Hate Me No More (Editing)

Day 1

Thursday-October 20
The alarm on my phone went off and I struggled to open my eyes so I could end it. I groaned at the fact that I would be attending a new school in just a few hours.

Not to mention, it was a Thursday. I hated Thursdays officially. Considering it had been a Thursday when my dad caught my mom with his ex best friend, Dan Richmond. It was also last Thursday when my parents' divorce became official and my dad decided to move to a new town.

The move bothered me, not only because I had to leave my friends, but because I had to leave my younger brother, Seth, to live with my mom and Dan.

I sighed as my phone continued to buzz violently on my nightstand. With reluctance, I sat up and ended the alarm. I checked my notifications to see if I had any text messages. None.

"You up?" my dad asked. He knocked on my door before walking inside.

"Yeah," I replied, looking up. I stretched out my body and slowly stood.

My dad nodded and walked out.

That's how long we communicated. For about thirty seconds or less. I could understand the pain my dad was going through, but he clearly couldn't understand mine.

I left my room and walked in the bathroom, preparing myself for a miserable day to come. I didn't bother looking at myself in the bathroom mirror. I already knew my four hour sleep schedule was taking a major toll on me.

After getting dressed, I walked downstairs. I could hear my dad laughing as a woman's loud voice bounced off the walls. I walked inside the kitchen and spotted our neighbor, Wendy Collins with her daughter Erica.

Wendy was talking to my dad about the dos and don'ts of living in Millard, while Erica stared at her perfectly polished nails in boredom.

"Oh, Alex!" Dad exclaimed. "You remember Mrs. Collins, right?"

"It's Ms. Collins," Wendy corrected with a hint of seduction in her voice. I eyed her suspiciously and Erica snickered.

"How could I not?" I said. "She's visited nearly everyday. . ." All the women on this block actually. They heard a single, successful man was moving in with his sixteen year old daughter and came running down the block in a heartbeat.

"How are you doing?" Mrs.-I mean, Ms. Collins asked politely.

"I'm fine," I said just as politely.

"That's good." Ms. Collins turned away from me and faced my dad again. "Anyway, I just came here to see if Alexis wanted to walk to the bus stop with Erica. I can see you still have loads to unpack, so driving her there would be such a handful."

Dad looked at me as if to say, "I can't just reject the offer."

"I don't mind walking with her," I said.

Ms. Collins smiled and replied,"Well you girls better get going, yeah?" Ms. Collins twitched her eye at Erica.

Erica grabbed onto my elbow. "C'mon, Alex," she said, understanding whatever message her mom was trying to send.

I rolled my eyes and followed Erica outside. We walked in silence to the bus stop.

The light breeze that brushed against my bare arms made me regret not wearing a jacket. Orange and red leaves fell onto the ground lightly, signaling Fall was here. My favorite time of year.

The bus pulled up the sidewalk just as Erica and I reached the bus stop.

"Just in time," Erica said.