I open my eyes and look at the tiny alarm clock on my bedside table.

5:00 AM.

I groan and bury my face in my pillow. I hate this town. It's too hot, too boring, and not where I want to be. Welcome to Ocala, Florida, the place my Dad, my younger brother Alex and I moved from our lovely home in Niagara Falls, Canada. My Dad had a job opportunity and we moved into the states. I honestly hate that he took it, and I could care less if I sound selfish. We've left everything behind because of his stupid job. I close my eyes and try to fall back asleep.

I miss my friends. I miss my school, I miss fun nights on Clifton Hill with Hillary and Becca, I just miss how easy my life was. Now I m in a whole other place, and I know no one. School starts today (in August, what the actual fuck) and I m basically scared shitless because I have no idea what it's going to be like here.

I sigh. I can really never escape my thoughts. I m a daydreamer, an overthinker and a insecure teenager. I need something else to think about instead of depressing myself. I climb out of my bed and tip toe down the stairs, hoping no one can hear me. I put on my flip flops and walk onto the deck.

The warm morning breeze hits my face and the moisture grazes my skin. I take a deep breath and look out in the distance. It was still dark outside but I could see well enough. I sit on the wooden step and look around. Palm trees, beach houses, a few buildings, and the moon hangs in the sky.

"Meow?" I glance down and see our cat, Nala, staring up at me with dilated pupils.

"Hi Nala. What have you been doing on this fine morning?" She rubs her face against my thigh and I pet her calmly. She starts purring when as I scratch behind her ears. I sit there petting my cat for a few minutes before I hear a familiar voice.

"Bree?" I turn around to see Alex standing a few feet away from me. He rubs his eyes. "I heard you leave your room. Why are you on the deck?"

"I couldn't sleep and needed some fresh air. I start. Excited for grade 5?" I ask my little brother who's now perched beside me.

He looks down. "I'd be more excited if I was in Niagara with my friends."

"Yeah. I would too, but sometimes these things happen. I think we should go to sleep now, because I don't want us passing out in class and getting detention first day."

Alex laughs and we get up and walk inside with Nala close behind us. We walk up the stairs and go into our rooms to await our first day in Ocala.

"Put up or shut up, we're not wasting time again!"

My eyes flutter open and I reach to turn off my alarm clock. 7 AM. I hop out of bed and grab my black ripped skinny jeans and flowy blue tanktop and go to shower. After that, I blowdry my blood red hair and run my straightener through it so it doesn't look frizzy. I apply some eyeliner, put on my favorite necklace (which has a treble cleft as a pendant) and head downstairs.

As I walk into the kitchen, I see Alex pretty much devouring his bowl of cereal and my Dad is reading the paper. "Good morning, Bree." Alex says with a mouth full of cheerios.

"Chew and swallow before you speak, monkeyboy." I joke as I ruffle his hair. He shakes his head and glares up at me.

"Bree, don't tease your brother." My Dad says without even looking up from his newspaper. I sigh and pour myself a bowl of Shreddies and sit beside Alex. I realized that I have to ask Dad something.

"Uh Dad? Where's the bus stop?" He looks at me and scratches his head.

"I think it's on the corner of First Avenue. You have to be there around 7:45."

I look at the clock. 7:40 AM. I finish up my bowl of cereal and grab my bag. "Well I better be going. Bye Dad, bye Alex. See you after school." I grab my iPod from it's charger.

"Bye!" Alex yells as I walk out the door.

The sun glistens and sits high in the sky as I walk to First Avenue, which was the street down our road. A schoolbus sits there just about to leave.

Fuck. I start to sprint to the curb, running as fast as I can, and reached the bus. The buses doors open and I climb onto the steps and come face to face with the bus driver.

"Don t be late again or I m leaving whether I see you running or not." The bus driver says and smiles crookedly at me.

"Sorry." I say, trying to catch my breath. The chatter of teenagers ring in my ears. I look up. Every seat on the bus had at least one person in it. Damn it. Who should I sit with? A few boys whisper something and look at me. "Nice job almost missing the bus on the first day of school, idiot!" A random girl yells. I spot a seat that a kid is sitting in. He's just looking out the window, so I shrug. I walk up to the seat and tap his shoulder. He turns around and raises his eyebrows.

"Um, is it okay if I sit here?" I ask quietly.

His blueish green eyes peer up at me and he shrugs. "I guess so." I take my seat and look down at my shoes.

"Are you new here?" He asks.

"Yeah. I moved here from Niagara Falls." I mumble.

"Cool." He says simply, and turns to look out the window.

I examine this boy. Stretchers, Vans, skinny jeans and a baseball t-shirt. Light brown hair that's sticking up and slight stubble on his chin. Blue-green eyes that looked deep and flattering on him.

I sigh and look away and then take out my iPod. I put my earphones and play Here's Your Letter by Blink-182.

Cut the skin to the bone.
Fall asleep all alone.
Hear your voice in the dark.
Lose myself in your eyes.

I get a tap on my arm and I look at the boy I m sitting with. He's smiling and his eyes are lit up as if he just seen something awesome. I yank out an earphone.

"May I help you?" I start.

"You listen to Blink?" He asks cheerfully.

"Uh, yeah. They're one of my favorite bands. You can hear my music?"

"Yeah, you listen to it really loudly," He chirps. "What's your favorite song?"

"Give Me One Good Reason. You really like them, huh?" I smile.

"Oh you wouldn't even believe how much he talks about them." A voice says behind me. We turn and see a ginger kid smirking. "I'm Josh by the way." He says while extending his hand to mine.

"Bree." I say, shaking his hand. The boy beside me grunts.

"You interrupted our conversation, asshole."

Josh laughs. "Oh, and that's Neil. He likes to bitch."

"Fuck you, Josh."

I laugh. "So, you guys know each other?"

"Yeah, we've been friends since grade seven. Neil says, a little less aggravated. "It started when Josh was in our class and he got teased a lot, so Me and Jeremy stood up for him since he had no balls back then." Josh glares at Neil, his blue eyes filled pretend hatred.

"So 3 years together. That must be fun. Who's Jeremy?" I ask, trying to strike up a conversation.

"He's this kid we met a few years ago. He transferred to our elementary school in grade six from some catholic school." Josh states. "He's really cool when you get to know him."

I nod. "Does he go to this school?"

"Yeah, but he doesn't take the bus. He walks with Kevin," Neil says, looking directly in my eyes. I look down, nervous.

"Jeremy sings and screams in our band. He's pretty sick." Neil continues.

"You guys have a band?" I ask, surprised.

"Yeah. I play bass, Neil plays guitar, and Kevin joined our band a few weeks ago because our old lead guitarist Tom was too busy." Josh answered.

"Who drums?" I ask, thinking of my little brother who got a drumset last year.

"This kid named Bobby, but he doesn't seem into it anymore." Neil shrugs.

"What kind of music do you play?" I ask. The bus screeches to a halt before they can answer. I glance at Josh and Neil. We gather our stuff up and start walking down the isle of the crowded school bus. A few preppy girls looks up at me from their seat while giggling and whispering. I look down and keep walking behind Neil and Josh.

"Welcome to Hell." Josh mutters and we walk off the bus.