The Other Side Of Me
Book 1: A New Beginning
Chapter One: My New Life

I need a new story. A new beginning. I want a fresh sheet of paper. I want to write my own life now, unlike the one I've lived so far. But I don't know where to start. Where should I even begin?

Well, my name is Max. I'm eighteen. I've recently moved to Australia, so legally, I can do anything. I'm starting my first year in college, which they called 'university' here. I moved here with my mother, Valencia, and my little sister, Ella. At university I'll be studying an acting degree in hope I can kick start a career in acting. Moving to Australia, I had to leave my old life behind, but I'm glad. Now, I can have a new start. I can have my new beginning.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

*SMASH*

"Freaking alarm clock," I mumbled as I lifted my hand from the mess of wires and sheets of metal. Pain shot through my arm and I glanced at my arm to see blood running freely down my palm. I groaned, cupping my bloody hand in the non-injured one. "First day of uni and I've already hurt myself." Yup, that's me, accident prone.

After a quiet trip downstairs and a whole lot of cussing later, I had a brilliant white bandage around my hand and was having a blast trying to put my hair up. After only a few seconds I sighed and left it out, it would be fine for the day. I applied a thin layer of foundation and mascara, double checking it in the mirror of the bathroom.

I walked back into my room and opened my closet. The amount of black and grey looked almost scary. I sighed, pulling out a pair of black skinnies and the lightest grey shirt I could find. I didn't want to give off the non-approachable impression. I slipped on my tattered red converse and walked out the front door.

Class starts at ten, so the house was already empty what I woke up. Ella has school at eight and mum takes her before heading off to work herself, so I guess everyone is happy. The university itself was only a twenty minute walk from the house and it was only quarter past nine, so I had lots of time to spare before class actually began. I reached the administration office where they would give me my timetable and student ID. Unfortunately, there was a long line that was being held up by a strawberry blonde kid.

"Excuse me, how could you say that I'm not enrolled here, I got the acceptance letter several months ago." You could easily tell this kid was peeved off.

"It says you're not on here…" the woman behind the desk said, typing in a few words into the system.

"Iggy Griffith, try it again." The request almost came out as a groan.

"The only Griffith I have here is James Ignatius Griffith."

"That's me! I put my preferred name as Iggy and they still can't get it in the damn system" At this point everyone had given up and wandered off, leaving me waiting behind him.

The woman behind the desk printed off some papers before handing them to the redhead. "Was there anything else Mr Griffith?"

"No, thank you," he turned around…

And walked straight into me.

"Watch where you're g-" he paused midsentence and took a look at my face. "Oh, sorry," he mumbled, his eyes never leaving mine.

I rolled my own, pushing past him, "Retard," I threw behind me.

His hand cupped my shoulder, "Sorry, just been having a real shit morning, I'm Iggy."

"Max, pleasure to meet you… James," I sent him a smirk. Now it was his turn to roll his eyes. He didn't seem like a bad looking kid. He had bright blue eyes, a proud nose and high cheekbones, fair skin and maybe his hair didn't seem so red from this angle.

"You don't sound like you live around here, where did you come from?" He asked. The genius had obviously picked up on my accent.

"I moved here from Florida to live here," I told him. His eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Wow, big move. You liking it here so far?"

"Sort of, I still don't really know my way around," I walked forward to the front desk, handing over my registration papers.

"I could show you around, if you'd like?" He offered.

I turned around to face him again and gave him a smile, "I'd like that."

The lady at the desk, whose name was Mrs McMillian, handed over my timetable for the semester along with a few other documents. I headed out the front with Iggy walking beside me.

"So what are you studying here?" I asked him as I looked at my timetable. Today I had Improvisation and Characterisation with Mrs Thompson.

"An acting degree," he said with interest, looking down at my timetable as well. "You too?" I nodded at him and he sent me a grin, throwing an arm over my shoulders. "We're going to have such a great time together, Max."

I laughed, escaping the weight of his arm and made my way to O Block where the theatrette and drama rooms where. "I suppose I'm stuck with you for the year."

A chuckle escaped his lips and smiled again, "You'll love every second of it." There was a few minutes left to spare. "So Max, what'd you do back in Florida." My breath hitched and I stopped walking. "Max?" Iggy turned back and instantly rushed back, grabbing onto both my shoulders.

I shook my head, "I didn't do much. Hung out with my friends, sung in a band for a little, then I moved here, not that interesting really."

I know he saw through the lie. "Okay," he dragged out the 'y'. "Anyway, after class we have time to spare so do you wanted to catch a movie? The Hunger Games: Catching Fire came out today and I really want to see it."

I shrugged, "Sure." Wouldn't hurt to make at least one friend in my first day of uni.

Hope you all enjoyed chapter one, or as I call the 'Pilot Episode.' As you can obviously see, no one has wings, Iggy can see and he is Australian, how's that for a twist? I chose Australia because I live here and I'm very familiar with the area, thus why I dislike writing in different settings I'm unfamiliar with, unless I do a lot of research on it. Hope you all enjoyed, leave a comment if you did.

Laura Saturn