Everything Has Changed (Completed)

then - chapter one

❝ all I knew this morning when I woke
is I know something now
know something now I didn't before ❞

Clop.

Clop.

Clop.

My footsteps towards the bus were slow and short, my black converse clapping against the pavement as I went. My mom insisted that the bright blue socks I wore wouldn't match my outfit, but I thought they looked good.

The sign for the bus stop was just a bit up ahead, and I did everything I could to try to make myself late for school.

I looked up at the green sign that read Kingsboro Court, thinking back to the day before yesterday.

Mom and I had pulled up to our new house, the moving truck already parked by the curb and the impatient works waiting to open up the back. My first impression when I stepped out of the car?

There's so many trees.

The small, rural town in California was much different than the busy city of Chicago. Instead of an apartment, we had our own little house. And there were trees everywhere.

I was pulled from the thoughts in my mind when I heard the faint sound of an engine.

Looking far down the winding road, I saw the bright school bus approaching. Knowing my mom would be upset if I was late to my first day of school, I hurried over to the bus stop.

As I waited for it, my fingers nervously played with the straps of my backpack. I had never been to a new school, and I hadn't even met my neighbors yet. I wouldn't know anyone.

The wheels screeched as the bus pulled to a stop right in front of me and the man driving it opened the doors. Climbing up the steps, I showed him my bus pass and turned to walk through the aisle.

Most seats already had two kids in them, everyone on the bus talking excitedly, most likely about the new school year ahead.

My fingers played nervously with my white dress as I continued to walk, scanning for an empty seat.

I saw a girl with dark, curly hair and a polka dot dress sitting in one seat, laughing loudly with the girl next to her. My teeth nervously pulled at my lip.

Behind the laughing girls, I finally spotted an open seat.

At first, all I saw was the comics section of a newspaper. However, when the paper was moved down, I saw the boy hiding behind it.

He looked about my age, and my eyes were instantly drawn to the mess of bright orange curls on his head, curling around his ears and falling into his face a bit.

His green eyes were focused on the paper, a serious expression on his face as if he was reading a political article on why Obama should be president rather than a Garfield comic strip.

I stopped next to the seat and looked at him as his eyes tore from the paper, finally looking at me.

His lips parted slightly and then broke into a small smile. I returned it, slipping into the seat next to him.

His eyes turned back to the comics and his left hand lifted a silver travel coffee cup to his lips; it looked much like the one my mother owned.

My eyes couldn't help but be drawn to his slouching figure, and I quietly studied his face.

His nose and cheeks were dusted with freckles and I watched as his hand reached up, swiping the curls out of his face.

His eyes were extremely bright as they followed the lines of the comics. I looked down at the paper in his hand, reading the comics along with him.

The bus went over a small bump, and I drew my eyes away from the newspaper and over to the window.

So far, California only seemed to consist of hills and trees, and everything in my line of vision was green.

I let out a sigh, staring at the seat in front of me.

But it wasn't long before my eyes were drawn back to the boy seated next to me.

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