Discovering Everley

CHAPTER 01 | Unexpected

I DIDN'T EVER RECALL BEING THIS SORT OF PERSON; a person without plans and not having the faintest idea about what they were doing.

I was Everley Ronan – organised (some argued a bit too much), neat, hardworking, intelligent and sometimes a control freak (some argued all the time). I was the type of person who finished homework the day it was given. The type of person who actually used the diary planner provided by school that many others had thrown out or neglected. The type of person who had everything sorted out.

Until today.

I was pacing back and forth, ignoring the scattered mess of clothes that lay across my bed and floor. Had this been any other normal day, those clothes would have been neatly folded in my drawers or hung up in my closet, but this wasn't just another normal day.

Usually I planned my outfit the day before, but it seemed that no matter how much thought and planning I had put into this, I wasn't prepared at all.

I am calm and collected. Calm and collected.

I can do this.

That had been the mantra I had been repeating to myself for the past fifteen minutes. Or was it thirty?

Shit!

I checked my watch to realise it was nearly seven fifteen. Great, I was going to be late for school today, of all days. Counting to ten and taking two deep breaths, I forced myself to quickly look up at my reflection.

I never particularly liked how I looked, like I was washed out - pale skin, light blonde hair and grey eyes. I sighed in resignation. This was as good as it would get.

Stop being so nervous. I've planned everything out, nothing to worry about.

I exhaled, hoping to rid some of the anxiety I was feeling. Today was the day. Today was it. Today was the day I'd confess my feelings to Caleb.

Caleb Archer was the golden boy of Elsternwick Hills High. He was absolutely gorgeous with his blonde hair and green eyes, causing majority of the girls at our school to become infatuated with his good looks. It didn't stop there though, he was well-rounded; popular, handsome, athletic, smart, funny and nice, all qualities which were rare to come by in the male population my age. To sum it up, he was perfect.

I'd been crushing on him since the beginning of freshman year, and now that we were both in senior year, I felt the need to tell him how I felt. After all, it was our final year of high school before everyone parted ways and I didn't want to leave with any feelings of regret.

I just hoped he wanted more than friendship.

Without realising it, I had been chewing on my lower lip. Damn it, this was not me, I wasn't meant to be all nervous and jittery.

Checking one last time in the mirror, I gave myself a firm nod and a small hopeful smile before grabbing my bag and heading out the door.

* * *

Somehow I'd made it to school just before homeroom had started. I sighed in relief and took my usual seat before opening up my books and going through my notes.

Most of the other kids didn't bother using their time wisely in homeroom, and used the ten minutes provided to mess around or catch up with the latest gossip. Unlike them, I preferred to use this time productively.

"Xander Myers?" the teacher called, looking across the room to no avail. However, just as the teacher decided to mark him absent, the said person entered the room.