacting with friends, dancing at some random venue, my head buzzing, it all seems so predictable. It's becoming a weekly thing now. This can't be sustainable. I need to get started on that homeostasis assignment for biology but there's just no motivation left anymore. Still, I have to, everyone sees me as this all in one girl - grade B student, sociable, gets into trouble but is also extremely nice so gets away with it. I can't change up that image now. Sometimes I want to act up, you know? Mess around, come back in the middle of the night- or not at all. I mean, I'm 17. I could just run away....it's tempting sometimes. I just don't want to go alone. I want someone my age to go with me. Someone I trust, someone I relate to. I need something in this world to be mine. This place I live in, I don't belong there. Without telling anyone, I slipped out into the darkness and starting walking. I don't know where I'll end up, I just need to feel the cool spring breeze against my body. And of course, a joint to commemorate the moment. My phone pinged reminding me I'd been added to a WhatsApp group chat. Cherry hill group chat. Okay wow so the people I already live with. How boring. But I scrolled anyway and saw the new girl on it. Her profile picture was unique. It was her holding a joint and smoking pot in a car at night. Cool, so she's a stoner too. I felt a surge of excitement but shut it down. New people had never really been all that exciting but there was something about her, something inviting, or rather enticing me to learn more. Maybe it was her hair? I don't know, it was unkempt, mildly auburn towards the end. Not unoriginal but it was like she just doesn't care. I always thought people's hair reflected their personality a lot. In a few minutes I found myself laughing hysterically at the empty road in front of me. Okay, I can tick stoned off my to do list now. Time to head home. Suddenly the notion of that didn't seem too ordinary. There was something in the air today. A spark. And a spark can spark a fire.

Lacey's version ~

So I'm alone now, with a cheeky bit of weed tucked in my jeans pocket. Turns out Lissy and her friends were weed fanatics too so I guess I have "friends" to hang out with whilst I'm here. I don't know, I've never really had friends before. It could be fun. So I'm on my way back to cherry hill now and it's almost my curfew. Everything chill, you know considering the fact that I'm high and all but I don't know the way back too well from town and my data is nearly out. If I wasn't so worried about being kicked out I would be exploring right now but I can't afford to miss curfew. Not 4 days in. I wondered if I should call someone from the cherry hill group chat and ask them but decided I couldn't trust them yet. They could tell staff I'm lost and then staff will underestimate my ability to keep myself safe. Shit. I started sprinting. Fast. Frantically. I heard footsteps like directly in front of me. It was a blind corner though. Damn. Okay, be cool, be cool. You're safe. It was dark but I could just about make out a girl with long chestnut hair. What was her name? I'm sure I heard staff call her. Umm, Tracey? Trisha? I quickened my pace, hoping it was her and not some stranger. Not because I was scared but because I needed to go home. At that moment she turned around. "Hi". That autumn mapley voice again. "Hi", I said back. I was out of breath now. "Umm sorry do you mind if I just follow you, I'm kinda lost and I don't want my social worker to know I missed curfew." It came out in a rush and I felt so panicky. She probably thinks I'm a weirdo. "Yeah! Sure. I'm glad I found you. It's Lacey right?" She's so nice! My stomach churned and I smiled, "yeah". We walked back together and honestly it was the best walk I've had in a while. She had like this sense of calmness surrounding her, she wasn't judgemental or scornful at all as new people typically were. But I couldn't really trust my perception because of course I get attached to everyone I meet. "So like we just take a turn here at the park then it's on our right, for future reference". I smiled and thanked her and we walked in silence back home but not the awkward kind. It was filled with meaningful thoughts and emotions. "Umm this is awkward but is that weed I can smell?" I instantly regretted asking her because it sounded judgey but she giggled and said "yeahh you know how it gets sometimes". She's put together but also kinda quirky. Like me. Plus her giggling is so innocent, it sounds almost childish. Before I realised, we were home and although I was disappointed to be alone in my room again I was also filled with hope. About this new placement. This town. My life. I fell asleep quickly that night, feeling dreamy and happier than I had been in forever.