Ana POV:
Looking at myself in the mirror, I know that today is going to be a very long day. I have dark circles under my eyes that no amount of concealer will cure, my face is flushed and blotchy will dried tear stains running down my cheeks and my wayward hair has seen better days. Another nightmare. Another sleepless night. And another shitty day ahead of me. YAY!
It's always the same…
My mum's not moving. She's still. Why is she so still? I try to wake her up from my position in the passenger's seat but she just won't wake up! I scream at her telling her that she has to listen to me and move! But she's still. The taste of blood fills my mouth, the salty taste making me gag. There's blood everywhere my mother's and mine mixing together on the cars' roof below my head. Breathing through my mouth I try to find the clasp of my seat belt to get out but it's stuck. I scream out for someone, anyone but there's no one there to hear my cries. My mum still isn't moving. Mummy please! Don't leave me hear all alone. All I hear as unconsciousness starts to finally consume me are the sirens in the distance.
I shudder, turning away from my reflection. It always feels real. I don't know how long I was left there with in the car with mother, minutes, hours? But to me it felt like years.
No, stop it Ana! Don't think about it anymore. There's nothing you could have done!
Shaking my head to prevent the tears from falling, I proceed into the on suite bathroom and jump into the shower to get ready for school. Argh school! Today is my first day at Seattle Prep. A new school, new home, and a new family in the space of a week. Geez! Don't get me wrong, Claire (my foster mum) and her son David are great but this new life is a lot to take in in such a short period of time.
I lived a simple life with my mother. We weren't rich and could only afford the essentials; food, water ect.) but I was contented. My Dad died when I was born so it was just me and mum. We were best friends than mother and daughter, but it was all I knew. I miss her laugh, her smile and her cuddles on a bad day.
God I miss my mum! No Ana stop! Don't cry!
Holding back my tears I dry myself off and get dressed in my comfiest pair of jeans, a deep blue tank the matches my eyes and black slip on shoes. Descending the stairs I follow the smell of pancakes towards the kitchen. I find Claire cooking by the stove and David perched on one of the stool at the breakfast bar. Slipping onto the stool beside him he offers me a friendly smile and a "Good morning" before going back to his breakfast. Claire turns round and places a plate of pancakes, bacon and eggs. Yum!
"Did you sleep well dear?" Claire asks as she plates her breakfast up.
No. "Yes, fine thank you." I lie.
She smiles before setting her plate down and sitting on a stool opposite David. They make small talk about school while we eat. I hope they don't get me involved in the conversation about school.
"So are you looking forward to school today Ana?" Claire asks. Guess I spoke to soon.
I plaster a fake smile on my face and answer her. "Sure. Just nervous I guess." Nervous?! More like peeing my pretty lace panties!
After a few mouthfuls of my breakfast and some encouraging words from Claire, David and I head out to his car to go to school.
After a few minutes of welcomed silence, David turns the radio, streaming Gabriella Aplin through the speakers.
"Are you ok?" I look towards David who's throwing me quick glances before focusing back on the road. "You're really quiet this morning?" David enquires. I give him a reassuring smile.
"So not much different to any other morning then?" I joke. He grins knowingly.
"Ok… so you seem exceptionally quiet this morning?" David looks at me from the corner of his eye and I shrug in response. I bite my bottom lip and lower my eyes to my hands.
"Hey, don't worry Steele! It won't be that bad." After I don't say anything he continues. "I know all of this is a big change for you Ana but me and mum are here for you. It's not the same as it was with your real family but we're still here." He gives my knee a reassuring squeeze. I tense under his touch and he removes his hand immediately.
"Sorry, I forgot about the touch thing."
Yeah yeah I know. I'm a freak. I can't even receive a hug without hyperventilating.
"I know your both here and I appreciate that I really do. I just miss my mum, my home, my friends." Not that I had many friends but still. "Planting roots here after not even a month of… the accident, just seems wrong somehow. It's like I'm betraying her. Leaving it behind, leaving her behind." I stop to swallow the tennis ball sized lump in my throat. Biting my lip to prevent the tears that are welling up my eyes, I turn away from David to stare out of the window.
Pull yourself together Steele! He doesn't need your shit in his head.
"Sorry Ans." David using his nickname for my makes a small smile appear on my face.
Before I know we've arrived at school and David is waiting for me to get out of the car. He crouches down so he's eye level with me and offers me his hand.
"Come on Steele, you can't hide in the car all day." I look up at him and back down at his hand hesitantly. "I'll stay with you until you get your schedule ok?" He gives me a warm smile as I place my shaky hand into his steady one.
This is about as far as my physical capabilities go. I can hold hands, Greeeeeeat!
After he manages to pry me from the passenger seat I notice that many people are staring at us. I avert my eyes away from the curious stares and lowered my head, keeping my eyes on my shoes. On our way to the office building I noticed that David was quite the celebrity here, with many people stopping to say hellos. Most of them females I might add. I kept my head down and entertained the idea that if I can't see them then they can't see me.
Come on Ana. What are you, five years old?
"So, David." The latest hello girl starts. "Is this the newest stray you mums brought home?" She sneered.
Stray? What am I a dog? David's hand tightened on mine as I shuffle further behind him. "That's not funny Courtney and it's none of your damn business." He snaps at her and leading me towards the office.
"Sorry about her, nasty piece of work she is." He apologises.
"It's fine." I whisper.
David abruptly stops and turns to look at me. "No, it's not alright Ana. If anyone says anything like that to you again you tell me ok?" He demands.
Yeah right. Like I'm going to bother you with my problems.
"Ok." I reply. He gives me a satisfied nod before opening the door and allowing me in first, letting go of my hand. I give him a small smile as I pass him into the office. Walking up to the desk, he gives my details to women behind the desk and retrieves my schedule and books for me.
"I made sure that we had the same lunch period so meat I outside here ok?" I nod and smile gratefully to him before exiting the office to go in search of my locker. After stuffing the unneeded book away into my assigned locker David looks down at my schedule and leads me down a hallway. After he stops by a door marked 207 he turns to me.
"You have advanced English now with Mr. Carter. Don't worry he's friendly. Remember, if anyone harasses you, you come to me ok?" David looks at me expectantly and I nod in response to his question.
"Good." He said obviously satisfied. He threw me an encouraging smile and gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze before turning and heading to class. I sigh as I turn back towards to door labelled 207. It might as well have the numbers 666 written on there from the way I'm feeling.
Walking through the door, I see every pair of eyes turn towards me. I think I must have blushed seven shades of Sunday under their intense gazes. Breathe Ana. Just breathe! The teacher looked up at me as I handed over my slip and offered me a welcoming smile before telling me where to sit.
"I'll move you to the front next class, but for now that's the only available seat at the back I'm afraid." I nodded as I headed towards the back to take my seat. I could hear whispers from people as I walked towards the back. I kept my head down to avoid any eye contact. I found my seat and quietly sat down trying to go unnoticed. Yeah right! Like that was ever going to happen Ana. I shuffled as far down as I could in my seat.
"Just go along until you catch up ok Anastasia?" Mr. Carter's voice jolted me back up in my seat. I nodded and he returned to the lesson. Reaching into my bag I retrieved my note book and continued looking for the pen that I hope I packed. After coming up empty I curse myself for not coming prepared. I looked to right to find a group of girls sat huddled close together on a table staring at me. The red-head said something and laughed trying to muffle the sounds with their hands. I quickly whipped my head round, using my hair as a shield from their stares.
"So what do you think the author meant by that statement ah… Mar. Grey?" Suddenly all females eyes were refocused on my table, but to my relief they weren't focused on me.
"That he disagreed with many of his own characters throughout the novel." A smooth angelic voice replied close to my ear. The hair on the back of neck rose at the sound of his voice.
"Correct." Mar. Carter mumbled.
I turned my head to left to discover the owner of that husky, perfect voice. My eyes went wide at the site before them. The perfect voice, for the perfect face. He was breathtakingly beautiful. Perfectly sculpted cheekbones, straight nose and lips that screamed ready to be kissed. He had a mop of unruly copper hair sitting on top of his marvellous head, strands turning gold and red from the light streaming through the classroom windows. I couldn't help but stare at the wonderful specimen sat next to me.
Suddenly, as if feeling my eyes on him, his head whipped round towards me revealing the most smouldering pair of eyes that I have ever seen. The pools of grey were intense as they locked with my blue ones. He held me in a daze that had me feeling as if he could through my very soul. Raising his perfectly arched eyebrow he looked at me expectantly.
I opened my mouth to speak but my brain decided that it didn't want to work and had to play catch up. Good one Ana. He probably thinks you're a freak with your mouth hanging open like a bloody goldfish! SPEAK WOMEN!
Blinking a few times to snap myself out of my blurry state I broke away from his fierce gaze. Licking my lips to moisten them I turned back towards the god like boy. He raised both his brows at me, looking irritated at my staring. Great Way to make friends around here Ana, just stare at them all freaking day. Nice!
"Sorry." I whispered swallowing hard. "Do you have a pen that I could borrow?"