𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞: 𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘵

The morning of the first day at my new school, I was not looking forward to it. At all. My sister ― branded as a traitor by the rest of my family ― had gotten a better job. My other sister had agreed to the move. And here we are. In the San Fernando Valley of California. Apparently, the move also gave my other sister a job as well. 

I did not know what either of their jobs were here. Whenever I asked, they would always tell me that the only job I had to worry about was mine: focusing on my studies. So here I was. In the car as my sister drove me to the high school: West Valley High School. I was sitting in the backseat as my sisters took the front. 

The car ride was quiet on my part as my two sisters talked animatedly to one another. They knew how against this move I was, and yet we did. We moved. Plus, there were barely two months left of school. Couldn’t they have waited to take the move when the school year was finished? Actually, that would have looked stupid. 

In the fall, I would be a senior. College admissions would be a hassle for me. For one, it would have been hard to get those recommendations. Another would be the transcripts. There was also one tiny detail that I don’t need to mention right about now. My sister Skylor parked in the parking lot, and the three of us climbed out. 

I scoffed and slammed the car door shut behind me. My sisters gave each other a look before they turned to me. My other sister Al said, “What’s wrong kid? You’ve hardly spoken to either of us since the-.” 

“We told you we were moving, but it was a good thing we did. Don’t think we didn’t know what was going on in your school because we did know. Now here’s a new one with a new beginning. A new chance. You can leave it all behind you.” Skylor told me. 

I scoffed before marching off towards the school. “You could have asked me before you and Al decided to move us across the country.” 

“It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. Plus,” Skylor bumped her shoulder with mine, taking the front of our trio, “it wasn’t your decision to make, so your input wasn’t needed.” 

I huffed, but still… I followed my two sisters to the principal’s office where I would sit down with the principal, get my schedule, and settle on my way. Hopefully I could manage the next few weeks of school left invisible. Because if I am invisible, then I would not have to worry about new people. 

New people in my life.
New people to make me care for them.
New people to betray me later on. 
New people. I don’t have time for new people. 

The principal went over the usual smick of new school stuff you normally see in TV Shows and movies and read in the current hyperfixation fanfiction. However, one thing the principal did say caught my attention. Karate will not be allowed on school grounds. The next thing was what I expected to hear. 

“I hope your first day at West Valley High School is good. Your tourguide for the day will be here shortly.” the principal told me. 

I walked out of the room followed by my two sisters. The secretary lady told me the tourguide’s name before leaving the three of us to our own devices. Skylor and Al bid me goodbye, and Skylor gave me a hug. 

“Have a nice day, kid. Make some friends. You deserve to meet at least some good people. Maybe if you’re lucky, we’ll invite some of those new friends of yours over for dinner. Right?” Skylor told me. She was never this soft with me. But she was normally the softer between my two sisters. 

I returned the hug. “I’ll try.” No I won’t. 

Al did not give me a hug. Instead, she said goodbye and ruffled my hair. I grumbled as the two of them left the office. They opened the door longer than they should've, letting a girl with mousy brown hair enter the room. My sisters closed the door behind the girl.