Chapter One: A New Home
Walking off the plane at the Toronto Pearson International Airport felt strange, I was born here but I haven't lived in Toronto in years. I'm sure things had changed since then; I was coming to live with my cousin, Eli, and his parents because my parents had died in a three pile car crash a few weeks ago. I walked out of the gate and saw my cousin; he had dark brown hair and green eyes, he wore all black and had a leg brace and walked with a cane that had a skull on the handle. His face was emotionless and his eyes looked dead, he smirked when he saw me though. It didn't shake my feeling of uneasiness toward him.
"Well, baby cousin. You've changed." He said monotone.
"So have you, Eli." That was all I could say to him, I feel strange like I was intruding.
We retrieved my suitcase from the baggage claim and set off with Eli's parents; even riding in the car was awkward, Bullfrog asked me so many mind-numbing questions that I started rubbing my temples because I was contracting a headache. Eli didn't say anything; he stared out the window with a dead expression and looked at me once or twice from the corner of his eye. I wanted to ask what happened to Morty, Eli's vintage hearse, but I was afraid that I would disturb whatever thought he was in. Finally reaching their home, Bullfrog got my suitcase and Cece lead me in.
My room was near to Eli's and I noticed a padlock on the door; my room was painted with pale yellow walls with a full bed on the left side of the room and a dresser with a mirror on the other side. A small desk sat in front of the window with a lamp and printer already placed on top, I stepped in and still felt like an intruder but I appreciate that they took me into their home. I think the last thing they needed was another child to rise. I heard the thumping of a cane and stepped into the hall to see Eli putting in the combination on the lock, the cane was leaning against the wall. We met eyes; the deadness of his eyes scared me a bit and hurried back into my room, his door slammed. Bullfrog came a few minutes later with my suitcase and left me to unpack, I closed the door and unzipped my suitcase.
Once I had finishing unpacking, I placed my laptop on the desk and plugged it in so it wouldn't die. I turned on the computer and a light chime let me know someone was requesting a video chat; I looked to see who it was. My best friend, Seth Strathmore showed up on the laptop screen as I accepted the request. A boy with blonde hair and blue eyes, he waved and smiled widely.
"Hey, sexy lady," He said jokily. "How's Canada?"
"Hey, Seth, good I guess."
"You guess?"
"I just feel strange, I feel like I'm intruding on my cousin's home and Eli's seem to be the walking dead."
"What do you mean by 'walking dead'?"
"His face was expressionless and his eyes seem to have no life to them, he also has leg brace and is walking with a cane." Seth made an expression of confusing then understanding.
"Do you know why he's like that?"
"No, I never got a chance to ask. Uncle Bullfrog asked me so many questions on the ride to the house; I started to get a headache. But I'm kind of afraid to ask why, I don't want to bring up any bad memories or make him upset with me, it's strange. Just a few months ago, he sounded so happy on the phone. He was telling me about this girl named Clare and how they had some much in common, now that joy seems to have disappeared out of him."
"Maybe, he and this Clare girl broke up."
"Yeah, that's a factor and also I didn't see Morty."
"Who's Morty?"
"Eli's hearse, he drives it and no, he doesn't work for a funeral home."
"He may have crashed it."
"He loves that car, why would he crash it?"
"I don't know but I have to go to, gotta date."
"Good luck, Seth. Talk to you later."
"Bye, Bella." The window disappeared and I sighed, a knock screwed with my thought. I turned to Cece telling me it was time for dinner. At the table, we were all silent until Bullfrog broke the silence.
"So, Bella, do you like your room?" He asked with a smile.
"Yes, it's wonderful." That was the only dialogue the whole time, I offered to help Eli with the dishes and he accepted with nod. Half way through I decided to ask. "Eli, if you don't mind my asking, what happened to your leg?" He seemed to freeze for a second, his hands under the steaming water. He began moving again and looked at me again with his cold eyes.
"I don't want to talk about it." He simply said and looked at the dishes again.
We finished the dishes and Eli limped to his room again, I looked after him a bit. I went to Bullfrog in the living room and sat down next to him, it took me a minute but I finally turned to him and asked.
"Did something happen to Eli that you didn't tell me about?" I asked bluntly.
He turned to me with strange look on his face. "Eli crashed Morty after his ex-girlfriend Clare Edwards broke up with him; he broke his leg and is now seeing a therapist. He takes anti-anxiety medication."
It took my strength to not gasp in surprise; I slowly stood up and went to my room. I closed the door behind me and sat in the desk chair; I rested my chin in my palm and exhaled heavily. It was beginning to get dark and Seth hadn't sent a request, it must be a good date for it to be going so long. I went back to my suitcase, remembering my journal in the front zipper. Taking it out and opening it to a new entry, I sat on the bed and began to write everything that had happened today when I heard the door open. I looked to see Eli, limping in and closing the door behind him. I closed my journal; he stared out the window for a second then at me. The emptiness in his eyes wasn't as strong as before, he stepped toward me and sat next to me on the bed.
"I'm sorry, if I came off a little too strong earlier. I've been through a lot and I'm in a good place, I don't want to relive it." He apologized and stood up again. He began to walk out when the words slipped from my mouth.
"I know, Eli. Uncle Bullfrog told me what happened." He stopped and turned back to me. I breathed heavily as he just stared emotionless at me until turning away again and walking out of the room, I flinched when the door slammed. The door opened again and Eli poked his head in.
"You should go to bed early tonight; Bullfrog is going to take you to register at Degrassi tomorrow." He said this and slammed the door again. I took his advice and changed to my pajamas and turned off my computer, I snuggled under the covers. It was warm but it wasn't exactly home, I couldn't help but feel like I upset Eli. I hope he doesn't hold grudges, maybe tomorrow will be better.
I woke up this morning completely and utterly tired, I didn't sleep good last night and I don't why. Maybe it was the jet lag; Degrassi was big, well big to me, and everyone had uniforms. Did Eli tell about me this a few months ago, or was my Aunt or Uncle, my head's fuzzy. Walking through the front door, Eli went straight into the depths of the school and disappeared. Being registered took a while, but it eventually happened and I started as soon as I got register. I could wear my regular clothes for a few days before I got the uniform, I was only a year younger than Eli but I had an 11th grade English class. They're had to be a glitch in the system because I was a sophomore; maybe my grades from my last school were really good and English was like my heavenly match. I search through the map of the school the office gave me and navigated my way to the English class, and ran into the closed door because my face was buried in the map. I rubbed my nose as the teacher opened the door to let me in.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to- I had my face buried in the map. So yeah," I tried explaining myself which made look more like an idiot.
"It alright, you must be the new student." She said and finally let me come in. "I'm Ms. Dawes, and you are." She offered a hand for me to shake.
"Bella Goldsworthy." I said before spotting Eli. I gave Ms. Dawes a piece of paper that the office gave me for all my teachers to sign and seemed impressed.
"It's says here you're a sophomore but your English scores from your last school were exceeded expectations." She said aloud for everyone to hear as I found an empty seat next to a girl with reddish-brown hair and blue eyes. I nodded at Ms. Dawes and then she proceeded to continue teaching the class, I sunk down in my seat a little and waiting until class is over.
The bell rang and everyone quickly got up to leave, for someone who has to limp, Eli was fast. I didn't follow after him, the rest of my classes were 10th grade classes anyway. The girl that I had sat next to stopped as I was walking to Math.
"Hey, I heard that your last name is Goldsworthy."
I nodded. "Yeah, and?"
"Are you Eli's sister?"
"I'm his cousin, and you are?"
"Clare Edwards, welcome to Degrassi." When she said her name, I didn't say anything because she seemed to assume I didn't know about her and Eli.
"Bella; and thank you, now could you please help figure out this map of the school?" I asked with a laugh and she helped me find all my classes. I could see why Eli liked her so much. I spotted Eli in the hall with a boy with brown hair and blue eyes, he was smiling and laughing. It was an odd sight after yesterday, but it felt good to see him smile. I had to admit the boy he was talking to was cute, maybe Clare knew him.
Clare showed behind me as soon as I thought that. "Hey, what's your next class?"
"Uh, Art." I showed while still looking at the other boy. "Clare, what's his name?"
"Who are you talking about exactly?"
"The boy talking to Eli, what's his name?"
"Oh, that's Adam Torres. You want to meet him?" The question took me by surprise and I didn't know what to say, but Clare grasped my wrist and pulled me towards Eli and Adam.
"No, Clare wait, stop." She didn't hear me and kept pulling until we reached them.
"Hey Adam," She began but I had already back away and turned around to walk away but Clare turned me back around.
"Huh, Ms. Dawes, I left my slip of paper?" I act like I heard a teacher calling me.
"Ms. Dawes isn't around." Eli said.
"I have the ears of a wolf, can hear things from across buildings and I hear Ms. Dawes. So I'm going to go see wants, bye see you at home Eli." I turn and ran from them, knowing I looked and sounded like an idiot.
I somehow found the Art classroom during my run and went inside, Adam passed the door and I hide behind my binder. I knew I looked like an idiot in front of him and made a terrible impression, when I laid back my notebook Eli was at the classroom. Motioning his head for me to come back outside, I walked outside with him.
"What was that?" He asked while stifling a laugh.
"I was nervous to meet him, all right?"
"You don't have to be, he's coming by the house today after school anyway. Maybe you can make up for that stupid reason then." He left while still holding back a laugh. I wanted to smack him so badly right now.
Art being my last class, I hope it lasted longer than it needed to be but it felt shorter. The bell rang and I was the last person out, Eli was waiting at the front door for me. When he saw me I noticed he had to fight back another laugh.
"Will you stop laughing at me?" I demanded. "I made myself look like an idiot I know." He finally got control over himself, it was nice to see him smile and laugh but not at me. "Oh, come on." I said and walked out the front to Bullfrog waiting.