The Brightest Light

Chapter 1: The New Girl

I always dreamt of being happy, actually wanting to live. Sometimes, reality is just so cruel, and sucks the life out of you even when you don't want it to.

"Nicole! Get your ass up! I'm leaving you here if you aren't ready in 30 minutes!" That annoying and familiar voice from my mother wakes me up in a shock, as I notice the clock beside my bed. 30 minutes before she heads to work and drops me off at my school. The sun rises as I stretch and scratch my head, my body finally relaxing from my sudden awakening. I slowly slump out of bed as I hear the same yelling from my childhood days from down the stairs. To avoid joining that mess, I walk into my closet to grab some clothes.

My name is Nicole Sara Lance, and my life is shitty. I'm 16 and don't have my future planned out at all, and I have some weird issues. I know that everyone thinks I'm dumb and behind, but I never let that bother me too much. I know what I am, and I've come to accept that life is just destined to suck for me, just enough to make me want to die but not enough to actually let me jump off the roof.

I grab my baggy tan pants and put on a rock T-Shirt before playing a playlist my 'friend' made for me, then sliding on my black and white converse. I have friends, don't get me wrong, just none of them are real. They all act and seem like Barbies: cold, shiny, hard, and fake. I tie my hair up in a messy ponytail before dragging myself downstairs, my headphones in on full volume.

Upon my arrival, I see my mother screaming at my father. A common sight in the Lance household. My sister, Angelina is seated at the table with her hearing aids out, eating some Lucky Charms cereal with my baby brother, Theodore, who was sitting in his high chair, screaming and unfed. I open the fridge, grabbing a toaster strudel and popping it in the toaster, then grabbing some applesauce and sitting next to the baby.

What are they fighting about this time? I sign to my sister, who looks at me and shrugs. I'm the only one in my family who learned and taught Angelina to use ASL, so I use it whenever we can.

I'm not sure, something about woman at his job and mom being hungover again.

I hated when mom was hungover in the mornings. She is so obsessed with dad, but he wasn't loving her as much. She resorted to constant drinking habits and smoking to 'calm her nerves' while dad sleeps with every woman that he meets. This led to her neglecting us and beating the hell out of us when we did anything wrong, all because she can't see her own imperfections. Fucking Bitch.

Well, how is your cereal tasting? I ask a now happier Angie, who is glad just to have a distraction from reality. I spoon-feed Theo the rest of the applesauce before handing him a bottle of milk that sat on the table. I'm guessing Angie made that.

It's my favorite, so good! Marshmallows make everything taste better. She responded, to which I nodded.

Good.

"Ok kids, get the fuck up, stop throwing gang signs and get in the damn car." My mom interrupts, to which I tap Angie's shoulder to get her attention.

Car. I sign as my sister puts in her aids again and grabs her jacket and bag. I grab my strudel from the toaster and take Theo to the car, buckling him up and securing his car seat. I then sit in the passenger seat next to my mom, my body stiffening up with anxiety as I wait for her to vent to me and not pay attention to the road. Angie sat behind me and my mom hopped in, turning on her car and lighting another cigarette and blowing the smoke in my face.

"Mom, you do remember I'm only 16, right? I'd like my lungs to stay healthy-"

"Shut up, I'm the driver right now and I can do what I want, dumbass..." My mother responded. I don't understand why she hates me the most, but I learned to get used to it. I place my headphones on to be greeted with "Fat Funny Friend" by Maddie Zahm. I stare out my window, noticing how dull the world looks in fall, the leaves making trees look naked, the sky being dull and gray, sidewalks empty and-

My mom suddenly slammed on her brakes, making my head turn to face the front windshield.

"Watch it ya fucking idiot!" She screamed at the stranger, earning a middle finger from the high-schooler. This person was tall, but wore a coat with 3 patches: a Marvel Thor-themed one, an Owl symbol from the Owl House, and my high school's emblem. Yet, I've never seen this person before, and I've been going to Winchester since I was a kindergartener. The stranger then biked away on their blue bike, still holding up the middle finger at my mom until I couldn't see them anymore. My mom was furious.

"People at your school are dumbasses Nola, watch out." She said.

"Not my name, mama."

.          .          .

"Class, pull out your textbooks and open to page 13, today we learn about-" My favorite teacher, Mrs. Herz. She has a huge heart, passionate about teaching German, but also puts the time to connect with her students on similar interests and teaches in a way I enjoy. She's very unique, wearing crazy colored clothes everyday and always standing out. She also makes the best snacks ever. "Oh! There she is, everyone, eyes up here."

"They, please."

I look up and see the person from earlier, the one that flipped us off. No one could miss their unnatural blue hair and dark eyes. 

"My apologies, everyone! Meet Ray, they are joining us this year for German! Let's give our warmest greetings." I studied the new student in awe. They had the fairest pale skin and warmest brown eyes, their hair fluffy and a pale blue. Round black glasses surrounded their eyes, and they wore a pair of overalls with a pink, blue, and yellow striped sweater, finished with ankle socks and tan boots. "Take a seat in the corner, behind Nicole there!" 

That's when we made eye contact. I  looked away quickly, hoping they wouldn't notice how badly I was staring at them, but it was odd. Their smile, their laugh, the way they seemed so happy, it was so interesting. I heard the shuffling of footsteps next to me, followed by the seat behind me moving and the continuation of my German teacher explaining our lesson plan.

Why do I have a feeling this will be a long year?