Chapter 1 •friends•

Zoey

I stepped out into the dry Australian heat and relished in it. I was used to rainy, overcast weather and this was such a refreshing change. Ella told me that they were having a snow day back in Boston, but in Syndey it was summer. I knew it would be weird to not have a white Christmas in a few weeks.

I walked down to the bus stop and waited with a crowd of other teenagers. I had a weird disliking for teens, considering I was one.

When the bus pulled up we all got in slowly. I managed to get the one person seat all the way in the back, which I was thankful for. A boy leaned over and tapped my shoulder.

"Your uniform's riding up." He whispered. I looked down and saw he was right. I groaned and tugged on the pinafore. I already hated it. Dresses weren't my thing for this exact reason. I wanted to sit like a guy without everyone seeing me on full display.

"Thanks." I mumbled.

"Are you new?" He asked. I looked at him and nodded. He had brown hair and brown eyes. His skin was pretty tanned and he was smiling warmly. "I'm Calum and before you ask, no I'm not Asian."

I laughed as I realized that he did in fact look Asian. I should know considering my mom's from Japan.

"Well, I'm Zoey and I am Asian. Actually...half Asian." I smiled back and tucked my hair behind my ear.

"I thought you were Mexican." He said and laughed some more. He had infectious laughter, I soon found myself chuckling along.

"I look more like my dad, who was El Salvadorian."

"So where are you from?" He asked.

"I grew up mostly in Boston."

The bus pulled up to the school that I would now be stuck in for nine months. I hoped I would be able to make the best of it, if only to get my mother off my back. She insisted that I was a 'good for nothing, trouble making, snot nosed brat' who didn't appreciate a thing shed done. Her words, not mine.

We all piled off the bus and started making our way into hell, formerly known as 'West Chester Secondary School'. I was setting my expectations low so as not to be disappointed. I call it being realistic, but my mother calls it pessimism.

"Most kids go to the gymnasium before the first bell, but my friends and I meet out in the back lot." Calum told me.

"Mind if I tag along?" I asked. If this experience was going to be pleasant, I would need to make friends. This seemed like the perfect opportunity.

"Not at all."

He lead me to the back lot, which was a small slab of pavement. I doubted it could hold more than twenty-five cars. Three other boys were gathered around a small car chatting. They were all blonds and while they weren't all that tall, they were still taller than me. That's not hard to fathom considering I was just over five one.

Two of the boys looked over at Calum and then at me, shock registering in their features. One had the brightest blue eyes, one had the most brilliant hazel eyes and one had deep emerald eyes.

"Uh...hi?" Hazel eyes said.

"Dude." Calum sighed. "Guys this is Zoey. These are my best friends, Ashton, Luke, and Michael.

"Hi." I said and pulled on my backpack, bringing it around. I grabbed the white squish-able ball and started kneading it with my fingers.

"What's that for?" Michael asked. He was the one with the pure green eyes.

"It's a stress ball."

"What's stressing you?" Ashton asked. He had the hazel eyes, they were a perfect mixture of green and gold.

"Maybe it's you guys." Calum suggested. I smiled and shook my head.

"No...where do I start? My mother suggested I study abroad to get my life in check, so now I have to meet people and I have pretty bad anxiety, and I'm trying to quit smoking, but being in a new place all together makes me really want a cigarette." I rushed and squeezed the ball in my fist as I rocked back and forth on my heels. To say that I was freaking out would be a major understatement. "And - God, now I'm starting to panic and-"

Michael cut me off by hugging me. He gave nice hugs, but it was weird. I mean - we just met. Nevertheless, I found myself relaxing.

"Sorry," he backed away, "I just read somewhere that hugs help with panic attacks. Actually I have a panic disorder and it works for me so..."

"Thanks. And, sorry for like totally freaking out." I mumbled, blushing.

"That's the last thing that you should ever apologize for." Ashton said and Luke nodded. The blue eyed boy didn't seem to say much. That was okay though, everyone talks too much anyway.

••

After school, Calum invited me over to his house. He said they hung out after school almost every day and that I was welcomed anytime. I took him up on the offer, knowing I'd need to make friends in order to make my mother happy.

We went into the kitchen for a snack, where I met Mali-Koa, Calum's older sister. I was shocked by how similar they looked, they could've been twins. It was kinda freaky, actually.

When we were done getting our snacks we went downstairs and the boys started taking turns playing fifa, as there were only two remotes. They asked if I wanted to ppl lay, but I wasn't sure how so I said no.

"We'll get you to plkay eventually, just like Ash." Michael said, bound and determined to make it happen.

I smiled, watching the boys insult ach other and yell at the pixelized players, realizing that I might've actually made some friends.