Afraid // Calum Hood

Chapter 1 // Moving In

Adelaide's Point of View

I was destined to live in Australia. My parents wouldn't have named me after the city if I wasn't supposed to live there for at least a portion of my life. Ever since I was a child I would spin the globe in my grandfather's study and my fingers would always find them tracing over the continent as if I was subconsciously yearning to travel there.

When the whole "go to university to get a degree to get a stable and boring career" thing didn't work out, I knew that a change in scenery was exactly what I needed.

And this scene that was unraveling in front of me was more than picturesque. It was absolutely stunning. The main window of my new temporary home portrayed the view of the crystal blue ocean and fluffy white sand. The waves were continously crashing along the nearly empty beach, considering there were only two houses on this section of the beach, and one of them was mine.

I suppose the house itself was a bit larger than I had expected, and the three bedroom might make me feel lonely since I was all by myself, but I adored it's charm and location. It had a gigantic kitchen with dark brown cabinets that were the same color of the espresso I love to drink every morning. It was peaceful and cozy, and I knew this would be the perfect place to find myself and discover what I truly want to achieve in life, before I go spend thousands of dollars in tuition for a job that I'm not even interested in.

My last suitcase was unpacked tightly into the chestnut dresser, filling me with a sense of relief that I could finally take the nap that I was longing for as soon as my feet stepped off of the plane and was hit with the warm Australian air.

Quickly, I sent a message to my mother to assure that I was settled in safely and that I would go out this evening to find some friends to accompany me on this journey. I nestled my head onto my pillow that was resting on the top of my new mattress in my new bedroom.

Naturally, I picked the biggest room to sleep in, but it also happens to be the room with the ugliest color of paint that I've ever seen. It was a mix between a burnt orange and a baby pink. Maybe the previous owners took inspiration from a fading sunset. Despite whatever their thought process was, I needed to fix it.

I swaddled the lightweight sheet tighter to my body and sighed. I was perfectly content. The glass window was cracked open slightly, initiating a gentle breeze that would sweep over my eyelashes from time to time. I could hear leaves rustling with each small gust of wind and the aroma of tanning oil was seeping through my nostrils each time I inhaled.

--

As soon as my eyelids fluttered open, I realized I had been sleeping for hours. This jet lag was going to take some time to get used to. My legs wobbled down the creaking staircase until I managed to get to my coffee maker and pour myself a cup. I clutched the mug in between my palms, feeling the warmth radiate against them. As I lifted the cup to my lips, I glanced out towards the ocean and saw a tall boy sitting in front of it, admiring the view in the same way I was.

The guy spun around, seeming deflated, and he suddenly noticed me from outside. Immediately he was sprinting towards the back door that led to the small porch that overlooked the waters. His fists were clenched together and he looked genuinely pissed off.

I set my cup down on the counter, the clinking sound echoing throughout the empty home. My eyes widened as he ran all the way up the steps and banged on my back door, screaming profanities at me.