Chapter 1

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“Mikeyyy! How’s it going man?” Luke yelled towards the fluorescent computer screen that displayed the image of his best friend who was thousands of miles away from him. He was glad that they could have a quick Skype before school started back up again.

“Heyy Luke! I’m just dreading the first day of school tomorrow… how’s it up there in Canada?”

“I’m fucking freezing. You don’t even understand. I can’t wait to get home.”

“Well I wish I was you right now.”

“Why?”

“You don’t have to come to school until Friday! I wish I could be far away from this hellhole.”

“Well at least you have Scarlett. I’m sure you two can find something fun to do,” Luke said cheekily.

“Oh, we always do,” Michael laughed. “Well I gotta go mate. See you when you get home on Friday.”

“Alright, bye. Let me know how the first day goes.” Luke signed off and briskly closed the computer. What was he supposed to do now? It was bitterly cold outside –inside as well- and there was nothing exciting to do around this stupid house. Oh, the perks of visiting family in Canada.

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This day could not get any more stressful. Alice hopped in the car and sped away from her strange new house. They had moved in a week and a half ago, but she still wasn’t accustomed to the new house, city, school, even friends. Well, she hadn’t exactly made any new friends yet. This is what troubled her most. Alice wasn’t the most outgoing person ever, and now that she would be dubbed the “new girl”, it would be even harder. She tried to relax as she loosened her grip on the steering wheel. She reassured herself that it would be fine, yet her heart told her differently.

As Alice pulled into the parking stall in front of this unfamiliar high school she could feel the knot in her stomach growing tighter by the second. She tried to take a deep breath as her new boots contacted the pavement. She felt as though she was being watched, but rather by a thousand judging eyes. The people waiting outside the school turned to each other to question the nature of this girl. Alice pulled her long brown hair over right shoulder and proceeded to enter the school. Everything was going to be okay, she thought to herself.

After being pointed in the right direction by a young blonde teacher who looked like she knew more about the latest celebrity gossip than how to graph a quadratic equation, Alice walked into her homeroom and claimed the only desk that wasn’t currently occupied at the back of the room.

“Welcome back students!” boomed the teacher apparently named Mr. Cooney that stood at the front of the room. “I know we’re going to have a great year!”

Oh great. He was one of those school-is-fascinating-and-I-truly-believe-you-all-want-to-be-here teachers. This was going to go over well. And Alice was right. It wasn’t.

“I would like you all to welcome the new addition to this class. Her name is Alice.” Mr. Cooney motioned for Alice to stand up.

Immediately, all eyes were on her. Alice cautiously stood up to face her new classmates. She did an awkward waving movement and quietly sat down in her seat that was almost as cold as the looks she was getting. Great. It was already off to a good start.

A boy with blue hair turned to Alice. “Don’t worry, the first day is always the worst. If you want I can help you out,” he said with wink.

A girl that had the most beautiful smile Alice had ever seen shoved his shoulder. “Michael leave her alone. Hi I’m Scarlett. So you’re new here?”

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