The Goldy Project

Chapter 1

The bright sunlight had already started seeping through my velvet curtains. I instantly turn around to my side table near my bed to put on my geeky glasses on, Sadie always said that I had started the trend with my glasses, I knew she was lying but I still liked to believe her. Glasses were a necessity for me, without my glasses I was partially blind, but to make matters worse I also looked like an infant that hadn't hit puberty yet without them. So now you can understand when my mum had mentioned contacts, why I refused profusely. Being 16, that look really wasn't what I was going for.

"Jade, get up!" I hear my brother yell whilst knocking my bedroom door, by knocking I mean slamming his huge fists on my door.

My brother, James Christian Pond. Luckily he's at university most of the time, however due to his lack of skills in washing his own clothes, he's home every weekend. Whenever he is around he annoys the heck out of me, I can already hear speakers blasting out his favourite band.

I also live with my mum and George. Like every ordinary mum, my mum wanted me to get the best grades, at the best school, with the best opportunities. So when she found out that we weren't rich, and I was going to have to stick with normal secondary school, you can guess how mortified she was. Therefore her new tactic is to permanently ingrain into my brain her personal mantra 'distractions are always not worth it'. Which is perfectly reasonable because she had me and James when she was very young. She had a rocky start to life and regrets never being able to finish her education and having a career and fears that I will too. But I've told her endless times before, boys didn't even look at my direction, never mind relationships, she had nothing to worry about.

But behind her strict masquerade she's a harmless teddy bear, she spoils myself and James way too much, you can just tell by how she welcomes James with open arm every weekend with his disgusting laundry, she never complains. She and George, my stepdad, are always so happy, they're good for each other. I secretly admire their love story, showing me that in a world full of hate, love stories do actually come true. Okay, I'm a hopeless romantic, sue me.

7:30, I have about half an hour to take my shower and get ready. I run into the shower and get changed into the same old jeans and shirt. Sighing in the mirror at the sight of another pimple starting to shoot, I brush my golden locks back into a ponytail, out of the way. If there was one thing I didn't hate about me in general, it had to be my eyes. It was like my little secret as they were usually hidden behind my glasses.

Grabbing my bag from the side with one hand and munching on a granola bar with my other free hand, I try to show off my amazing multitasking skills.

"Are you leaving now?" James says, peering behind the living room door.

"Yes, some people actually have to work. Tell mum I'll be back at half four, okay?" I grunt, shoving my feet into my converses whilst envying my brother at the same time. Bag, check. Algebra book, check. Phone, check. I'm ready to go.

"Could you get me a red velvet cupcake?" He says, attempting a sad puppy face. I couldn't believe he was even trying that face on me, doesn't he know he has to be a little cute for that face to work.

"Give me the money and I will." I say, placing a hand on my hip, then instantly taking it off, feeling like mum.

"Well there are other ways of getting things than buying them." He says with a wink.

"James Christian Pond, I sure hope you're not enforcing robbery, that isn't very legal, is it? I wonder what mum would say about that." I start tutting and simultaneously raising my eyebrow.

"I never said robbery..." He mumbles, whilst going back to the television.

"Uh huh, sure you didn't. I'm going now, see you later." I say, closing the door behind me.