The blooming red flower was everywhere. covering the floor and going out the door to the garden, where he had gotten them from. I didn't know what I was supposed to say at the time. My brother was gone now, taking all of the person who I used to be with him. I didn't know where he was, but I was almost certain now that he was dead.

Alina was my name, alina bullford. I was to be attending degrassi high today, and I honestly did not want to go, not in the slightest. My brother wasn't by my side this time, like he had always been when we moved. This move was permanent, or so my mother had said. I just dreaded going to school now, the teasing was too much for me to bear sometimes. Everyone trys to beat up the albino girl, no matter what.

That night I dreamed of the ocean, of my beloved California. It was the last place I had seen my brother, but that was 2 years ago. I'm 16 now, and my brother would be 17. We were sitting on the beach like we always did, until……a wave came. It crashed over our heads, but it only pulled him in. Not me. Never me. Why? Why couldn't he have gotten hurt for once?!?

I awoke with a start, jumping out of bed and going to my closet, looking from clothes. I decided on my brown knee-high lace up boots, I purple sweater and a jean skirt. It was normal enough, right? I didn't need to stand out with any more than I already did. My glowing red eyes, white hair, and almost translucent skin already did enough of that. I silently prayed public school would be better than the private schools I had previously attended.

I double checked myself before I got out of my car. Sunglasses on? Check. Hood up? done, done and done. I got out of my car, sitting on the edge of my seat, feet dangling over the edge towards the rest of the parking lot. I was starting to feel my throat close up, squeezing my chest. I pulled out the little pill bottle from my purse, and took 2. Five minutes later I was fine, but I felt numb. The oh-so joyful affects of medication.

I locked the door of my red bug- the only car small enough for me- and started walking to the school. It was a little windy out that day; I really didn't want my hood to fall off. That, of course, would reveal my hair, which I did NOT want to happen at all. People were turning to stare at me; this was obviously the kind of town where everybody knew everybody else, and I was def not somebody they knew. I walked forward, going as fast as I could towards the steps without running. When I reached the steps, it was total chaos. People were making out on the steps, skateboarding on the sidewalk, and goofing off. It was not like any school that I had ever been to, not at all. When I got to the door, it wouldn't open. Embarrassed, I looked away from the door and tried to walk down the steps without getting noticed. I heard a chuckle from behind me.

" Doing the incognito thing are we? The doors don't open for another 20 minutes. Too many people trying to vandalize the inside before the teachers get here."

" oh….uhmmm….yeah, why not. and thank you for the advice. Now if you will excuse me-"

The boy turned around to face me ,a lazy smile on his face. He had striking blue-gray eyes, brown hair, and seemed to dress with a lot of taste. He looked like the kind of kid that would go to one of the private schools I used to go to.

" Names Declan Coyne. Who, might I ask are you? " he was obviously trying to charm me. He was that type of guy. The rich, arrogant snob that liked to play tricks on girls for fun. When he found out what I really looked like, he would probably send some of his admirers after me.

"Alina, alina bullford." he extended his hand, and shaking it felt so formal for me. This was something that my brother would laugh at.

" Well. , it seems that we have some studying to do." I hadn't noticed that people had started to walk inside, and I was blocking their way to get in. I was trying to escape, but getting pushed around mercilessly. My hood got knocked down, my hair spilling down my back. It was mostly straight, but naturally curled at the ends. If it was any other color……

"Hey! Are you ok? Quite a fall, wasn't it ?" Declan had started hauling me to my feet, me holding on to my sunglasses in the process. " Uh, yeah. Thank you." I grabbed my books, and started looking around for the office, where I was supposed to get my schedule. "Declan? Sense when are you nice? Willingly, that it."

An Indian boy had come up behind him, his arm snaked around the waist of a pretty girl with braces. "Sav, Anya." He nodded to them both, then turned back to me. " I was just showing our new student, Miss. Alina Bullford, to the office."

" Hi" I said in a small voice, waving shyly to them both. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Sav gesturing towards my sunglasses, and Declan shrugging his shoulders.

"Well then, nice to meet you. Now come on Sav, we have to get to class." Anya dragged Sav away, pulling him by the hand. " Well then, to the office then?"

I nodded at him, following him through the hall way, trying to push past kids. Everyone was a lot taller than me- even the freshman- so this was quite difficult for me to do.

We arrived at a set of double doors, going through and stepping into a small, quaint looking office. " Secretary! The new student, Miss. Bullford, needs her schedule, please." The secretary even looked surprised that Declan was being nice. Was he usually a mean person?

" Oh, yes Miss. Bullford. Here." She handed me a blue piece of paper, containing all of my classes and locker number/ combination. "Thank you very much." I turned to walk out, when she called after me. " No sunglasses in the building!" I ignored her, running out of the room and down the hall, Declan chasing after me. "You heard her, no sunglasses in school." He chuckled, reaching for my face. " Now let me see your pretty eyes…." He pulled the glasses from my face, staring. I looked down, trying to hide my face; but he had seen me. Seen my disgusting, blood-red eyes. They still haunted me whenever I looked into a mirror. " I'm sorry."

I ran down the hall, and into the nearest bathroom. Why? Why did this always have to happen to me?