I slowly emerged from underneath the blankets, hoping to god that I was dreaming this whole time and we were still in Australia, and that I was going to go down stairs and find toast spread with vegemite and watch the cricket with my brother. But when I completely got out from the covers I was enveloped with the honks of cars and the yells of pedestrians, and my hope was crushed.
New York City, the concrete jungle, my new home. You might think that moving from a small town in the outback of Australia to a whole other country would be a big deal, but if you were part of my family you would understand that it's just another year. You see my brother, my mother and I have lived all over the world, moving from one place to another, without hesitation. But when you move to the city you used to call home before all the moving started, and before the big event that caused all the moving, you get a little nervous.
As I saw that I only had half an hour to get ready for my first day back at school I quickly jumped in the shower, brushed my teeth and tried untangling my wild red curls. With no such luck, I swiftly put it up in a messy bun and went to get dressed. As I was going to see all my old friends, and some enemies, I decided to make a good first impression. So I carefully did my makeup; not too much foundation as I have been told I don't need it, some eyeliner, mascara and finally some pink lip gloss. I usually don't care what I look like, but my old best friend Isabelle knew I was coming to town and we decided that this once should be an exception, so she brought me an all new outfit that complimented my newly grown into curves and made me look sort of amazing.
When my brother Sebastian and I pulled up at our new high school, we were stunned. Let's just say that 11 years ago, when I was 6, this school looked like a labyrinth that everybody needed to escape, but now it looked like paradise. The gates surrounding the school grounds were covered in ivy and the walls of the school were nicely polished brick. The inside was no less beautiful; it looked like an old beautiful mansion.
By the time I collected my timetable and arrived at my locker, I was already dizzy from all the stares I had been getting, I guess no one has forgotten about the incident before I left. Thank god I thought as I spotted Isabelle's straight black hair swishing from side to side walking straight towards me.
"You have no idea how happy I am to see you", I greet her throwing in a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She skims me up and down smirking in satisfaction. "I told you that outfit was perfect for you, and as for the 'so happy to see me', don't speak to soon, because I have a lot to debrief you on." Her smirk then grows a couple of centimetres and confusion is probably written all over my face because she leans in and whispers, "Don't look now but my brother is totally checking out your ass!" My confusion then multiplies and I say, "But Alec is gay? And Max is not old enough to be in high school?" she then laughs her award winning laugh and shakes her head ever so slightly, "my step-brother you idiot, you know the one we adopted". She then turns on her heel and motions for me to follow her to our first class.
Because we're a minute or two late, everyone else has already occupied a seat and there are only three left in the back right corner. I sit in the middle of Isabelle and the third spare seat while waiting for the teacher to begin his lesson. A couple of minutes later when I'm already engrossed in my maths AP notes, the chair next to me screeches on the floor and is suddenly occupied by the most beautiful guy, more like angel, I have ever seen.