Among the stars

Prologue

"Harper let's go!"

Harper had just finished packing her backpack and rushed to throw her beanie on before rushing out of her room.

"Coming, coming!" She yelled back rolling her eyes a bit.
The first day of school. Sophomore year. She was terrified to say the least. She had completed online courses for her freshman year. Her mother had left her life in 8th grade and Harper didn't want to start high school without a mom. She wasn't ready for that. She barely wanted to finish 8th grade after that. But after much convincing from her older sister, she's attending high school for the first time.

"I told you to have everything ready yesterday so we could avoid this." Adrianna had her keys already set in her hand and was slipping her shoes on when Harper finally tumbled down the stairs.

"Yeah, Yeah, I was just busy." Harper responded with slight angst. Truth is she wasn't busy. She was just hooked on her video game and didn't want to.

Rushing the rest of the way out the door and to the car, the girls readied themselves for a new year. Adrianna was a senior this year. She would finally be finished with high school and move onto college. Being Harper's older sister, Adrianna wanted nothing more than ease the new environment for Harper and make sure she adjusted okay. She knew what their mom leaving had done to Harper.

"Why are you wearing that beanie? It's like 80 degrees outside." Adrianna questioned. Sure it was already August but the summer wasn't even close to coming to an end yet.

"Bad hair day."

"I could have helped you fix it this morning." Adrianna glanced at Harper. She was staring out the window as trees blurred past. Adrianna didn't know why but ever since that day, Harper had shut her out. They used to do everything together. Play video games, watch movies, read in their treehouse, and stargaze almost every night. But now it was like Harper had lost a piece of herself. It was like when their mom left, she took a piece of Harper with her.

"yeah I'm good thanks." Harper never broke eye contact with the tree line. She didn't understand anything it seemed, when it came to her family. She'd often be in her own head racking her brain about why. Why her mom left, why her dad is always working late and coming home drunk, why her sister felt the need to boss her around trying to replace her mom, and why she was always left in the dark. Because of all her pent up emotions she was always stand off-ish. Not on purpose, she just thought most people would betray her. After all her own mother had.

The rest of the ride to school was silent. Harper hadn't wanted to say anything else. She barely had enough energy to keep trying to sort out the questions in her head. Let alone try and make small talk.

A minute later, the school came into view. It was bigger than Harper anticipated. Her body was buzzing with nerves. Nausea crept into her stomach and made a home there. Adrianna looked at Harper and noticed her uneasy figure. Her face hadn't shown it, but her body said it all. She was slightly trembling, and her body was tense.

"If you need directions or need me to introduce you to anyone just ask, I'm a text away. Also when lunch comes around you can sit with me and my friends. I'll introduce you since I never really have. Oh and-"

"I don't need help from little Ms. Perfect. I don't want to meet your stuck up little friends. Stop acting like mom because you're not. So just leave me alone." Harper stopped Adrianna mid briefing. Silence followed for moment before Harper grabbed the handle of the car. "I don't need you." She finished, and got out promptly slamming the door behind her.

She couldn't stand Adrianna always up her ass about everything. She wasn't her mother and she didn't need to be babied. Harper had always been in Adri's shadow. Even when they hung out all the time. Adrianna always had tons of friends, perfect grades, she always participated in the community and was overall her parents golden girl. Harper never had any of that. Harper was a C+ student at best and she hated socializing. She was more of a stay at home and game kind of girl. It only got worse when Adrianna went to high school. She was part of student government, friends with all the popular people, and was in 6 different clubs. Everyone wanted to meet her, be with her, or be her. That last one resonated with Harper.