HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS

Chapter 2 : The new beginings

Emma' s POV :

The house was quieter than I expected. Ridgeview, this small city that seemed so different from the life I knew in New York, had its own kind of silence. It wasn't the familiar buzz of taxis, honking horns, or the chatter of people on the sidewalks. No, it was the kind of quiet that made you hear everything else—the creak of the old house, the distant hum of the neighborhood, the sound of footsteps upstairs from my new stepfather, Paul, and his kids.

My new family .

I sat on the edge of my bed, staring out the window at the unfamiliar street. It still didn't feel real. Just a few months ago, I was living with Grandma in her little apartment in Brooklyn, going to a school where I knew every corner, every face. It was noisy, cramped, and full of life. But Grandma had gotten sick, and Mom decided it was time for us to be together again—her, me, and her new family.

Paul seemed nice enough. So did his kids. Miles, my stepbrother, was... well, he was charming in that way I didn't quite understand. He was always surrounded by people, always talking, laughing, as if everything came easily to him. Then there was Sophie, my stepsister, who seemed to have no trouble fitting into this perfect, suburban world but she was sweet.

I didn't belong here. Not in this house, not in this town.

Ridgeview High was starting today, and the thought of it made my stomach twist. A new school, new people, new rules. It was like I'd been uprooted from everything I knew and placed into a world where I was supposed to fit in, but I didn't even know where to start.

There was a knock on the door. "You ready?" Miles poked his head in, a grin on his face like the idea of a first day at a new school wasn't terrifying at all .

I nodded, though I wasn't ready at all. "Yeah, almost."

"Don't worry about it," he said, leaning against the doorframe. "It's just school. No big deal."

For him, maybe. Miles had grown up here, his friends were here, and from what I gathered, Ridgeview High was his playground. The thought made me feel even more out of place.

"Thanks," I mumbled, grabbing my backpack. "I'll be down in a minute."

When he left, I sighed and looked at myself in the mirror. I pulled my long dark ginger hair into a loose braid and adjusted my sweater and skirt. I wasn't like Sophie with her perfectly styled hair and flawless outfits, or like the girls I imagined went to this school. I didn't stand out. And that was fine by me. I'd rather stay invisible than deal with the attention.

Downstairs, Miles , Sophie and Alia , miles's girlfriend were waiting. I stared at them as i took the grand staircase. They all looked like they belonged here but i don't. When Mom married Paul , i stayed with my Grandma because i couldn't go and give the life i had in New York and live there . I wasn't like her , i knew that Mom never meant to hurt me when she started her new life with Paul and a little part of me wished they could be bad so i could continue hating them but they weren't . Every time i would stay with me mother in Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve , they would be so welcoming and happy to see me .

"Emma, let's go," Miles called from the door.

I swallowed hard and followed them outside to the car, where Alia—Miles's girlfriend—was waiting too. Alis seemed nice, though she and I hadn't talked much. She was always with Miles or Sophie , part of their little trio.

As we drove to school, I stared out the window, watching the unfamiliar streets pass by. I wondered what Grandma would say if she were here now. She'd probably tell me to stop worrying, that things would get easier with time. But I wasn't so sure.

Ridgeview High came into view, and my anxiety kicked into high gear. The parking lot was packed with students, all talking, laughing, greeting each other. It looked like the start of some big production I didn't have a part in. Miles parked, and as soon as we all got out of the car, people started noticing him. The whispers, the stares—it was like he had this gravity that pulled everyone's attention. I was uncomfortable with the amount of attention they were giving us , but i knew i had to deal with this sooner or later because i was now living with the Hawkins's family.

"Stick with me, okay?" Miles said, flashing me a reassuring smile. "I'll introduce you to people."

I nodded, though I wasn't sure I wanted to meet anyone. My plan was simple: keep my head down, go to class, and blend in. But I had a feeling that wasn't going to be easy—not when my stepbrother was Miles, and his sister was Sophie .

As we walked trough the school , Miles walked  toward a group of people . I could remember their faces , the blonde guy was Alex and his girlfriend Olivia , i smiled at them and said hi .
My eyes landed on the last one : Jax .
I felt Jax's gaze flicker over to me for a second. Just a brief glance, but enough to make me feel like I was being sized up.

I'd met Jax briefly at some dinner Mom and Paul had thrown a few weeks ago. He was hard to miss—tall, dark hair, dark blue eyes , and a look that seemed like trouble just followed him around. Even now, he stood next to Miles with this careless confidence that made me nervous. I didn't know what it was about him—maybe it was the way he didn't seem to care about anything, or the fact that his eyes were always just a little too sharp, like he was sizing everything up.