"New school. New year. New everything. I was nervous. I didn't know anybody here. My new house was in pretty bad shape. My mom was still grieving over the death of my father, and often took her anger out on me.

But this year was going to be different! This year, I was going to get good grades, and get into a good college! Starting now!" I looked in the mirror and sighed. "This is hopeless!"

"Jesse, hurry up for school, you're gonna be late." My mom reminded. I heard the drink in her bottle as she left.

I pulled up my shirt, and put on a smile. I grabbed my bag and headed out the door. I didn't bother to say goodbye to my mom. She didn't care.

I made it just as the bus pulled to a stop. I got on, and sat in the first empty seat.

"Hey." I heard a voice say. I looked over at the girl in the seat next to me. She was sitting with her legs over the next seat, and her arms crossed behind her head. She had crimson hair, a blue bandana, a finger less glove, combat boots, a leather vest, some dark denim jeans, and a purple shirt with one long sleeve.

"Um... Hi." I replied.

"You're new here." She paused and sat up. "I can tell."

Her appearance intimidated me.

"And what if I am?" I asked, trying to seem tough.

"I know what you're doing." She got back to her original position. "And it's not scaring me." She held out her gloved hand. "The name's Petra. Wherever you come from, what did your friends call you?"

"I'm- I'm Jesse." I stuttered, shaking her hand.

"Welcome to Tennor Town, Jesse. And by the way, it's 'different' here."

"Don't let her get in your head." A voice behind me said. I turned around and saw a boy with blue eyes and blonde hair, wearing a leather jacket with a purple and white striped shirt under it. "She's trouble."

"Shut up, Lukas!" Petra said, with a smiled.

"I'm Lukas, by the way."

"Jesse." I said.

"Yo! Lukas!" Someone else yelled.

"What! I'm right here you don't need to yell!"

Soon enough, I made it to my high school.

The people here seemed rude, and loud, and annoying, and a lot of other negative things. But I tried my best to avoid those people.

I made it to all my classes without getting lost! That's a first.

My heart started racing with each step I got closer to the lunch room. With no friends, I had nowhere to sit.

One of the teachers said I could eat lunch with another teacher in one of the classrooms. So I did. But I didn't go in a room with a teacher. I went into the first open room.

I closed the door behind me, and when I took in my surroundings, I was in the same room as the Petra girl.

I walked up to her. She had Apple headphones in her ears, and was sketching a dress on a piece of paper. I could hear the music from where I was standing.

"You draw really well-" And I was pinned to the wall.

"HOW LONG WERE YOU STANDING THERE!?" She yelled.

"L-long enough...?" I stuttered. I looked at the paper. "Is that a wedding dress?"

Her face turned red. "No! It's- for a party! My sister wants a dress!" I was good at telling when people were lying.

"You don't have a sister. Do you?"

She sighed and loosened her grip on my shoulders. "No."

"And who's wedding dress is that?"

She let go of me and crossed her arms. "Mine..."

"It looks good."

"No it doesn't! Stop trying to make me like you more! You snuck up on me!"

"Oh. Sorry!" I said in a sarcastic tone.

She groaned at me, and went back to the seat. I looked over her shoulder as she drew.

"Do you mind?" She asked.

"No. No I don't."

She stood up taller than me. "Look, 'new kid'! You have no idea who you're talking to! I'm the tough girl here! And you don't wanna know what happens when I get angry!" She moved her head closer to me, and burned her eyes into mine. "It's not pretty."

"I- uh..."

"That's what I thought." She sat back down.

Sweat beat down my face.

The bell rang and I left to my next few classes.

Time Skip!!!

I stepped onto the bus and sat in the same spot.

"So, you going to Aiden's party tonight?" Lukas asked, behind me.

I turned around. "Who's Aiden?" I asked.

"Are you coming or not?"

"Uh... Sure...?"

"Do you need his address?"

"I think so..."

He handed me a piece of paper with 48 Meadow Lane on it.

(I made it up)

"Cool! Thanks." I said, tucking the paper in my pocket.

"Cool."

"Cool!"

The bus slowed to a stop, and I had to get off.

I didn't want to go back. My mom was probably going to hurt me.

I stepped off anyway, inserted my key into the door, and pushed it open.

"JESSE!"

I braced myself.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!?"

"At school."

My mom had really bad short term memory.

"I SAID I WANTED YOU HOME BY 1:30!"

"But school doesn't end until 3:00."

"I DON'T CARE! I WAS ALL ALONE FOR SIX HOURS! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE?!" She yelled pushing me.

"That's because school lasts six hours."

"DON'T TALK SMART WITH ME!"

"I wasn't..."

"How did I end up having a son like you."

Tears welled up in my eyes. She slapped me.

"YOU DON'T GET TO CRY!"

"I WASN'T!"

She pushed me again. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

"Wh-"

"GET OUT!" She yelled, slamming her bottle on the table.

I backed up from her and ran out. I didn't know or care where I was going.