Cynical.
The Move
When my parents told me we were moving, I was thrilled. New place, new environment, new start, but as I stared up at my childhood home, I was hit with a feeling of nostalgia. I knew we were never coming back, and though that was probably a good thing, I was going to miss this place. The car ride to Beacon Hills was long and silent. There was a large forest that seemed to go on forever, and I knew I'd be spending a lot of my time there. I'd always felt more at home among the trees.
"You gotta settle in and get a good night's sleep, honey. You start school tomorrow." I was hoping to get a little more than a day, but both of my parents started work at the hospital. I guessed it was better than sitting alone in the house all day with nothing to entertain me. We weren't going to have cable or internet until the end of the week.
"Alright." I picked at my nail polish, throwing it onto the floor of the car once it was completely peeled off.
"Don't be so nervous. I'm sure you'll make friends right away." I knew that wasn't true. I didn't do good with friends. Weird things happened around me. Dead animals. Dead people. It was like death followed me, and as a result, friends didn't.
"Yep. I'll be best friends with the captain of the cheerleading squad by the end of the day," I mumbled sarcastically, pulling the polish off of my pinky nail. When all ten fingers were bare, I sighed and tried to make myself comfortable. There was still an hour and a half left on the drive. I shut my eyes, attempting to take a nap.
"Alana, wake up. We're here." Clearly, it worked. I opened my eyes, staring at our new house. It was larger than our old one, and I hoped my room was the one in the front. I could see a bay window, and it would be a good place for me to read or draw.
"Please tell me that's my room," I said, closing the car door behind me.
"Sure sweetie." I did a mental happy dance, grabbing one of my boxes from the trunk, "The movers should be here soon with the furniture," my dad said, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. He stared up at the house, a wide smile on his face. I walked inside and up the stairs, going straight for the front room. There was a bathroom attached and a large walk in closet. I set the box in the corner and walked back downstairs to grab the other two.
"Do you like it?" my mom asked, handing me the box of my books from the back seat.
"It seems okay. I didn't really look around. I'm sure it'll look good once all the furniture is set up." I shrugged, walking back up to my room. I helped bring the last of the boxes inside, unpacking the kitchen with my dad while my mom directed the movers into the living room and up the stairs.
"I heard Beacon Hills High has a pretty good girls soccer team. Maybe you should try out," my dad suggested, putting the punch bowls on top of the refrigerator.
"I'll think about it." I grew up playing soccer, but somewhere along the way, I lost interest in the sport, and I'd injured a few people. The amount of yellow cards I'd gotten was ridiculous.
"Your bed's all set up honey. You can go unpack your room." I kissed both of my parents on the cheek before walking upstairs. I started with my books because that would take the least time, and when that was done I moved onto my closet. I was color coordinating my sweaters when I heard my dad yelling my name.
"Alana! Come downstairs please!" I set down the last hanger and made my way into the living room.
"Yeah?" Someone was at the door from what I could see.
"Come meet our neighbors." I stepped behind my mom, waving politely at the family.
"This is Dr. Geyer. He works in the hospital with me and your father. That's his wife, and his stepson Liam." My eyes focused on the boy that was my age. He was a few inches taller than me with brown hair, blue eyes, and an angry expression.
"Hi," I forced a smile.
"We just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood. We just moved as well." Mrs. Geyer handed over a plate of brownies, a smile on her face. It was so cliche I almost gagged, but that would be impolite, and I'd rather not be grounded the first week being here.
"You can ride the bus with Liam to school tomorrow. I'm sure he wouldn't mind," Dr. Geyer said. I watched Liam's expression sour further, and I knew the last thing he wanted was to show me around, and I'd put him out of his misery as soon as we got on the bus.
"That would be great. I'm gonna try to get some sleep. It was nice meeting you. I'll see you tomorrow Liam," I forced another smile and waved before walking back to my room. I put the linens on my bed and changed out of my clothes, pulling on shorts and a tank top. I pulled out my laptop and switched the light off, picking a movie on Netflix to fall asleep to. I was halfway through Dirty Dancing when I heard a loud crash. Both of my parents had since said goodnight, so I knew it was one of them. I ignored it and went back to my movie, falling asleep twenty minutes later.
"You gotta settle in and get a good night's sleep, honey. You start school tomorrow." I was hoping to get a little more than a day, but both of my parents started work at the hospital. I guessed it was better than sitting alone in the house all day with nothing to entertain me. We weren't going to have cable or internet until the end of the week.
"Alright." I picked at my nail polish, throwing it onto the floor of the car once it was completely peeled off.
"Don't be so nervous. I'm sure you'll make friends right away." I knew that wasn't true. I didn't do good with friends. Weird things happened around me. Dead animals. Dead people. It was like death followed me, and as a result, friends didn't.
"Yep. I'll be best friends with the captain of the cheerleading squad by the end of the day," I mumbled sarcastically, pulling the polish off of my pinky nail. When all ten fingers were bare, I sighed and tried to make myself comfortable. There was still an hour and a half left on the drive. I shut my eyes, attempting to take a nap.
"Alana, wake up. We're here." Clearly, it worked. I opened my eyes, staring at our new house. It was larger than our old one, and I hoped my room was the one in the front. I could see a bay window, and it would be a good place for me to read or draw.
"Please tell me that's my room," I said, closing the car door behind me.
"Sure sweetie." I did a mental happy dance, grabbing one of my boxes from the trunk, "The movers should be here soon with the furniture," my dad said, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. He stared up at the house, a wide smile on his face. I walked inside and up the stairs, going straight for the front room. There was a bathroom attached and a large walk in closet. I set the box in the corner and walked back downstairs to grab the other two.
"Do you like it?" my mom asked, handing me the box of my books from the back seat.
"It seems okay. I didn't really look around. I'm sure it'll look good once all the furniture is set up." I shrugged, walking back up to my room. I helped bring the last of the boxes inside, unpacking the kitchen with my dad while my mom directed the movers into the living room and up the stairs.
"I heard Beacon Hills High has a pretty good girls soccer team. Maybe you should try out," my dad suggested, putting the punch bowls on top of the refrigerator.
"I'll think about it." I grew up playing soccer, but somewhere along the way, I lost interest in the sport, and I'd injured a few people. The amount of yellow cards I'd gotten was ridiculous.
"Your bed's all set up honey. You can go unpack your room." I kissed both of my parents on the cheek before walking upstairs. I started with my books because that would take the least time, and when that was done I moved onto my closet. I was color coordinating my sweaters when I heard my dad yelling my name.
"Alana! Come downstairs please!" I set down the last hanger and made my way into the living room.
"Yeah?" Someone was at the door from what I could see.
"Come meet our neighbors." I stepped behind my mom, waving politely at the family.
"This is Dr. Geyer. He works in the hospital with me and your father. That's his wife, and his stepson Liam." My eyes focused on the boy that was my age. He was a few inches taller than me with brown hair, blue eyes, and an angry expression.
"Hi," I forced a smile.
"We just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood. We just moved as well." Mrs. Geyer handed over a plate of brownies, a smile on her face. It was so cliche I almost gagged, but that would be impolite, and I'd rather not be grounded the first week being here.
"You can ride the bus with Liam to school tomorrow. I'm sure he wouldn't mind," Dr. Geyer said. I watched Liam's expression sour further, and I knew the last thing he wanted was to show me around, and I'd put him out of his misery as soon as we got on the bus.
"That would be great. I'm gonna try to get some sleep. It was nice meeting you. I'll see you tomorrow Liam," I forced another smile and waved before walking back to my room. I put the linens on my bed and changed out of my clothes, pulling on shorts and a tank top. I pulled out my laptop and switched the light off, picking a movie on Netflix to fall asleep to. I was halfway through Dirty Dancing when I heard a loud crash. Both of my parents had since said goodnight, so I knew it was one of them. I ignored it and went back to my movie, falling asleep twenty minutes later.