Chapter 1- I don't know how book characters do it

"I'm not going." I groaned, burying my face in my pillow. Ann sighed and pulled my covers off me.

"But today's the day! We're gonna start our journey to become real adults!" She insists, trying to pull me out of bed.

"Don't pull that crap on me." I turned away from her, making my body as limp as possible so I was a deadweight in her arms. I preferred looking at the wall instead of the bright sunshine streaming into my room and my sister's grinning face. Unfortunately, she leaned over me, her hazel eyes almost identical to mine aside from the fact they were sparkling with mischief. At least, I think it was mischief. I'm not so good at the whole 'reading people's eyes' thing. I don't know how book characters do it.

"No swearing, remember." She said, earning a swat from me. She wrinkled her nose and finally moved away from me. "Grumpy pants."

"You're so childish." I teased. "Maybe if you weren't my sister, I'd find it less annoying."

"Y'know, we are identical twins." She said cheekily before disappearing into the hall. Knowing her, she was probably going to go eat all my food. Either that, or hog the washroom.

As soon as she was out of the room, I sat up, yawning, and took in my room. A few blinks helped me sweep the sleep from my mind as I spent a minute basking in the sun. As always, I was glad me and my sister didn't share a room. While her's was covered in pink and white, mine was a peaceful blue and grey. I don't think I could stand opening my eyes just to be blinded by sparkles every morning.

I went through my morning like it was completely normal, even though it obviously wasn't. You know, the Journey and all that going today. About to be away from my family for months. My whole life about to be thrown upside down. Yup, totally normal. Oh, and to add to the normality and obvious boringness, I had no idea where I would even be and what would happen there.

I forced a smile onto my face as I went downstairs, where I found my family sitting at the table. We never usually ate breakfast together, since everyone in town was encouraged to give their children as much freedom as possible, but of course it was a special occasion.

"So..." I started after getting a bowl of dry cereal, uncomfortable with the silence. "What's the plan for today?"

"Eat and head to the town centre." My mum replied with a smile, eating her toast as my dad read the paper. I waited for someone to continue the conversation, or at the very least start a new one, but of course 'silence is golden'. One of the big town rules. Silence was supposed to make us more mature, let us think more, yet for me that seemed, well, stupid. Making conversation wasn't going to kill us. It would certainly make me less anxious for today.

Finishing my breakfast seemed to take a million years. Then I had to wait another million for my family to get ready to go. I waited in the bathroom, staring at myself in the mirror and mentally prepping myself as I ran my fingers through my golden brown hair. Lucky socks, check. Comfortable clothes, check. Mental stability? Hopefully.

I sighed for the hundredth time that morning (though I exaggerate a lot, if you haven't noticed) and peeled my eyes away from the mirror as my sister called for me from the front door. I didn't consider myself vain, but my sister always complained that I spent way too much time in front of the mirror. At least I'm not the one hogging the bathroom as I make myself look pretty. I just like to contemplate life and wallow in self pity as I look at my reflection. Perfectly sensible way to spend ones time.

I scurried over to the front door and slipped on my sneakers. Scrunching my nose, I looked at Ann's ensemble. "Is that what you plan to wear for the next few months?" I asked as I grabbed some chocolate from the bowl in the dining room.

"It's not like they're gonna make us live in the woods like animals." She said. "If they wanted us to do that, they'd just send everyone to the school playground."

"But surely there's going to be some kind of work we're going to have to do. And no way are you doing it in those shoes."

Ann waved off my worried tone with one hand, adjusting her summery blue dress. "Relax, Kayla. I'd rather this than looking like that." She gestured towards my yoga pants, sneakers, and hoodie. I rolled my eyes in response. Ann was the perfect balance of snarky, stuck up and nice that it was almost infuriating.

I might have said something witty in response (it'd most likely have fallen flat) if my mother hadn't bustled into the entry hall and ordered us out the door.

"It's the big day, girls!" She said excitedly as we sat down in the hover car a minute later and my dad turned it on. "Are you two ready?"

"Maybe, if someone were to tell us what we're supposed to be ready for." I snapped. Honestly, sometimes it makes you think they've been brainwashing us and secretly plan to kill us.

"Maybe you should be ready to hold your tongue, young lady. I intend to have my children make a good impression on the mayor." My mother said smoothly. Sometimes her snappiness surprised me.

I turned to stare out the window, taking in the neatness of our town, which I don't know if I'd ever mentioned was called Aden. It wasn't exactly small, but it wasn't too big either. Maybe it seemed bigger than it was with all the colour and freedom it contained. That's one great thing about this place- it was nothing like the sci-fi war novels of the past had made it out to be. It was somewhere where people were free to do as they pleased as long as we followed the few rules, and that had worked great so far. And all the technology was eco-friendly and updated. Overall, it was as perfect as a society could be.

"Hey, Kayla, you've zoned out again! We're here!" Ann gave me a playful shove before climbing out of the hover car, jumping to the ground. Hover cars were a perfect example of the whole technology thing.

"Race ya to the building!" I said after hopping out next to her. I took off, Ann right behind me. The building I referred to was the town centre, the, um, centre of the town. It was where decisions were made, stuff was organized, and where we would be starting our Journeys.

"Watch out!" My sister shouted just as I smashed into someone. For a second I wondered if I had just had a cliche meeting-your-true-love-by-accidentally-running-into-them moment, before I saw the auburn haired older lady smiling down at me as she stepped away. I don't think my true love was the mayor of Aden.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Meyer." I apologized. And no, I'm not kidding, that's her actual name. The mayor of the town was named Miss Meyer. It was pronounced my-er though, so it wasn't as weird as it could be. If it was pronounced mayor I probably would have collapsed into a fit of giggles every time I said it.

She looked me up and down, her smile beginning to look just like the slightest bit forced. "That's fine. Are you one of the lucky children starting their Journey today?"

I cringed slightly at her fake tone. "Um, yes."

Luckily, my mother and sister appeared behind me before things could get any more awkward. My sister immediately grabbed my arm and steered me away while my mum struck a conversation. Apparently silence was only golden if it involved your children.

"What was that?!" Ann hissed as we stopped in front of the double doors.

"Awkwardness, duh. That was uncomfortable as f-"

"No swearing! If this is the first impression you're going to make on everyone during the Journey, you'll be alone for the next few months."

"Since when did you become so proper? There used to be childish Ann and cool Ann, you don't need another personality!"

Ann sighed. "I'm just looking out for you, okay? This is protective Ann."

I smiled slightly. I was glad we were close enough that our arguments don't last long. We turned to the entrance simultaneously, linking arms. Sometimes we were both a bit childish.

"Ready?" She asked tentatively, knowing how I felt about the Journey.

"Ready."

A/N- Seeeee this was longer what do you people (if anyone is reading this even) think?

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