"OLIVIA!"
Fuck. Monday already.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2TtlzG6KY
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The past couple of days had been spent with the three of us unpacking as much as we could as everything arrived from New York. The weekend had gone by way too fast and I was not looking forward to my first day.
"OLIVIA."
I can hear her voice clearly now as her footsteps echo across the hallway and my door flings open in a haste.
"I heard you. "I groan dramatically.
She huffs and grabs the boxes by my door. "I told you to break these down, Olivia."
"I know. I'm sorry."
I can tell that she's already been hard at work. Her messy, dark hair in a sloppy bun and clinging to beads of sweat on her forehead. The woman never stops until the job is done.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNEGB4EObK
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I watch from the corner of my eyes as she grabs a few more boxes and storms out of the room again.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XiAcm6D93
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I turn my attention to the only clean and matching clothes I can find at the moment and grab my cellphone from the nightstand.
4 new text messages.
I click the newest one and scroll down.
Gooood mooorrrning! It's Kimberly. Are we still walking together?
Seems you are still asleep. :( Meet me at the school entrance? 7:30
You sleep a lot! I thought I slept too much. 778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfbUKXeH1VB
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Well, text me soon! <3
I can already tell she'll be a handful.
I finished up doing what I could to make myself look presentable and rush down the stairs to grab my bag and head out the front door.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡer1eV2ggUH
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The California sun is already beating down on me and I am not looking forward to my morning walk.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrHgDc4we1
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Thankfully, my dad had picked a house close to the school and even a cute shopping outlet just 10-15 minutes down the road walking. It didn't seem like it would be so bad but I knew it would take time to adjust.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4RWubWCOVq
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After a while, I noticed a Westview High sign perched at the edge of a lawn and caught several buses turning into the school parking lot.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2urjCg2DeX
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Several students rushed from the buses and piled inside as the first warning bell rang.
It didn't look so bad and honestly took me by surprise. The grass was a bright green and kept short. Several palm trees and shrubs littered the courtyard.
"Olivia!"
I glance up towards the familiar voice and see Kimberly waving me down.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25xsjOhgQK
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She hurries over to me and I immediately catch the scent of floral perfume. Her dark hair is braided and she's wearing a very tight maxi dress that is tie-dyed bright colors.
"Wow! You're so pretty up close. Look at those eyes." Kimberly compliments and smiles at me.
"T-thank you," I stammer out. "So are you."778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HIN1JjzpY
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"What's your first class?"
I hand her my schedule for her to read over.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQ8IoaR8IY
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"Awesome, we have first hour English and Algebra together 7th hour."778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzPWOYIL5N
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I smile a bit at her, feeling relieved to know I'd at least have someone I knew in two of my classes.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNQOzWvFen
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The two of us hurry down the hallway together and I feel the nerves hit me like a wave. The students around us seem to just pile up by the minute. How the hell do people move around in halls like this?!778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiigV8AzCXr
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Kimberly grabs me by the elbow and steers the both of us towards the side of the hall. "Locker?"
"302"
She laughs, "You're so lucky."
"Why?"
"I'm 315 so I can take you right to it after this class."
I nod and take a deep breath before she leads us back into the crowd. Our first hour is a lot closer than I had expected but I was just relieved to get out of the mass of people trying to not be late.
"Miss?"
Shit. Of course.
I look up towards the voice speaking from the front of the room and find a plump, middle-aged woman standing there with a nameplate that reads "Mrs.Davidson." She has kind eyes and a soft smile fills her face.
"I'm sorry,"I apologize and glance at my feet. "I'm Olivia Moore."
"Welcome, Olivia! So glad to have you. Feel free to grab an empty seat."
I hurry over to the closest empty spot I can locate and try to keep my eyes away from all of the curious stares.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DZkm2Lolz
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Mrs. Davidson jumps right into the previous day's lecture which gives me an out to focus on my sketches.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaexmuVTOvc
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I decide to come up with a concept on how I'm feeling. A silhouette of a girl who is living between two worlds.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBWnDhhih4
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One is familiar. That world makes her happy and safe. Her friends are there and so are her dreams.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoAhZpgKCJ
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The second is new and terrifying. She feels alone and impatient for it to end. Each day is unpredictable and she's starting over at such a weird time in her life.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAd4KpsTlG
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I watch my hand as I begin to trace out the image skillfully. Within minutes I can feel myself becoming wrapped up in the drawing before I feel a presence looming before me.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedSVlkkFeU
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"Olivia?"
I look up to see Mrs. Davidson beaming down at me.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQMgOZsBYN
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"We'd love to learn about you while we have a free moment. Do you mind introducing yourself to the class?"778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKffUsQMQR
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I fight back the annoyance building up in my throat and stand up so I can face the others. Kimberly gives me a thumbs up for encouragement.
I glance around the room briefly to take in all of the new faces before I prepare my introduction. Lots of faces stare back at me but there is one that catches me off guard.
Who is that...
He's beautiful and I swear he has been sculpted by Michelangelo himself.
His skin is a beautiful olive tone and almost seems to have a glow to it. I can't help but notice the sharpness of his cheekbones and the curve of his sculpted jaw.
He's staring back at me in the most intense way. His nearly pitch-black eyes seem to be drilling into me. Trying to figure out who I am.
His black hair falls loosely in front of his eyes and bushy brows. I watch for a moment as he leans into his desk and sees the edges of his muscular arms straining against the plain tee he has on.
After what feels like an eternity, I finally come back to reality and tear my eyes away from the beautiful stranger.
"My name is Olivia Moore. I'm from New York, but we made the big move here recently since my dad accepted a new job."
The class mutters back some half-assed greeting before Mrs. Davidson thanks me for my introduction and allows me to sit back down. I glance back over my shoulder and notice the boy from before focused on carving something into his desk with a pencil.
He doesn't look back up which to that I'm grateful. I use the rest of the class to try and focus on my art before the next bell finally rings.
The rest of the school day felt no different from English. I would give some dumb introduction and then bury my head in whatever lecture was going on or my artwork.
When the 7th bell finally sounded, Kimberly was eager to drag me out of the room and right into the hallway.
"Want to meet some friends?" She asks me.
"Sure," I responded awkwardly.
She smiles reassuringly and starts waving down some people walking towards us.
"Austin! Sierra!"778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdivMhBfhno
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I watch as the boy and girl push through the crowd and make their way up to the two of us.
The blonde boy smiles first, "I'm Austin. Nice to meet you, Olivia. Kim has said great things."
I shook his hand and grin back. He's super cute.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeR9E7EDEhq
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His hair is a golden blonde and in loose curls. He has a bit of a boyish appearance to him and the most gorgeous hazel eyes.
The girl next to him introduces herself as Sierra. She's super petite with a dark pixie cut and rainbow bands on her braces. Her voice comes out small and almost timid.
"It's so nice to meet you both!" I tell them and look up to catch a pair of familiar eyes watching me.
The boy from English class.
His long, tall body is leaning against a set of metal lockers and he has his arms crossed over his chest. An unlit cigarette hangs from in between his lips.
Kimberly catches my gaze and laughs.
"Alessio Romano."
"What?" I ask and look at her.
She rolls her eyes at me. "Alessio Romano. I see you undressing him with your eyes. He's gorgeous but from the rumors that fly around here, I wouldn't waste your time."
"What do you mean?"
Austin starts up," His family is known for being trouble. The Romano's are a really wealthy family and have a history of being dangerous."
I frown and look back towards Alessio again. He is still standing in the same spot but now conversing with a dark-haired girl and a man who looks like a moving brick wall he's so large.
I can't seem to pull myself away from his burning gaze. He watches me carefully as he pulls a lighter from his pocket and lights the cigarette right in the hallway.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssq1KGAT1K
Kimberly's voice chirps up and saves me from his pull.
"We should probably get going. My parents get cranky when I don't show up on time to help with my sister and I know you got a lot to do." She nudges me playfully.
"Of course." I grin at her and glance back to where Alessio was.
The spot against the metal locker now empty and lacking his presence along with the others with him.
I don't know his story, but a big part of me is eager to find out.
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