ETHEREALLY | 18+

1 | Freaking Jerk

I lazily sat up in my cozy bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. All I craved was a bit more sleep, but I knew if I indulged, I'd be out for another solid five hours. Grabbing my phone from the bedside drawer, I checked the time—7:20 a.m.

Nonchalantly tossing my phone on the bed, I stood up, letting my feet touch the chilly floor. Heading to my closet, I snagged a fresh set of undies and a bra before making my way to the bathroom conveniently attached to my room.

Peeling off my PJ's, which consisted of just an oversized tee, I cranked up the shower. Once the water finally warmed up, I hopped in, letting it thaw out my frozen body.

Snatching the shampoo bottle, I squirted some onto my palm and began massaging it into my cascade of long, blonde hair. Hair-washing days were the worst, it was so tiring and time-consuming.

After surviving that ordeal, I reached for my strawberry-scented body wash, lathering it generously across my entire body. The sweet aroma of strawberries filled the air, evoking memories of summer, my absolute favorite season.

Once I was done, I shut off the water and stepped out, snatching a towel to briskly dry off both my body and hair. Slipping into the fresh set of undergarments, I sauntered over to the sink. I brushed my teeth and breezed through my skincare routine, slapping on some moisturizer and sunscreen.

Returning to the closet, I threw on black sweatpants and an oversized matching sweatshirt. As for shoes, I pulled on a pair of white socks and slipped into all-white Vans. Fully dressed, I took a moment to check myself out in the mirror.

I met the gaze of vivid blue eyes in the mirror.

I never gave a thought to others' opinions about my appearance or style. Despite being constantly reminded of my attractiveness, I remained indifferent.

Heading to my vanity, I swiftly brushed on a layer of mascara and lip gloss. Grabbing my bag and phone, I descended the stairs and entered my living room.

It was empty and quiet, like usual.

My parents were hardly ever around. They tried to visit me as much as they could, but it was never enough. I think the last time I saw them was about a month ago, when they came for two days.

Being lawyers, their profession demanded frequent travel. There were moments when I yearned for them to return home and stay for good.

Heading to the front door, I swung it open and stepped into the chilly air. After locking up, I began my journey to school.

Hugging myself tightly, I aimed to hoard every bit of warmth possible.

"I swear, if I catch a cold, I'm unleashing chaos," I muttered while strolling past the array of two-story houses.

My parents made a good amount of money, so we were able to afford a nice house in a good community. Our life has always been comfortable, and I couldn't be more thankful for that.

Now with all that money they're making, you'd think getting me a car wouldn't be asking for too much. I mean, it's freezing out here – Antarctica might actually be cozier than this morning weather.

After 20 minutes of walking, I finally reached my destination – Oak Hill High School. The most depressing place for every high school student.

Striding across the front yard, I entered the building. A wave of warm air welcomed me as I headed to my locker. Swiftly unlocking it, I snagged the necessary books and sealed the locker shut.

Glancing at my phone, it read 7:56. With a mere 4 minutes on the clock, I walked to my science class, brushing off the usual glances from both girls and guys. The girls shot me hateful looks, and the guys eyed me like I was prime-grade meat.