Boshville

B. 1

6 am

The alarm blared waiting to be snoozed to the next ten minutes. The slap on its parts never came. The child it intended to wake had wide eyes already. She did not need the accurate timer anymore. Its rings had been inscribed in her mind because it was the same every morning.

Natalie groaned as she sat up. She ran her fingers in her hair. It was bushy as always. She let out a yawn and climbed down. She twisted her upper body to the left while her legs stayed in the same place. She did it on the right side also. That was her regular morning stretch.

Natalie inspected herself in the mirror. Her eyes were still hazel and her hair was its ever wavy brunette. She had several dreams of dyeing her hair but her mother would have her head. Her mom was slightly in need of mental help.

Natalie hummed the tune of 'Rewrite the Stars' by Zac Efron and Zendaya from her favorite movie ever. It was a movie that made her build castles in the air but she loved it. She shook her petite bum as she dragged herself to her bathroom. As soon as she closed the door, her voice burst into the full song of 'A million dreams'.

"She's awake". A blonde woman told her husband. The brown haired man just chuckled. It was the same torture every morning. Their daughter's voice was not terrible but the song did not appeal their taste. "When do you think she would be down?" Natalie's mom asked. "Thirty minutes. That's her thing". The father shrugged.

Natalie's mom, Daisy, brewed another cup of coffee while Rogers, Natalie's dad continued reading his paper. This was their morning routine until Natalie bothered to go to school.

"Morning mom, morning dad". Natalie greeted as she kissed both their cheeks. "Right on time". Daisy teased. Natalie rolled her eyes with a smile. They were not lying.

"You really think you should wear that for a new week, cupcake?" Rogers asked without looking up from his paper. "First of all, don't call me cupcake", Natalie sassed, "and secondly, this is kinda my style". "First of all", Rogers mimicked her, "I can call you whatever I deem fit, princess and your style paints school like a cemetery".

"It is a graveyard, dad! The amount of knowledge is killing me".

"You're just a sophomore. I can't imagine what you'd say when you become a senior".

"If...I become a senior. I'm gonna get fed up soon and I'll just wing it". Natalie shrugged. Daisy placed a plate of bacon and eggs in front of her. "Have your breakfast, young lady", she ordered, "and there will be no 'winging it' in this household, do I make myself clear?" "My ears have been acting up lately". Natalie pouted. Daisy crossed her arms with the mom look. "Ugh!" She groaned in defeat, "there will be no winging it...yet".

Rogers laughed at the interaction. "Don't encourage her". Daisy scolded her husband as she went to get her handbag. Her heels clanked with each step. "She always scolds us", Natalie shook her head as she took another bite, "you need to be a man, Dad". Before Rogers could say anything, a voice shouted from the next room, "another word like that and you'll babysit Sean!"

Natalie immediately shut up. Sean was their neighbor's kid. He wasn't a little devil prior to assumptions. His elder brother who was also a sophomore was Natalie's problem. They were occasionally forced to babysit together.

Hunter Ackerman.

He was an egotistical, vindictive, stupid and irritating brute. Unlike what most novels suggested, hidden feelings were not the reason for her hatred. Hunter was a prankster. She fell victim for a lot of them when they were younger because she hadn't gotten glasses. From then, Hunter began to target her.

They were times when she would retaliate especially when they were at school. She had slight power there. Once she batted her eyelashes like an innocent angel, the principal would give Hunter all the punishment. Natalie loved those moments.

"Done". She announced as she placed the plates in the sink. Natalie walked to the car like her legs were anvils. She was unhappy about the riding arrangements.

Her home was a distance from their school. Natalie expected to get a car on her sixteenth birthday but she got a dog instead. She  was allergic so they had to give him up. Her Dad was a safe driver and her mom was a neighborhood lady who would greet anyone and everyone.

It was so embarrassing!

Natalie sunk in her seat as they left. She was on time as usual. She waved quickly at her parents before she escaped. There was a time when her mom gave her a forehead kiss and half the school saw it.

"Running from mommy's love again?" A voice teased. Natalie smiled then gave him a playful punch. It was her best friend, Casper Morris. He was half asian, half american and his genes showed clearly. His hair was a silky black in bangs and his eyes were a glowing brown. She would have had a crush on him if he wasn't a dork.

"Of course", she laughed, "you know how she gets". "I could use a kiss from Daisy". Casper wiggled his brows. He earned another punch from her. "That's my mom, dork". Natalie faked a frown. "Let's go". They both chatted about their nonexistent social lives as they walked down the hallways.

Many students were doing the same thing. There was actually nothing to say. Their town was boring. If there was an award, Boshville would bag it. Natalie was greeted by many people and she replied. It was their thing.

"This is where we part my friend", Casper put a hand on her shoulder, "the torture is to begin and the agony to be endured. I hope to see you on the other side. Be strong". Natalie shook her head. He was a dramatic lunatic. "The other side would some be detention, mister Morris". Mr  Thorne, their math teacher snapped as he entered his class. Casper gave Natalie one last smile before he followed the teacher.

Natalie went to her class which was History. Whoever prepared the timetable hated her. History in the morning was begging for her to sleep but this was her life and she was bloody used to it.

The classes went by and soon, it was lunch. "The same process". Casper groaned as he plopped on the table they usually shared. "A pop quiz?" Natalie quirked her eyebrows referring to their Physics teacher. "When does she never?" He roughened his hair, "if she wasn't pretty, I would have killed her". "Your problem of liking older women is worse than your grades". Natalie laughed.

"It's getting old, Natalie", Casper said more seriously, "we do the same subjects every time with the same teachers. Is our school stuck in a loop or something?" Natalie observed the cafeteria. It was the same cliques in the same spot chatting the same nonsense. "I guess so". She shrugged.

Natalie did not have any extra curricular so she had to walk home alone. Casper would apologize each time because he had lacrosse practice. Natalie would have joined the team but Coach Scruffins ( his real name was Saffron) had a strict 'no girls' policy on his field. The exception was gym class.

Natalie sighed severally with her hands in her pocket as she went home to continue in the same life.

Hey hey! This is the first chapter and I know it's a little low-key but I promise that things get wild after this so stick around.

And yeah, I am always happy to know what you think so please please comment. I'm not perfect so help me become better.

Love you,

Josy💜