The Chemical Teenagers

Fresh Starts ~ Chapter 1

In the early hours of the morning, a house basking in the warm, rising sunlight was already bustling with people rushing around with urgency. A girl with long white and shocking purple hair was ramming the last of her belongings into a rucksack. Her heavily made-up eyes barely open. She sighed as she shut her now-empty bedroom's door.

She picked up her roller blades and swung them over her shoulder by the laces along with the now over-flowing rucksack. She shoved her feet into her battered red converse, her blunt, chipped indigo-coloured nails snagging on the laces as she hastily did them up.

She hopped down the stairs of her old house, picking up her last tattered box of cigarettes, her iPod, and her phone off the table as she walked towards the kitchen.She said her last goodbyes to her family, hugging them tightly each before departing into the hall again, stepping over abandoned suitcases and bags. She yanked her old hoodie over her head before leaning against the flowery wall. Waiting.

-Skye's POV-

This was it. The day I was finally leaving Florida. The day I was leaving my parents and siblings behind. Finally.

I had waited so long for this day. To get away from my old life, and start a new one independently. Me and my best friend were moving away. Out of this place. We'd left our old school at the end of the previous term. We'd sent off an application each to the New Jersey College, and we were both desperate to get a placement.

We got accepted. This was it. The day I was leaving my old life behind. All the fond memories were soon to be forgotten and replaced with new ones.

So now, the world awaited me and Stephanie, and today was the day we were free to explore it. This was it.

There was a horn from outside. I opened my front door and on the road was Stephanie in her rusty old truck. "Come on Skye!" she yelled. "Today's the day!"

I grunted as I started dragging my overly-heavy suitcases outside. As it was only 5am and I was really tired. Stephanie stepped out onto the path and started lugging the rest of the cases into the truck. I heard one of the rusty doors slam as she got back inside and started the engine.

I closely followed and got inside. My mum ran out of the house with my dad and they both waved at us as we pulled away.

I felt overjoyed that we were now free to do whatever the hell we wanted, but also sad that I was leaving my wonderful family, old friends and pleasant memories behind.

I opened the window of Stephanie's battered truck as we were driving down the highway. We had rock music blaring out of the radio. This was amazing.

"Great isn't it?" Stephanie blurted after about 20 minutes of us leaving my house.

"Yeah it's fucking fantastic!" I replied, rummaging in my pockets. I pulled my cigarette box out of my torn jeans and lit one. I placed it into Stephanie's mouth as she was driving.

"Thanks" she said.

I lit another for myself. "You know?" I said as we sped along the road, "I thought this day would never come. I mean, we've spent so long in Florida, I thought we wouldn't be able to face leaving."

Stephanie sighed, her unruly blonde hair swaying in her eyes. "Neither did I to be honest. But here we are. Ready to party, make new friends, and take up new experiences. It's gonna be great!" she said before blowing out wispy smoke through her fire truck red lips. I chuckled.

I finished my cigarette and slumped down in my seat. The rising sun was beating down through the window and my eyelids began to feel heavy. Before I knew it I was asleep.

*2 Hours later*

"Skye... Skye... you need to wake up. We're at a truck stop" I heard Stephanie announce. She sounded far away but I knew she wasn't. I blinked and saw her staring right into my face.

"How long was I out?" I questioned, still blinking at the sudden light.

"A couple hours" she said huffily, annoyance in her tone.

"Oh... uh... sorry" I muttered. I wiped a violet-coloured strand of hair out of my face and stepped out of the truck.

"Anyway, time for breakfast!" Her tone had changed and was lighter now. It was happier. I was glad I hadn't pissed her off by sleeping.

It was quite windy here, and my white and bright purple hair was blowing all over the place. But I was glad we'd stopped, as my ass was hurting from sitting in the same position, for a considerable amount of time.

We got into the diner and bought coffee and grilled sandwiches, grabbing the paper bags, we were soon off again, back on the road.

This time I was driving. This was gonna be a long day and I knew it.

-Gerard's POV-

*7:15am*

My alarm goes off noisily. I slam the button down hard to make it stop, and put the cover over my head.

"Gee! Fucking hell. You need get up! You can't miss school again!" yells my younger brother Mikey, storming in and yanking the covers off of me. I sit up and sweep some of my long black hair out of my eyes.

I poke him hard. "Ow! What was that for?" He cried, sliding his glasses up his nose.

"For making me wake up." I said bluntly. Mikey started to leave my room, but as he reached the doorway he stopped and turned around again to face me.

"Um, Gee?" he questioned, moving some of his straight brown fringe from his eyes, "Ray's getting the car from round the corner, and Frank's making coffee downstairs, okay?" He turned away again and left. I could hear him thudding down the stairs.

I got up and started to get ready for school.

-Mikey's POV-

*7:30am*

There was a horn outside. It was Ray with the car.

"Gerard, we've got to leave now!" I yelled, grabbing mine and Gerard's bags and darting out of the door.

Frank ran out behind me, with his bag. "I left Gee a coffee near the door, will he see it?" he muttered, clambering into the car.

"Yeah, he will, he can smell it a mile away, as can I." I said, clutching my cup lovingly and taking a sip.

Gerard emerged out of the house, with a paper cup of coffee. He locked the door of the apartment and then got into the seat next to Ray when he reached the car.

"Off to school then, everyone ready?" said Ray, starting the engine again. "Yeah." The rest of us replied in unison.

"You know?" said Frank, after 10 minutes, "There's some new people moving in next door today, someone dropped a key off yesterday afternoon. We've got to give them the key so they can get into their apartment." He said retrieving a key from his trouser pocket.

"When were you planning on telling us this then?" Gerard muttered, swallowing some coffee.

"Uh, sorry, I forgot." Said Frank sheepishly.

Gerard wasn't all too fun in the morning. Especially not on school days. We arrived at the school, and Ray parked the car.

Ray locked the doors when we all got out. "See you guys later then." He said, leaving with Gerard, who gave me and Frank a wave as they departed.

Me and Frank trailed off into the school, putting our things into lockers when we got inside. We went to register, sloping into the classroom.

Today was going to be fun. The teacher yelled at us as we got inside for being five minutes late. We slumped into our chairs, thinking of the day's horrors and what awaited us.