New chapter! :)

Thanks to those who are reading this!

I'm sorry if it seems cliche; don't worry, it'll (hopefully) start getting a bit more unique later on.

Just getting the whole scene and plot set up first!

Enjoy~

"Miss Ride, could I have your work, please?" Mr Linfield loomed over me, one eyebrow raised expectantly. I'd always wanted to do that. Raise one eyebrow, I mean. Not loom over someone; that's a tad creepy. "Miss Ride?"

"Um," I said awkwardly, realising I'd been engrossed in my thoughts and hadn't had time to come up with a witty comeback. I'd have to settle for the obvious, even if it was going to land me in detention. "I don't, uh, have a textbook." Wow. That was probably the first time my witty brain had failed to give me something good. I guess there's a first for everything.

"Why didn't you ask for one?" Mr Linfield demanded, shaking his head. The rest of the class had already escaped when the bell had rung, but, typically, I was caught out.

After twenty minutes of a boring lecture from Mr Linfield, I was heading for my second class, a detention slip in my pocket, which was English. Naturally, I as already fifteen minutes late. I seriously couldn't be bothered; I stood outside the English room debating. If I went in to class, I would most likely get another detention and I'd become severely bored. On the other hand, if I didn't go to class, I would probably get a trip to the principal's office, but I wouldn't be bored.

In the end, I went for the latter. Daddy Jeb would probably be moving us again, anywho, so what's the point being 'good'? I didn't give a crap if my record was bad. I planned to be a ninja in my future years. I didn't need to know how to read a book and use proper grammar and spelling to be a ninja.

I swiveled on the ball of my foot and retraced my steps; heading back towards the field, then the carpark, then I just kept walking aimlessly.

"Ditching, too, huh?" a male voice off to my right chuckled.

Not one to be snuck up on often, I wheeled around to face the offender. A boy around my age with black hair and equally black eyes stood, with an amused expression, with his hands in the pockets of his (black) jeans. I couldn't be bothered dealing with some emo guy who felt like 'chatting'.

I kept walking.

He followed.

After several minutes of him simply following after me (I could see his shadow; seriously, now I know what it feels like to be ghosted), I turned on him.

"What do you want?" I snapped, letting my anger out. I'd been hoping to lose the attitude on this walk. Instead it had simply gotten worse. I was angry—at Jeb for moving us here, at Mum for allowing him to move us here, and at Iggy, for always being the best student, the best child. And, now, I was angry at some random stranger who was stalking me.

"Nothing," the boy shrugged.

I wasn't scared of him—after all, I knew some kick-butt fighting moves—but he was seriously getting on my nerves.

"Didn't your mummy ever tell you not to talk to strangers?" I practically yelled, proceeding to continue walking down the street. Above, the clouds were looking stormy and dark. Perfect weather for my crappy mood.

"I'd like to point out that you're talking to me, too," the boy told me, smirking. "Seeya around, I guess."

And with that he simply wandered off down the street without another word. Some people are seriously strange; I silently prayed I wouldn't be seeing him in the near future.

Yet, for some reason, I couldn't help feeling just a little bit sad and empty. God. Since when did I become an emotion-freak?

(Time Lapse to Evening)

I quietly opened the door, and attempted to sneak inside. However, I was instantly stopped in my tracks.

"Maximum, where have you been?" a sharp voice asked. Jeb. He hovered in the doorway to the kitchen, wearing a business suit. Now he decided to show up.

"Walking," I replied, trying to keep my cool. Jeb was a tough interrogator.

"Walking where, exactly? Where you with anyone?" his tone was stern and disapproving. Unfortunately, it didn't look as though Mum was near to save me.

"No, I wasn't with anyone. And just around the, um, neighbourhood," I mumbled. I glanced at the clock above the marble bench in the kitchen. 9:47. Seriously; it was early by my standards.

"You're grounded for a month. No computer, no parties, no visiting friends. Got it?" Jeb said. I restrained from laughing out loud, though barely. I didn't have any friends, the computer was boring (Jeb had thrown out Grand Theft Auto, claiming it was too violent. Instead he'd handed me some weird zoo thing. I was not five years old) and parties? Yeah right.

"Whatever." I said under my breath as I escaped upstairs. The new house was fairly big—five bedrooms (one was converted to a study for Jeb), three bathrooms, two lounges and a kitchen. My room was medium sized, perfect to fit my sparse amount of furniture and belongings in.

On the furthermost wall, a large window allowed me to clamber onto the roof. It was rather peaceful sitting out there at midnight, when there wasn't a single sound except for, occasionally, the sound of a car driving slowly past. I liked it.

It was only ten pm, but I suddenly felt rather tired. Luckily, Jeb apparently hadn't gotten a call from the school about my only attending one class. I didn't really care, anyway.

Sleepily, I pulled back the navy duvet on my bed, peeled off my jersey and fell asleep almost instantly.