Tough Luck, Juliet

Chapter 1 - New Kid on the Block

"Juliet! Wake up! You'll be late for your first day of eleventh grade," my over-eager mother says.

"Good," I reply and roll over in my bed.

"Juliet, get up right now, please." I ignore her.

"You'll regret it," she says mischievously. Just when I think she's finally left for good, she dumps a glass of ice cold water on me. I bolt upright and hit my head on the low ceiling.

"Mom!!" I shriek. She just laughs, and I hear snickering behind her.

"Mikayla! Get out of my room!" I shout at my younger sister.

"Juliet, please stop yelling. You are going to wake your brother up." I roll my eyes.

"Everyone just get out of my room!" My mother stares pointedly at me.

"I wouldn't have to yell if you'd get out of my room!"

"Juliet, I do not appreciate the tone of voice you are using with me."

"Well excuuuuuuuse me."

"Juliet Grace Stiles! Do not talk to me like that! I am your mother! I've given up so much just so that you and your siblings can have a decent life!"

"It's not my fault you weren't good enough for dad, so he left!" From the look on her face, I can tell I've crossed the line.

"Is that why you think he left?" she says quietly, the hurt and anger in her eyes. I shake my head no. I know the real reason he left: me. She quickly recovers.

"Juliet, you are grounded. No hanging out with your friends for a week," she says.

"It's not like I have any anyways," I sneer. She shakes her head and walks away.

As soon as she's gone, Mikayla pokes her head in.

"Ooh you're in trouble!" I've had it with her. I walk over and slap her. Hard. Her eyes widen.

"MOM!!!!!"

"What is it, Mikayla? You know I hate it when you yell."

"Juliet slapped me!!" I can't exactly plead not guilty, as a bright red hand print is on Mikayla's cheek.

"Two weeks," my mother says to me. Mikayla sticks her tongue out at me.

I hate her. I hate her so much! Mikayla's only purpose on this earth is to ruin my life! Getting dressed, I stub my toe, trip over nothing, and knock over half my room. I sigh and readjust the collar on my school uniform. On the way downstairs, I fall three times. My older brother Owen sees this and laughs.

"God, Juliet. Could you be any fucking clumsier?" he asks. I kick him in the shin.

"Oops, my foot slipped," I say and shrug my shoulders, "guess I'm just too much of a klutz."

"Well aren't you just Little Miss Clever?" I ignored him and grab an apple, leaving without saying goodbye to anyone. Not like they'll notice.

On the bus, I sit in my usual seat. In the back, all alone. We stop at a new house. An insanely gorgeous guy gets on. All the seats are filled except for two. Mine, and the most popular girl in school's. Tessa, the popular girl, is the only popular person on my bus, so she always sits alone. When she sees the new guy, however, she moves her stuff over to make room. The guy glances at her and keeps walking.

I'm so caught up in Tessa's facial expression, which makes her look like a startled leech, that I don't notice the guy until he taps on my shoulder.

"Mind if I sit here?" he asks me, his voice calming yet deep at the same time.

"Oh yeah. Sure, I'll stand." I stutter and make to get up so that he can have the whole seat. He smirks in a way that makes my heart melt, and laughs.