Wonder | Jasper Hale ✔️

one.

Forks, Washington; a small town with a population of a mere 3,100 people - count that as 3,102 people. Astrid Steele watched the mossy trees pass in a blur, the downpour of rain leaving a sour frown on her face. "Mum," she huffed as she pulled one of the white earbuds out of her ear, "I don't understand why you would move us from England, one of the rainiest places ever, to one of the rainiest states in America. Are you trying to torture me? When you said we were moving to the States, I kinda thought we'd move somewhere sunny, like California, or somewhere big and bold, like New York. But, here?"

Astrid huffed once more as she ran her fingers through her dark hair, a habit she had formed whenever she was irritated or nervous. Astrid's mother, Kate, laughed at her daughter as she patted her knee, "C'mon Astrid, this a new start. We get to be who we want, no one here knows us. We're free, just think of it like, okay, darling?" Astrid's green eyes glanced at her mother's brown ones that held so much hope, Astrid couldn't bear to be a somber on her mum's mood. "Ugh, fine." Astrid mumbled as she fell back into her leather seat of the car.

The small car came to halt in front of a small blue craftsman styled home. The door was bright a yellow along with the shutters and white painted windows and stairs, though the paint was beginning to fade. Flower boxes were on each side of the steps, but instead of flowers filling the boxes, murky water and fallen leaves filled them. The house had a large window in the center of the house, most likely being an opening to the living room. Lush trees surrounded the small home, the mother and daughter's house seeming to be on the outskirts of the small town and in the woods. Astrid grinned, the home was perfect. "You did good, mum." She said as she yanked her bags out of the trunk of the car.

Astrid's mother grinned as her daughter gleamed in approval; she only wanted to keep her daughter happy and safe. Kate let out a tired huff as she grabbed her heavy bags, following her daughter inside the small home. Most of the girl's stuff had been moved from England to Washington over the past weekend, so all there was left to do was unpack their own belongings.

Astrid's boots ran up the spiral staircase, as she had learned earlier that her room was the only one upstairs. The room was quite easy to find, as it was like the whole attic was transformed into a bedroom. The baby blue walls contrasting with her black curtains and plush, white duvet. The walls were a hardwood and the carpet was a plush, white. A large window overlooked the back of the home and the woods, a giant weeping willow sitting right below her room. The room was simple, just like Astrid.

Some of the movers hung up the pictures that had been taken throughout her years; some with her close friends Lily and Meg, or at last year's Halloween party where she had dressed as a Flamingo. She grinned at the memory; she had made the costume herself and by the end of the party her drunken self had managed to get all of the bright, pink feathers torn off.

♛

The rest of the evening with Astrid's mother was uneventful, they had ordered pizza and her mum left to go get their house cat, Doodles, from the nearest pet boarding building. Astrid laid with the Calico cat as she scratched her head, Doodles purring loudly in return. Astrid sighed as she ran her fingers through her knotted hair as she glanced at her phone, 12:57 AM. The nervousness of starting a new school crept up on her; she had attended schools with the same people her whole life, it was nerve wracking to know that she had to meet new people, and actually try to stand them. She bit her lip as she rolled over, yanking her covers up closer to her chin. The pouring rain outside seemed to calm her senses as she closed her eyes, waiting for sleep overtake her.