Chapter One
There's always something thrilling about the first day of school. The excitement of having an excuse to see your best friends every day. The buzz the comes from catching up on all the summer gossip. The rush of putting on your best face, showing the world how you've grown in the last three months – and seeing how much everyone else has changed too. Maybe this is the year, some think, maybe they will finally notice me. Maybe this is the year that I make the team or become popular. This is the year I'll bring my grades up, make student government.
The first day of school, like most beginnings, is usually filled with hope.
This was not one of those days.
I woke to the trilling of my alarm, my phone shinning 6:30am too brightly for me to look at without one eye closed. I hit snooze and let my head unceremoniously flop back to my pillow. The hazy memory of my dream wrapped around my mind comfortably, enticing me to stay put in bed. I ached to fall back asleep, reaching for the dream as it slipped like smoke through the net of my mind. I lay in the dark, clinging to that comfortable feeling, that familiar scent, that overwhelming sense that this was right, that I was home.
My alarm went off again, 6:37am.
The groan I let out was muffled by my pillow as I rolled over to turn off my alarm, bracing myself for the cold of morning as I threw off my fluffy grey duvet.
The sun was just rising, I could see it's gold fingers peeking through my curtains as I went through the motions of getting ready. My morning routine was second nature to me by now, something my mother made sure to ingrain into me. She had never put appearances before what was in my head, but she always made sure I could wield both effectively. My mother was a woman that faced every day like it was a battle, and as a female in a predominately male field, it often was. But I wouldn't let her down by facing the day with any less determination then she had.
Even though the memories of her threatened to shatter my tough mask.
Even though every day in this god forsaken town was another reminder of everything I had lost.
Don't get me wrong, Beacon Hills was a nice, quiet little town. It was pretty, with expansive forests and friendly people. But quiet little towns weren't really my speed and I wasn't prepared for the infamy of being the new girl that switched schools halfway into the year. The new girl with the dead mother. The second half of my freshman year had not been a walk in the park and the summer only mildly better. But it was a new year, and it's not like sophomore year could possibly get worse, right?
I did my best to shake off my melancholy thoughts.
The routine of getting ready was good for me, I hardly had to think about it as I fixed my messy blonde hair into neat curls, covered the bags under my eyes and painted life into my sallow cheeks. By the time I was dressed in my favorite high waisted, black, skinny jeans, cornflower blue top, ankle boots and suede jacket, I felt much more prepared to face the first day of school. My mom always said, "when you look good, you feel good," and, as in many things, she was right.
My Aunt Emma and Uncle Nate were already up and ready to go by the time I made my way to the kitchen for some breakfast. They were early risers and horrendously cheerful morning people but had learned months earlier that I was most definitely not. I preferred quiet mornings and large cups of coffee. They had taken to making sure one was ready to revitalize me when I stumbled down the stairs.
"Good morning, Len," Uncle Nate murmured as he passed me my coffee, "ready for your first day? You're officially a sophomore."
He smiled softly as I made a face and muttered something along the lines of 'don't remind me.' Everything about Nate was soft, all kind eyes, soothing voice and calm demeanor. He was an easy man to be around, but his quiet manners and relaxed attitude hid the steel will beneath. The combination made him a fantastic doctor and a perfect match for my equally strong-willed aunt. She matched his calm with a fiery disposition and a no-bullshit attitude – common traits in the females of our family. She knew what she wanted and made sure she got it. Like when she first set eyes on Nate back in college and told my mother, very matter-of-factly, that he would be her husband one day.
I smiled into my mug at the memory of my mother recounting the incident, and my aunt's smug grin and proud confirmation.
"She'll be fine." Aunt Emma waved his question away, plopping a plate of toast and eggs before me. "Iver women are nothing if not capable." She finished with a wink before spinning away, gathering bag and a few files she'd been working on the night before. Her and Nate had a system, she cooked in the mornings and he did the dishes when she left for work. He generally had later shifts at the hospital and she tended to forget to clean up after herself. "You've got everything you need, right? Car has a full tank? Pencils? Books?"
"Yes, Aunt Emma. Are you doubting the Iver women now?" I quipped with an eye roll and fake glare. Iver was her maiden name and, as my mother never married, it was my name too.
"Never." She kissed my head, gave Nate a peck and was out the door in a flash.
"She has far too much energy in the mornings." I grumbled half to my plate of eggs and half to Uncle Nate.
He chuckled, "She keeps us on her toes." He downed the remainder of his coffee, fond smile on his lips. "Just leave the plate in the sink when you're done. I'll clean up before I head to work," he instructed as he made his way out of the kitchen, pausing in the doorway, "And have a good first day, Elenore."
I smiled and assured him I would before turning back to finish my eggs.
My Aunt and Uncle were great people. Kind, smart, successful. But they had never wanted children, it was only due to unfortunate circumstance that they had been stuck with me. Of course, they never said it, always assured that I was welcome here, but I could never shake the sense that I was just one big inconvenience. A stain on their otherwise perfect lives.
I finished my breakfast in a hurry, giving my plate a quick rinse before hustling through the door. I paused outside, taking in the perfect morning of what could be a beautiful day and as I stood on the front porch, with the sun rising in front of me and the slight chill in the air energizing me, I promised myself it would be just that.
It was a short drive to Beacon Hills High School, which I was rather disappointed about. I had decided quickly once I was out of the hustle, bustle and traffic that was New York City, and once I had free reign over my mom's rarely used Mini Cooper, that I loved driving. It was relaxing, almost cathartic, to be able to belt out any song you were feeling as your cruised down quiet roads. But the good mood I had built-up on the ride over was quickly crushed as I walked towards the school doors.
"Elenore."
"Lydia." The redhead and I faced off, our tones sharp. I wasn't sure when it happened, or how, maybe it was when she saw her jock boyfriend trying to flirt with me, or when I proved to be actual competition for top of the class, or maybe when I said she was shallow, self-centered and would make much more of herself if she stopped acting like a dumb bimbo, but somewhere in my short time at Beacon Hills we became irrefutable rivals. She was the queen bee here, but I had always been too proud, too stubborn to back down from a competition.
"Did you get a late start? You're looking a bit rumpled," she asked in mock concern.
"Anything would be a late start compared to you, Lydia. I'm sure your good looks take time to perfect." She bristled, but before she could deliver what I'm sure would have been a perfectly crafted barb, one of her bleach blonde friends bounded up.
"Lydia! And Elenore." She nodded in my direction before turning back to the redhead. "You look fantastic. Are you ready for the first day of sophomore year?"
"Of course, Abigail. It's just another day." Lydia replied, snapping at the other girl's enthusiasm and stalking away from me and towards the school entrance.
I couldn't help but roll my eyes. While we were undeclared rivals, I had to appreciate some things about Lydia. She was brilliant, that was undeniable. I worked hard to beat her in classes and still lost more often than not. And it was impressive how she had nearly the whole school wrapped around her finger, without even really trying. Maybe the fact that it was so hard to get or hold her attention was what did it.
My musing was confirmed when a tall, lanky, pale kid in our grade tried, and failed, to get her attention as she walked through the doors. His dejected, "and you're ignoring me. Great." Was enough to spark my sympathy. He was definitely one of those kids that came into the first day hopeful that 'this was the year they were going to notice me'.
"Might want to reconsider chasing after that one." I offer tentatively.
Judging by his surprised and slightly embarrassed face as he whipped around to look at me, he wasn't excepting anyone to have noticed his attempt to get Lydia's attention and wished no one had, "No, that's not – I mean, I'm not. Lydia? Noo." He chuckled nervously, and I raised an eyebrow, fighting back a smile.
"My mistake then." I didn't push the issue of his obvious crush, "Stiles, right?"
"Er, yeah."
"Elenore." I offered my hand and he stared at it a moment before shaking it.
"Yeah, uh, I know. I mean – of course, we're, uh, in the same grade." I smirked as he fidgeted, still seemingly surprised I was shaking his hand.
"Well, now we've officially met. Have a good first day, Stiles." I dropped his hand with a smile, turning to make my way inside. First period was about to start, and I didn't want to be late on my first day.