Alive || crb

one

"Do I have to go?" I ask Devyn as she scans my closet. I recently moved here to Los Angeles with my little sister a couple months ago.

I don't know very many people here, and the only person I do know is trying to get me to go to a party.

"Ren, you've been here for two months and the only people you hang out with are me, your sister, and Xepher." She tells me.

She's not wrong though. It's just moving from Nashua, New Hampshire to Los Angeles, California has been harder than I thought.

Los Angeles has better opportunities for me than Nashua does. Since middle school, I've been posting makeup videos on Youtube.

Somehow, my videos blew up and I have three million subscribers with almost a million Instagram followers.

I couldn't be more blessed. Youtube and the sponsors help pay for the bills. For the last year, I've saved up so I could move me and my sister out here.

Maya, my little sister, got a scholarship to UCLA. She toured the campus when we came out here to visit and she loved it.

She got a sports scholarship since she plays softball. She started a couple weeks ago and I can tell she's enjoying it.

She should be back any minute from her last class of the week. She has two classes everyday.

"True, but I think I'm good with you three." I tell her, trying to get comfortable in my bed.

Devyn huffs out a breath which means she's frustrated with me. "Ren Elliot! I've known you for a year and I didn't think you were a hermit!"

Devyn and I met through Instagram last year when I saw one of her pictures. She introduced me to her friend Xepher.

They both want me to meet their friend group. I don't know much about them, but I have seen some of their videos.

They seem like a fun group of people, I've just been a little nervous. Granted when I first moved in, I had unpacking as an excuse.

But since I've fully moved in, I don't have that excuse anymore. I'm just happy I met Devyn, we naturally clicked.

I think I liked her so much because she never judged or questioned me and my sister.

When I was born, my parents were way too young to raise me so they put me up for adoption.

That brings in my adoptive parents, who're Hispanic. Growing up, kids at school and on the internet tried to tell me they weren't my family.

They only said that cause of me being Asian and my parents and Maya being Hispanic.

Just because I have a different heritage than them, doesn't mean they're not my family.

I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for them. "Did you call my sister a hermit?" Maya asked laughing while walking into my room.

She came over and sat down next to me. "I'm trying to get your sister to come to a party with me tonight." Devyn explained.

Maya looked at me like I was crazy. "I didn't want to leave you here by yourself." I make an excuse.

"Yeah about that. I have plans tonight." My sister admitted. Both Devyn and myself, mainly me, looked at her in shock.

"Where are you going?" I ask her as she got all nervous. "Out with some friends I made. We're going bowling."

Bowling does so fun, but I'm not going to intrude. "This is just a sign that you're supposed to come to the party." Devyn smiled.