A Beautiful Tragedy

Chapter 1:

·Bree·

           When the plane dips, so does my stomach. I clench the sides of my seat holding on for my dear life. This was it, I was going to die on my first plane ride that I ever had. I was never going to have a bestfriend that would have my back or a boyfriend who would comfort me. I would never land in Mission Creek and have the best senior year.

           As the plane dips again, I start to feel the potatoes and pasta that I had for lunch creeping up my body. I double over, in attempt to make the unwanted food stay in my stomach but it does not help. The sense of nausea hits me like a punch and I taste something grossly acidic in my mouth. Anytime soon, I was going to throw up and I would look like a complete fool in front of all the passengers. I glance beside me and see that the man sitting next to me was inching closer to the window.  “Probably to avoid my puke later on” I thought.  

           I try to maneuver my sickly self to the nearest bathroom as fast as possible, but an attendant blocks my way.

           “I am sorry ma’am, but we are expecting unexpected turbulence and we must have everyone stay in their seats,” She smiles sweetly.

           She gestures me to my uncomfortable economy seat and I glumly go back. This was going to be a long flight.

*****

           Once the plane landed, I quickly grab my backpack from underneath my seat and try to get out of the flying coffin. With a lot of pushing and shoving, I am finally able to get out of the flying contraption and into the airport.

        Still a bit air-sick, I head to Starbucks and sit down at a secluded table while making a call.

           Please leave a message after the tone…beeeeeeeeep.

           “Hey Grams, it’s me Bree. I just got off the plane and now I am in Mission Creek! I will give you another call once I am at the apartment. Love you”

           I hang up and look around the café. I see many tired passengers ordering coffees and trudging to a place to seat. I wonder what brings them to Mission Creek. I grab my backpack and stand up, heading to the baggage claim. There, I grab my 2 black suitcases and start to walk to the exit.

           As I open the door, a sudden gust of cool wind caresses my face. Nothing like the humid hair in Arizona. I stand there for a good two minutes, embracing the fall weather that Mission Creek has to offer until someone shoves me out of the way. I snap out daydreaming and try look for an available taxi. Walking around the front of the airport, I am able to find an Uber instead.

           “Hello, are you free?” I ask.

           The man nods and come out to help me with my baggage.

           “Women and their baggage,” He grunts in annoyance as he attempted to lift my stuff in the trunk of the car.

           Not knowing what to say in a response, I slip in the back seat and buckle myself up. The man finally manages to make my baggage fit in the back and returns in the driver seat.

           “Where to?” He says.

           “3452 Calian Drive” I effortlessly say.

           “That is an hour drive from here. That is going to be two hundred bucks lady,” He remarks.

           I hand him two hundred dollars, earning me a shocked expression from the driver. Obviously he was not expecting me to pay up that quick.

           He snatches the money away and his mood changes in an instance.

           “And what is your name young lady?” He cheerfully asks.

           “Bree. Bree Kemper.”

*****

           During the car drive I was not tired and decided to look at the scenery. As we pass by, I see trees slowly shifting from green to yellow and red and many people walking in the fresh autumn weather. Such a beautiful sight. I was engulfing in the surroundings so much that we arrived at my new home in an instant. We started to slow down in front of my new home when I suddenly get butterflies in my stomach. This was it! I was actually going to live here! I open the car door and inhale the crisp air. I need to stop doing that.

I see that the man has already brought out my luggage and is smoking a cigarette. Ugh a smoker! I wrinkle my face in disgust and grab my stuff while approaching the apartment. It does not take me too long to find my apartment, considering that it was the first building that I approached. I fish out my key and open the door. Welcome home Bree…

*****

          

           “Here,” Principle Perry shoves in my hand.

           I quickly grab my class schedule before it falls to the floor and stand up to meet the principal's eyes again. It was my first day in Mission Creek High school and one of the school staff already hated me.

Principle Perry was one of those people that you would want to avoid. She was a large woman with a sly smile and whose breath smelled like a tuna sandwich. Not an appealing woman.

“Listen here, I know you are new and all, and I am supposed to show you around and stuff, but I am not going to do any of that. Just try to survive and don’t make a fool out of yourself.”

I am taken back at her remark, hoping that this was some sort of joke. However, after a few minutes standing there, I knew that she meant every word she said. I smile sweetly at her and walk out from of her office in a confident way, hoping that I would show her that I did not need her help, but of course, something got in the way. Almost immediately coming out of the office, I get trampled by a group of kids that happened to be near the exit. I fall to the ground and bang my head against the locker, feeling a headache coming on. I hear snickering behind me and see Principle Perry laughing at what happened. I immediately start to feel my face redden and tears coming. While a tried to get myself up again, I see an extended hand in front of my face.

I look at the person who was willing to help me and see a boy around my age. He had brown hair in a pretty unoriginal haircut and had hazel eyes that I could not seem to look away from.

“Well, are you going to take my hand or are you going to keep looking at me like that?” The mysterious boy questions with a sarcastic tone.  

Once more, I blush like a tomato and take his hand, feeling an immense strength pulling me up from the ground. He lets go of my hand which made feel a bit disappointed inside. Come on Bree, you only met this guy. And he is being nice out of pity.   As I grab my books and paper from the ground feel everyone’s eyes on me from behind. Way to be subtle Bree, now you will be known throughout the school.

As I stand up again, I turn around to thank the boy, but he was already walking away from me into the crowd of students.