Chapter One - Changes
"So here is your room," said Jenna. "I hope you will be okay here – I can't believe I'm taking in another bereaved teen, but I can't seem to resist them!" I forced a smile and looked around my new room. There was a mahogany high sleeper against one wall with storage and a wardrobe built in underneath. There was a matching chest of drawers and desk by the opposite wall and a big bookcase. I noted with satisfaction the door to the en-suite bathroom and then turned to the double doors leading out onto the balcony. The room was lovely, and I was sure that in time I would grow to love it. I turned back to Jenna, who was standing there looking welcoming and hopeful.
"Thanks Jenna, it's really nice!" I tried to sound enthusiastic. She heard the strain in my voice, I could tell.
"I'll leave you to get settled in. We're having a BBQ later, so come down when you smell burning!" she joked, leaving the room.
"Wait!" I called after her. She turned, looking worried. "Who's going to be there?"
"Oh of course! I think Jeremy will come – if he's not stoned off his head or something," she grimaced as she said this. "Elena will be there of course, and she'll be bringing Stefan, her boyfriend. I think Damon might come as well."
"Damon?" I asked. This was a name I didn't know.
"He's Stefan's brother. He's a bit … sadistic, and he enjoys irritating Stefan and Elena, so he often invites himself along. He can be nice …" she trailed off, seeing the look on my face. I was not convinced. "I'm going to go put the barbeque on, then." she said, leaving the room. I closed the door and sat down on the big bean bag by the desk. I looked round again. It was very different, but I thought I could persuade myself to like it – eventually. Right now though … it just seemed too soon. As I plugged in my MP3 dock and turned it on, I could feel the first tears coming. When the music started, they were in full flow. I turned to my suitcases, and opened them. When I did, memories washed over me like a tide – memories of good times, past times, times I could never get back. Everything top, every pair of jeans, every shoe, everything reminded me of something and it hurt. It hurt like someone was driving a tent pole through my chest, but it was good hurt. It reminded me that I was still there, and that I could survive, and that I still had my memories. No-one could take them away from me, no matter how hard they tried.
When the crying stopped and I could breathe again, I pulled the clothes, make-up, jewellery, everything out of my suitcases and surveyed it unhappily. I had cleared out all my stuff and only kept stuff that I'd used in the past six months. That was when I lived in Florida, and I realised now that my big sort out had critically impaired my wardrobe. This was England, the land of rain, and I had two coats. Not good. I sighed and started to put away my stuff. When I was done, the room looked almost like a place I might like. But there was one thing missing. I went over to my hand-luggage and pulled out a photo. I placed it on the shelf by my bed, face down. No need to look at it now. I would only incapacitate myself for the next half an hour with crying and that is something I really did not want to do.
When everything was in a tidy (if not sensible) place, I shoved my suitcase under the bed and went to the en suite with my wash bag in hand. Once I had brushed my teeth, and washed away the stress of travelling, I looked at the girl before me in the mirror. Her black hair was short, almost shaved at the back, with a big fringe over one side. Dark purple highlight coloured, and the light brought out the red strands. Under the hair was a pale face with porcelain skin, a few freckles brushed over her nose and cheeks. I frowned at this and the face frowned back at me, dark eyebrows creasing over even darker eyes. Her full lips were pushed out into a pout. I tried to re-arrange my face into something resembling a smile. The result was a hopeful grimace at best. Oh well, it can't be helped, and you can't blame a girl. I turned as I heard the door-bell ring. 'Good luck, hun,' I whispered to myself. 'You're gonna need it!'
So there you go. A little bit more to a story that probably is going to go absolutely no-where. You'll find out her name in the next chapter, and hopefully get more of a hint as to where this story is going. Hope you enjoy!
Loveeee
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