Say Cheese!

One: New Beginnings

It all started on my first day of my 5th Secondary School.

When you find out you have literally ten minutes to get ready, a normal girl wouldn’t bother getting up and going, especially for school, but naturally being me. I freaked the be-shizzle out.

Grabbing the disgusting navy jumper and shirt I had to wear from my scattered bedroom I tried to shove it over my head as quickly as I could, ironically I got stuck and ended up squirming around trying to escape. Finally emerging from the darkness I noticed Dan, my five year old brother watching, amused, from the doorway as he sipped on his cup of juice. The smirk on his face was gloating enough; I really didn't want to hear what he had to say.

Dan didn't have to go to school today because our car was being serviced and mam couldn't drop him because it was so far way, but since mine was only a 'ten-minute walk' it was more than okay for me to go. 

"Dan stop being a weirdo and get out of my room, I'm trying to get ready!" I screamed throwing Mr Blue bear at him. He took a staggering step back while I slapped on my foundation and tried to smooth it out as best as possible. Pulling my eyelash curler from under my bed I curled my lashes and brushed on a small amount of mascara. Catching eyes with Dan in the mirror, his mouth mimicked mine by opening while watching me apply my mascara.

"DAN!" I yelled causing him to jump with fright as his eyes broke from the gaze.

"Whaaat?" He moaned innocently taking a sup of his juice, his chubby fingers gripping the glass with strain.

There was a pause when I clenched my teeth wondering why I had the most annoying brother in the world before saying "Get.out.NOW!" 

Turning back towards the mirror I saw the black blotches on my eyelids from my mascara. Inwardly groaning I grabbed a used tissue of my floor and wiped it away quickly. Running a brush through my knotty hair I decided it could pass and moved on to my stupid school skirt. I had argued for days with my mam over how sexist making girls wearing skirts was, I mean come ‘on its Ireland here. There isn't going to be warm weather in autumn!

Pulling on the navy and white patchwork skirt, I rolled it up so it sat nicely at my knee. Quickly pulling on the navy socks and dubarrys I was ready to go. 

"ZOEY! WE'RE GOING TO BE LATE!" Harry, my older brother shouted, increasing my speed down the stairs.

 Harry was only a couple months older than me; my parents adopted him five or six months before I came along. He was the one true person that actually knew me since we used to do everything together but since our last school year in Clare things had changed between us once he found out he was adopted.

Grabbing my toast of the counter, I grabbed my school bag and coat out of the hot press cupboard and followed Harry out the front door. It was obvious that we weren't related just by looking at us. Harry was tall, olive skinned and with dark features such as his dark eyes which made him very popular with the women. I, on the other hand was tall, pale with a bright green eye and a bright blue eye which made me the freak of the class, not so popular with the men.

"So you excited for another new start?" I asked munching on my toast aggressively wanting to finish before we got to school. I looked over to Harry who shrugged in his non-caring way and took out his blackberry to text. 

'Well okaaay then' I thought to myself picking at my toast. This attitude had been going on ever since a year ago, I was pretty sure Harry knew he was adopted before then so I didn't understand what the big deal was... 

The school was coming into sight and I got butterflies in my stomach, you'd think I’d be used to the dreaded first days by now but no every first day was like a bullet to the stomach. Munching down the last of my toast I wiped around my mouth ridding it of all crumbs.