ethereal

thirty one

Kylie's P.O.V.

I have been living in California for two weeks now. My parents bought a new house, almost twice the size of our old one. I didn't even know they made houses this big.

Our stuff had already been unpacked when we had arrived, so we crashed as soon as we found our rooms. I had decided to change my appearance a tad. And by a tad, I mean my whole entire look. Even though I wouldn't admit it to myself, I knew deep down that it was because I was scared to show any bare skin or wear any tight clothes. I was too frightened by what had happened to me not even a month ago. I didn't have Luke to protect me. I couldn't stand being different from myself but I was too scared to care. The bullying from my previous school, even though it was only a little, took a toll on me. At school I would wear stupid, dorky attire, and at home I would wear my usual black jeans and band tee. I would probably throw up if anyone from my school saw me dressed like this. They'd probably make even more fun of me.

I met my only friend here a few days after settling in. Her name was Ginger Thomas. She was like my old self. Before I had become scared of my own shadow. Around her, I acted like Kylie Steel, the confident and reckless girl that had moved from America to Australia. I was afraid that she would make fun of me if she saw how I dressed for school.

I stood from my bed, throwing on a pair of blue cut up Jean shorts with grey sweats over them. I wore a Rolling Stones cut off t-shirt under my navy blue sweatshirt. Yes, it was uncomfortable, but once I get dropped off from the bus stop, I have to walk over a street to meet up with Ginger. After the bus leaves, I can safely go behind my neighbor's bush to take the top layer of clothes off.

I brushed through my hair and rinsed my face from sleepiness. I didn't bother to put on any makeup but I headed downstairs with my white backpack instead. I put my black beanie into my bag and my white converse on before heading out. I didn't bother to eat breakfast. I can't eat in the morning.

I walked all the way to the end of the block to my bus stop and watched as my bus rounded the corner. I stepped on and sat in the third seat, wanting to stay away from the other kids, but not wanting to smell my bus driver the whole ride to school. I lifted my knees to my chest and hoped that nobody noticed me step on. My prayers were denied as I heard the familiar smartassy voice speak.

"Hey, ugly."

I scooted towards the window, not saying a word. I pulled out my phone to see a text from Ashton. He and I had talked the most since I left. Ashton, Cal, and Michael had all chatted multiple times, unlike Luke and I. He and I would keep short and blunt conversations. After about a week, we had stopped all together. I would text him once a day saying I missed him but would receive no reply. I pushed these thoughts to the back of my mind as I read over Ash's text.

'i miss u soo much wanna skype today X'

I answered with a simple sure and felt my phone being pulled from my hands. I watched with hidden anger as the smartass himself, Cody Sams, read my text from Ashton aloud.

"This guy types like a 13 year old girl." He laughed in my face.

Anger bubbled inside of me, it wasn't like when they had thrown my books to the ground and made me be late for class. They had made fun of my best friend. I haven't spoke to them yet, barely anyone, and if I did it was barely audible. I had picked up a tinge of an Australian accent so I now spoke like an American and an Australian. Nobody knew where I had come from, considering they had never heard my slight accent.

I turned towards him and snatched my phone from him.

"Still not gonna talk, are you?"

I rolled my eyes in response.

"I don't think you've spoken to anyone in the past two weeks. Do you only speak nerd or is there some English in there too?" He laughed again at his own joke.

"Speak or else I'll stuff you into a locker for the rest of high school."

I laughed a bit, him noticing this. "It knows how to laugh!"

I sent a glare to the back of the bus seat, so badly wanting to punch Cody right here, right now. I hated him for so many different reasons. He picked on me everyday like this and bullied most of the other kids in our school too. He's nothing but an asshole. I can't help but laugh when he threatens to shove me into lockers and hit me. He fights like a little fucking girl.

"So why don't you talk? You're just too nervous to speak around me, aren't you?"

I gave him a blank expression and shook my head no. The bus stopped at a red light and he grabbed me by the arm and dragged me to the back. I held onto my belongings as we stopped at the back, isolated from everybody else.

"Say something or else I'll make these last few months of school a living hell for you." He grumbled.

I raised an eyebrow, challenging him. He huffed before with an annoyed expression on his face. "At least tell me your name! You've been going here for two weeks now and I still don't have any hilarious nicknames for you yet."

I rolled my eyes before questioning myself. He's gonna find out sooner or later, might as well get it over with, right?

"I'm Kylie Steel. I'm from America but my family moved to Australia when I was little and I just transferred back to here. Happy?"

He sat shocked from my accent before asking questions.

"You got a boyfriend? Because you seem like the type that wouldn't."

I scoffed, "I have a boyfriend right now, actually."

"Oh sure you do."

"Whatever." I said with annoyance outlining my words.

The bus had arrived at school and I jumped out of my seat and got off before Cody could say anything else rude and nosey. I walked into school and found my locker, 113, before getting all of my books I needed for my next few classes.