Breaking Boundaries | Jacob Black

Chocolate Pie

Dear diary,

Today's my first day at La Push's high school. It's called LP College for short, but that doesn't make it any better. It's been raining since four in the morning and surprise surprise, has broken my sleep. So now I'm wide awake and staring at the greenery outside my window, wondering how old all these trees are. I bet they've been here for centuries.

Why does Ma like it here so much? I don't get it.

It's gloomy and cold. I hate cold. It makes me shiver all the time, makes me cold.

The last few hours of my life haven't felt so real. I was practically shipped all over the country from sunny Vancouver, BC, to here. And why? Because she's practically broke and needs help from extended family.

It's the first day of school today. Maybe I should fake a sickness. That might let me off just for today. One more day of freedom before the dreaded reality of this entire situation dawns.

I hate this so much.

---

Natalia Ling sat on the edge of her seat as she tried not to shuffle or look as uncomfortable as she felt. Despite her best efforts, her heart was beating so fast she felt sick in the stomach and it didn't help that anxious knots were coiling around and making it hard to breathe.

The secretary behind the desk smiled at her whenever their eyes met. Natalia looked away, swallowing down any harsh words that might suddenly slip. The headmistress was fifteen minutes late and classes had already started.

She hated everything about this. From the new home that was practically falling to bits, to the people that seemed to know her despite her not knowing who the hell they were, to the stupid institution that looked like a deserted haunted house for the sickly, a poor excuse of an academy that Natalia wouldn't even have spared a glance once.

Things were different now, as it seemed. She was here, in La Push, and had been smothered with attention the moment she set foot on the land.

Sue Clearwater - Natalia's mother's distant cousin - had prepared a welcoming feast for the occasion. Chicken and potato stew with fresh steamed rice, grilled pieces of fish - apparently fresh from the market as argued by Billy Black, one of the neighboring residents who just happened to be around - and skewers of pork and sausages filled the table. Natalia had been introduced to the two Clearwater kids - Leah and Seth - and to say that it was love at first sight was a big chunk of a lie.

Seth was still bearable. Likeable, even. Leah, however, was another story. She constantly looked like she had a stick up her ass and had her eyes permanently narrowed, so much so that Natalia wondered whether it was natural.

"I bet Vancouver's a lot different than here," Seth said that same night as they dug into dinner. Natalia had feigned interest in the food, pushing pieces around with her fork to mimic the act of eating.

"It is," she said. There was a dry, sandpaper y taste in her mouth as her mind flew back to her life in Vancouver. Everything had been great. Smooth sailing. She'd had friends, had her usual hangout spots. Had her hobbies.

There was absolutely nothing to do here.

"So what do you do normally? Like after school and stuff?" Seth asked through a mouthful of potatoes.

"Go to the movies, eat out. Sometimes we hang out by the beach."

"Oh!" His eyes lit up like a golden retriever's, "we have a beach too! Wanna go check it out sometime?"

"Uh sure."

His excitement was cute, yet overbearing. Natalia wasn't interested in making friends. Her only goal was to get out of here as quickly as possible.