"Who the hell would want to come anywhere near this lame town?" I groaned as my mother tried to hover around me, smacking at my feet. I rolled my eyes and moved my bare feet from the table, still confused as to what she'd just informed me.
"Look, the exchange student is going to be here in two hours, and thanks to Sue, we have to house them." She cast a glare at Sue, who was practically floating with excitement.
"Mrs. Rostencowski said that the exchange students needed a friendly guide, and I think I'm going to be a great guide. I have been practicing my sign language in case they're deaf and I even made a list of the coolest places to visit in Orson." Sue pulled out a multicoloured list of sparkles and dorkiness, to which I scoffed.
"How would you know what the cool places are? How did you even get chosen for this dumb thing, you're like the dorkiest dork in this dorky town, you couldn't coach a bug let alone a functioning human." I chuckled as Sue frowned, slowly folding up her list. Mum swatted at me with a duster as she frantically wiped cheese dust from the table.
"Look Sue we barely volunteer for a cake stand, what makes you think we'd be capable of housing someone until graduation? We can barely feed you three as it is, I doubt I can give her half a day old cheese burger and a handful of candy with hair on it." She pulled a face as she looked at what she'd found under the couch, and I grabbed the cheeseburger, shoving it into my mouth greedily, the half dried ketchup spirting down my bare chest. Mum made a disgusted noise, to which I just grinned with my mouth full.
"Axl, go and take a shower and put some damn clothes on." She instructed as Dad walked through the front door followed by a distracted Brick carrying a bag of groceries. I groaned, pulling myself off of the couch.
"God mum! Why do I have to put so much effort in for some weird, probably lame kid. They aren't royalty." I complained, snatching a new bag of chips out of the grocery bag. Doritos. Sick.
"Axl! For crying out loud!" Mum charged over to me and grabbed the bag, shoving it back into dads arms.
"You are going to clean yourself up and you're going to be presentable!" She shouted, and I grunted, rolling my eyes.
"I can't hide who I am for the next few months!" I complained as I slowly walked towards the shower, really not wanting to get ready.
"Well try!" Mum shouted after me, and I huffed, slamming the bathroom door behind me.
*Phoebes POV*
I felt so nervous, I'd never felt this nervous before in my life. Well, once, when I found a snake in my horses stable and I'd had to wrangle that thing myself, but this is definitely a close second. I'd taken a bus from the airport, turned myself into a pretzel trying to fit my large suitcase, duffel bag and rucksack as well as myself into one cramped seat and then I endured the rambles of a religious fanatic the entire journey as he reassure me that the end was nigh and I should pledge my soul before the rapture. I was glad to be lugging my heavy bags up the street, struggling to balance it all as I pulled the information slip out of my pocket. I squinted at the address, but the number had been ruined by the amount I had sweat on the boiling bus. I sighed, looking at the houses in front of me. I guess I only really had one option. I walked up to a house and rang the doorbell. There were a few moments where I stood rather awkwardly waiting for someone to answer the door before the door opened, revealing a rather plump lady wearing a brightly knit jumper and a broad twinkling smile.
"Hello deary! Oh my those bags look heavy, how can I help you?" She asked in an overly cheery tone, and I managed to muster a smile despite how exhausted I was.
"I'm looking for the Heck family." I told her, and she grinned, pointing across the road. Where this ladies house looked put together, well looked after, the house across the street looked a little dishevelled, the grass a little longer, and honestly it was a relief. I wasn't messy, but something told me if I'd have been staying here I would have been wildly self-conscious of every trace I left of myself. I smiled back at the lady, who had been joined by a tall boy wearing a football jersey. He too had the same broad smile and polite face that seemed slightly fake, too painted on to be real. I managed a smile back, not even managing to barely match their enthusiasm.
"I'll walk you over if you want?" The boy offered, but I shook my head.
"No, its okay. I think I can manage." I said, before I began to struggle across the road. As I walked I tried to reassure myself. This was going to be okay, they were probably nice people, I just had to graduate, and then I'd be off to college, and everything would be fine. Sure, I already missed my very limited circle of friends, my family, but what could I do? I'd signed up for this programme to bulk up my application, I needed to get into a good college. I managed to drag myself to the front door and thump my elbow against it, my bags falling to the floor as I waited, pushing rouge strands of black hair out of my face. My palms felt sweaty as I heard people on the other side of the door shuffle, hushed whispers barely audible through the wood. The door slowly opened, and I took a deep breath. Behind the door was a small pretty lady with short brown hair and a girl with long brown hair and braces wearing a fluffy pink jumper with a smiley face on. They both grinned at me, and I managed a smile back.
"Hello! Welcome to our home, come in, come in." The lady insisted, and I grabbed my bags, stumbling through the door way. I dropped the bags again, my shoulders ached from the weight of my whole life.
"My names Frankie, and this is my daughter Sue, she's the one who offered to house you." She informed me, and I smiled at Sue, who beamed at me widely.
"I'm so excited to be your personal mentor, I drew up a few lists of things to do in Orson, and there are a few forms you need to sign, and I know that you're in my brothers year so I've asked the year leader to assign you someone to help through applications for college. If you ever need anything I'm free, and tomorrow at school I can show you around and everything." She beamed, her enthusiasm made me feel like the biggest pessimist to exist. I smiled, unsure what to say.
"Thank you for your hospitality. I'm Phoebe Jones." I introduced myself as a tall man wearing a flannel shirt escorted two boys, one smaller boy with short hair and a thick book under his arm, and a taller boy with thick curly hair and green eyes. I smiled at the three of them, who all smiled back.
"These are my sons Axl and Brick, and my husband Mike." She pointed to them all, and I smiled, fatigue setting in. The eldest, Axl, looked bored, and I tried not to get irritated or offended, but the sleepless night was taking its toll.
"Is there anything we can do for you?" Frankie asked, and I shook my head.
"If its okay, could I just get some sleep?" I asked, and Frankie nodded, seeming a little disappointed that I hadn't asked for something a little more important.
"Sure! Sure, Sue, if you'd show Phoebe to your room." Frankie insisted, and Sue nodded eagerly, grabbing one of my bags in an effort to help. I picked up the other two bags and wearily half limped after Sue, my remaining 5% of energy slowly being sapped by the effort it took to simply blink. She opened a door, and inside was a small pink bed with a camp bed set up beside it, blue sheets neatly folded and ready to be sunk into. I dropped my bags in the corner and sat on the camp bed, slowly unlacing my brown Docs as Sue placed my bag on the desk. She watched me as I slowly shucked off my boots and unfolded the thick duvet.
"Is there anything you need?" She asked, clearly eager to guide me in any way she could. I shook my head, looking at her with a half hearted smile.
"I just really need to sleep." I murmured, and she nodded, a look of disappointment on her cute face.
"Alright, I'll go then. Just ask if you need something." She half tripped over my bag, but kept a large grin on her face.
"Anything at all." She said again before she closed the door behind her. Instantly, I took off my jeans and my jacket and slipped into bed, pulling the covers up to my chin. I exhaled as I slowly began to unwind, my eyes dropped shut within seconds, and before I knew it I was asleep.
