The Timbers

Chapter 1

**Alana's POV**

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP
My alarm clock sounded

My face was buried in the soft pillows, my suffocating amount of hair was wrapped around my face and spread out over my back.

I was tired and in no hurry to get out of bed, so I just swung my hand on to my nightstand and just started hitting whatever was there.

I figured, slamming my hand down repeatedly would surely work, I mean at some point I'd end up hitting the loud clock.

Mornings? Not for me. I love to sleep, more importantly I love to dream while I sleep.  In my dreams I can create this perfect world, sometimes I don't have full control, but when I do.. It really is something. I think they call it Lucid Dreaming, I know I'm dreaming and so I control what happens.
It's my oasis
my escape.
But then, the dreaded destroyer of dreams appears and rips me from my favorite place with its loud and obnoxious call.

Today, even against my deepest wishes, I have to get up.

Today is the first day of school, specifically the start of sophomore year, and honestly I think it's better If I just throw myself to the sharks now rather than later.

I thought being a freshman sucked, I can't imagine how horrible being a sophomore is gonna be.
Everyone already made their cliques last year, they know who you are and why they don't like you..

I guess for the first day I should try to make a good impression. That all boils down to what I wear.

"I got it!" I said to myself

I picked out my high waisted black shorts and my white butterfly crop top with my red converse. I also picked up my hair in a high pony tail.

I looked at myself in the mirror.. my face was very clear and thankfully my under eyes were were not as prominently dark as they once were. I didn't really need to but on makeup, but it's necessary today, so I applied a light coat of foundation, some blush for color, and finished it out with mascara and a nude-pink lipgloss.

I got my backpack, which was full of brand new school supplies, that I enjoyed buying a little too much, and then headed downstairs.

It was around 6:30 in the morning, and when I reached the bottom of the stairs I noticed my brother Dean was cooking; scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes, and sausages... oh no.

Whenever my family cooks really big and unnecessary meals, it usually means that bad news will follow.

Reluctantly, I walked towards the kitchen and set my back pack down on the floor next to the wall. I looked at all the food he was hurriedly making and asked him,

"Dean, why is there so much food?"

"What? I can't do nice things for my family on the first day of school?" he said with a smile on his face. He smiled, but I saw right through it. He was hiding something.
"Sure you can, but you don't. And anyway isn't Tyler the one that normally cooks breakfast?"
"Well he stayed up late studying. He starts Law School soon and he already wants to be ahead of everyone. I got this little sister, just chill" he laughed.
I knew something was wrong but I couldn't be bothered with it right now, I'm so busy planning my time with my mom and dad.
They're coming back from Africa for my birthday, I'm turning 15 in a week, and I just can't wait to see them.

I haven't seen them in almost a year, 10 months to be exact, and where they are there's no cell service, so phone calls and face times are out of the question.

I've occasionally written letters, but I don't know what happens to them, I guess they don't ship to where they're staying because I never get one back...