Rory Daniels has never done anything particularly spectacular.
She's lived comfortably in the same old town in Illinois for all 17 years of her life, until her parents sit her down one Tuesday afternoon and give her the news that no teenage girl ev...
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01 THE FIRST DAY
I groan as I open my eyes, the light streaming in through the bare windows attacking my eyeballs the second I crack open my eyes. After laying still for a good few moments, one terrifying thought manages to creep it's way into my head.
It's the first day of school.
Well, for me. Why my dad couldn't have been offered the job-of-a-lifetime last summer is beyond me. Instead, Christmas is when my parents received the joyful news that led to many sleepless nights on my behalf and left me to become the new girl who joins school a third of the way through the year.
When I finally manage to drag my body from the warmth of my bed, I cross my unfamiliar bedroom to my equally unfamiliar bathroom, slamming the door violently behind myself in hope that my mom will get the message that I'm not in the mood to be tested today.
Sighing, I quickly jump in the shower after locating my shower gel and hair wash from one of the many brown boxes littering my room, rinsing off the grime of the 24 hours of travelling I've just endured.
The dark roots showing through the top of my blonde hair do nothing to disguise the fact that I definitely am not a natural blonde. So I leave my hair down and straighten it, before spending twice my usual amount of time picking out an outfit.
For school back home I'd throw on my black jeans and a warm hoodie and call it a day and although I'm mildly tempted to do just that, the California heat and the fact that this will be my first impression on everyone makes me think my outfit through more carefully.
After eventually changing into my black jeans and a white crop top I make my way downstairs to where my mom is pouring out a smoothie, her dark hair piled into a bun on top of her head.
"Morning, honey." she holds the smoothie out to me, a small and hopeful smile on her face.
A peace offering.
"Morning, mom." I kiss her cheek, taking the smoothie from her and giving her a hug. "Have you slept yet?"
"I only got off shift a few hours ago, so I'll wait up until your dad gets home." I nod, taking a sip of my smoothie and smiling, wrapping my hands around the flask. "Are you excited for your first day?"
"More nervous," I mumble.
"You'll make friends in no time."
I roll my eyes, checking the time on my phone.
It's like she never even went to high school.
"I gotta go, love you mom." I call, heading for the door.
"Your dad and I won't be home tonight!" she calls out after me as I reach the door and I turn, opening the front door and waiting for her to finish. "Your dad's got a big surgery to do and I'm working the night shift."
