Head In The Stars

Chapter One

"Avril.. Avril.. Avril! Wake up!"
I jerk my head up and look around. I'm laying on my stomach, on the floor of my bedroom. My phone lays a few feet away. I roll over onto my back and cover my face with my hands in an attempt to keep the light from blinding me.
"Avril. What are you doing?" I look up to see my older brother, Hunter, staring at me from the doorway.
"Laying on my floor?" I offer with a small smile.
"What were you doing?" He asks.
"Umm good question," I reply. I spot my book by my feet. "Reading, I'm assuming."
"Jeez, Avril," Hunter says. "Most older brothers have to scold their sisters for partying or boys but here I am, telling you not to stay up late reading."
"Technically you haven't scolded me yet," I point out.
"Avril Connor?"
"Yes?"
"Don't stay up late reading. Alright?" And with that, he walks down the hall and to the kitchen. "Hurry up so you can eat!"
I groan to myself and stand up. I throw my phone on my bed and then leave my bedroom, walking to the kitchen.
Hunter looks and sighs as I walk in.
"What?" I ask.
"School," he says. "Go get dressed. Then you can eat."
I roll my eyes but obey, walking back to my room to grab some clothes.
My parents died in a car accident a couple years ago. They had quite a bit of money and the house was already paid off. Hunter had just turned eighteen and decided to stay here and take care of me. I'm sixteen now and he is twenty.
I walk back into the kitchen, wearing white shorts and a blue hoodie. My long, blonde hair falls down my back in soft waves.
"Ready?" Hunter asks.
I spin around, showing off what I'm wearing. "Ready," I reply and sit down at the table.
Hunter slides a pancake onto my plate and smiles. He kisses my cheek and ruffles my hair as he walks back to the sink.
I scowl, wiping my cheek and patting down my hair. "I'm not two you know," I say.
Hunter chuckles and turns to look at me. We both have the same blonde hair and light brown eyes. "You'll always be my little sister," he replies.
"You're supposed to hate me!" I cry out. "Tease me, steal my things, embarrass me. Well, you actually do an okay job with the embarrassing part."
"I try," Hunter says. "Now hurry up! You have school and I need to get ready for work!"
"You have the bossy part down too," I mutter and eat my breakfast.
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"Avril!"
I groan and turn to see my friend Charlie leaning against his locker. Which is right beside mine. And Charlie is highly annoying.
"Yes?"
"Guess what!" He exclaims. He's almost buzzing with excitement and immediately, I grow suspicious.
"What?" I say cautiously.
"It's Friday!" Charlie grins. I smile as we high five.
"Yes!" I cheer.
"Oh. And..," Charlie trails off. I raise an eyebrow skeptically.
"And?" I ask quietly.
Charlie smirks and snaps his fingers right in my face. I glower at him but before I can do anything, he disappears down the hall.
I don't know why or when it started, but Charlie and I have this competition where we snap our fingers in the other's face. There's no real way to tell who the winner is. We're just both waiting for the other to give up.
And let me tell you, I'm never giving up.
"Hey! Avril!"
I turn to see my other friends Miley and Teagan hurrying down the hall towards me.
"Hey!" I greet as they reach me.
"Where's Charlie?" Miley asks.
"I was wondering the same thing," I say. "That little bugger."
"I'm not going to ask," Teagan says, shaking her head.
I shrug. "It's probably better not to anyways."
"Miss me?" A voice teases. I turn to see Charlie standing beside me. I glare at him.
"Not at all," I tell him smugly.
He rolls his eyes and scoffs. "Flattery gets you nowhere."
"You two," Teagan comments.
"Guess what?" I say, ignoring her remark.
"What?" Miley asks.
"It's Friday!" I exclaim.
"You wouldn't have known if I hadn't told you," Charlie tells me.
"I would have figured it out!" I snap.
"You sure, blondie?" He asks. I frown.
"Hey!" I exclaim.
"What?" Charlie says innocently. "You're only like a real life example of the phrase blonde moment."
"Says you!" I sneer. "Idiot."
"Guys!" Teagan says, Miley just smirks.
"Anyways," I say and shoot a look at Charlie. "We should hang out today."
"You have food at your house?" Miley asks. I nod. "Okay, I'm in," she says with a smile.
"Is Hunter going to be home?" Teagan asks while Miley and Charlie look at me eagerly.
I shrug. "I don't know. Maybe. Who really cares?!"
"I do!" Teagan exclaims. Miley nods in agreement.
Did I mention that my friends think Hunter is a god or something? Because they do.
"Listen!" I snap. "Hunter is my brother. My brother."
"So?" Miley asks.
"He's four years older than us!" I exclaim.
"Has age ever stopped us before?" Teagan asks.
"No," Charlie answers. "As long as he's hot, you shallow bitches are all over him."
"Eww! Don't make comments like that involving my brother," I protest.
"I'm talking about all boys," he replies. "And it's true."
"Yeah and you're only in for the good personalities," Teagan retorts sarcastically.
"Yes, I am," Charlie replies. We all give him a pointed look. "Okay! Fine. I'm in it for the looks."
"That's what I thought," Miley says.
"It's the truth. The sad truth," I mutter. Teagan laughs.
"Who is that?!" Charlie asks suddenly.
"I don't know," I reply without looking. "Go ask one of your little gossip buddies."
"Okay, we've been over this before," he tells me. "They're only my side bitches. You're the mains. But anyways! You really should look, Avril."
"Oh my god. Avril, look," Miley says.
With a sigh, I reluctantly turn and look to see what they're talking about.
I try to keep my jaw off the floor as I notice the guy walking down the hall. He's obviously new and every female almost swoons as he walks by.
He has this really dark, almost black, hair and tan skin. The look is completed with a pair of the brightest blue eyes I've ever seen. He's wearing a dark leather jacket and you can tell that he knows how good looking he is.
"Damn," Charlie says under his breath. I nod in agreement.
"That's just what this town needs," Teagan mutters.
"A bad boy!" Miley gushes as if she's talking about some fictional character. She probably is comparing him to a character from one of her tv shows at the moment.
"Don't say that," Teagan tells her. "It doesn't sound right."
Miley and Charlie erupt into laughter. I sigh and exchange a look with Teagan.
"He's coming this way!" Miley hisses. I've never wanted to hit her more. What is this? Some girly, teenage reality show?
"He is fine!" Charlie says. I step on his foot.
"Ow!" He complains. "Bitch!" He's quiet after that though.
The new guy walks by us. I know for a fact that Miley is not so secretly checking him out. Charlie turns away and pretends to be totally focused on opening his locker.
I look up just as the guy does and, of course, our gazes meet. He winks at me before disappearing into a classroom down the hall.
I feel my checks starting to burn. Why could I not have had some smooth reaction? I just stood there like an idiot! I mentally slap myself in the face.
"Damn," Charlie says.
Did I mention that Charlie is gay? Because he is and I haven't decided if that makes him more annoying or not.
"Avril!" Miley exclaims.
"Aww," Teagan gushes. I shoot her a glare.
"What was that?" Charlie smirks.
"God," I mutter. "I hate him already. He's obviously highly obsessed with himself."
"Himself, and you."
I kick Charlie in the leg just as the bell rings.
*
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Sorry, if it's a slow start. But overall, how'd you like the first chapter?
A lot of the arguing and phrases come from my daily life involving my friends. Including the snapping game that Charlie and Avril play, that is very real.
The main character, Avril, is not based on myself though.
~Cambrie