The girl who stares

C H A P T E R O N E P O I N T T W O: Caught me unawares.

It's the year twenty-twenty-one, a deadly virus has wiped out three quarters of the planet. And by three quarters of the planet, I mean my family. And by deadly virus, I really just mean everyone is over the top happy. Like the whole time. Like it's just creepy grins and excitable shouts everywhere. And that's what woke me up.

"Wake up parentals, we're gonna be late because of you." That would be my sarcastic sixteen year old brother, Xander. Xan for short.  They're not gonna be late, I drive their asses.

"Do you have to be so loud, all the time?" That would be my smartass sister – also sixteen – Lauralynn. Laurie, cause she hates that name. If you didn't get it by now, they're twins. And they get on each other's nerves.

"Shut up both of you, before I conveniently forget to take you to school." And they get on my nerves too.

I scrub my hands down my face, chasing away the lingering sleep in my eyes. A huge yawn escapes unbidden as I slowly get up to use the bathroom.

I quickly pee, then make my way to the shower slash bath.  Opening the tap to the hottest it can go, to quickly warm the tiles. And then switch on the cold water tap. I step under the spray, and start scrubbing every inch of myself.

I might not like the fact that I have to go to a new school when I'm in my last year of high-school, but I sure as hell am not going to be known as the new girl, that smells. I look at the countless bottles of shampoo, then settle for my all time favorite: Appleberry.

I lather, rinse and repeat, several times before  brushing my teeth, and finally finishing my shower. I grab three towels, one for my body, one for my hair, and one for my face.

( P.S if there are any boys tuned into my life story, it's more hygienic this way. )

I grab warm, snug clothes from my unpacked bag, quickly dress and leave my hair to dry naturally after combing out the knots. I almost decide against but, I evidently take a beanie with me. I check my watch, a good thirty five minutes. Not bad. I impress myself sometimes.

Now take note, that was the easy part, the quietest part of my routine. Observe when I open the door. The madness ensues.

"MOM?! Where's my lunch box, I don't wanna buy lunch if it's gross, ya know?" That would be Laurie, falling to the earth as she once again fails to plan ahead. Three, two, one.

"DAD?! Have you seen my football helmet?" I can hear my brain cackling at the the absurdity of my siblings. And Xav-o was his name-o. You guys are so fucking predictable.

I'm ridiculous sometimes.

Glancing at the chaos that they made when I get downstairs, I click my tongue, annoyed.

"All your stuff's in my car, you idiots. Eat breakfast and then let's go, we can eat lunch off campus, okay? But first we gotta hurry up, cause we still need to find the high-school," I almost forgot, I quickly shout again. "Both your school bags are packed and in my car too." I hear them both curse at me for insulting them, but I ignore it, I just saved their asses.

I get to the kitchen, seeing mom and dad having coffee and omelets ready for dramatic kid's one and two.

"Bye mom and dad, have a good day at work, love you." I tell them.

I grab my car keys from my dad's hands, kiss both him and mom on the cheek, grab an apple then head straight for the front door.

I hear footsteps and find mom following me. I stop shortly.

"Bye Sweets, make friends okay, I know you're missing Eliza, but this year will be over quick, you'll see." Mom says, then adds quietly, "Hop to it and get through it." She didn't like that we had to move either. But she was less verbal about it.

I nod my head, hug her and bite into my apple, then I head to my car. I quickly unlock and start the car for it to idle, and wait for the temperature to rise. I honk the horn twice, clamber into the car and lock myself away from the biting cold.

I quickly dial Lizzy's number, it immediately goes to voicemail. She should have been up by now, it's lunch time at school there. I sigh, then decide to call her later.

I quickly look up Dimond High School. Population of one thousand five-hundred and four. Scratch that, now it's five hundred and seven. Looks like they're fucking good with the sports, Xan and Laurie would love it.

After I've typed in the location, I hear my car doors open, and bickering. Always with the bickering, fucking hell.

"I wanted shotgun, Xander," I practically hear the pout in her voice.

"Yeah? well, too slow, biatch." I hear the humor in his. Was it too late to slam my head into a brick wall? I roll my eyes. Ugh.

I back out or drive way, and look at the directions towards the school.

"You know, you could be a little more happy, you're away from the Barden fucker. You know, the person always harrassing you." Xan for all his brains didn't know when to shut up.

And neither did Laurie it seemed. "Xan's right, you've secretely wanted this, years ago, when it started."

I shrug, noncomittedly,"You guys don't know anything, who's to say I didn't like the attention, huh?" Both of them knew I was talking straight out of my ass now. I hated it. So much.

Both of them humpf angrily at me, but keep quiet. Good, that should teach them.

"Take a left, and on your right hand side, you will have arrived at your destination." I do as the GPS says and the building I see, takes away my breath. Fucking hell. I park my car near the entrance of the school.

"Jeez, they do not fuck around, huh?" I say to them. Hums of agreement echo and all three of us gulp at the same time.

Cheerleaders run amok in their warmest clothes, as footballs are thrown quickly, in a game of what looks like..lava ball? A group of people are jogging at one pace and all I assume is, its the cross country team.

I quickly find my gears, then turn to look at them. "Okay, we'll get our scedules, go to class and then meet up here at lunch, if by then you guys have made friends that's fine, I'll bring you guys back something to munch before the tardy bell rings, sound alright?" I look both of them in the eyes, noting their frightened faces, they're gonna be fine though. They were popular in our old school, they'll be popular here too.

They nod, then gingerly open their doors, I do the same, walk around the car, and open the boot, taking out all our school supplies. I give them both big hugs, and then finally, I look towards the school.

"Let's go, we'll be fine." I encourage them. Sometimes I can be nice too.

They nod unsure, and then I notice why: "We know we'll be fine, but will you?" They were worried for me.

"I will be, stop worrying." I was lying, big time.