Protector ~ H.S

~Chapter One~

A/N: First chapter's here, guys!

I marked today with a black 'X', like I always did on my calendar every morning. I then flicked through the gridded pages until I was met with the red 'X' I'd drawn a few months ahead.

"Seven months," I whispered, "just seven more months, dad."

"Angélique!" My mother called from the kitchen, "Hurry, ma chére, or you'll be late on your first day. We don't want that, do we darling?"

I sighed and dropped my black marker back into my pen cup before getting up off my desk chair and going to my dresser - stepping in front of my mirror to make sure I looked alright. I adjusted the collar of my white turtleneck since it was a bit twisted. I dusted off my favourite ripped jeans and pushed my glasses further up my nose - since they were falling down once again. They've been loose for a while now, but after moving we don't have any more money to spare, so we can't afford to get them tightened.

After my dad was cast away to that prison in Northbarrow, mum & I spent two of the nine remaining months of his sentence moving out of our old place and coming to Cheshire ourselves. However, since we were in a hurry the move literally drained our pockets, and now money has never been tighter for the two of us. But, for dad...it was all worth it.

Anyway, let me introduce myself. My name is Angélique Catarina van Raay - with an accent on the 'e' because it's literally the word 'angelic' in French (mum's idea - not mine). But most people call me 'Angelique' without the accent though, and I can't be bothered correcting them.

I'm 17 years old. My mother's French and my father's English - making me an equal mix of the two. I used to live with my mum & my dad, until my dad was sent to prison after he stole money from his boss to support our family a bit more. We all thought he'd get away with it, but his boss put two & two together and he was caught - much to our dismay.

Whenever we visited him in the slammer we literally begged & begged him to stay out of trouble, but of course he didn't, because he's dad. He made deals & arrangements with the other convicts - smuggling booze & cigarettes amongst each other and getting outed more than once. That made the other convicts pissed, so they'd try to beat dad up, but he's an ex-military veteran who took up street fighting for a hobby so obviously they didn't stand a chance. He's also tried to escape a few times, and because of that, he'd get in trouble all the time, and I guess the wardens got fed up with it, so they sent him off.

Fucking assholes.

Now, I may sound pretty confident at the moment, but the truth is, I'm actually not. The truth is, I'm actually one of the most nervous, anxious people you'd ever come across. Around people I know - like my friends & family - I'm fine. But when it comes to new people...I'm a stumbling, stuttering mess. Stuttering is literally the worst habit in the world, but I can't help it. Someone new tries to talk to me, and I freeze. I just can't do it. I can't talk to them properly.

I also stutter when I'm around someone I'm scared of. That half of the stuttering habit came to me when I was about 8 - when I had a scary teacher in primary and she made me nervous all the time. That's usually a way for you to tell if I'm scared of you or not - if I've already known you for quite a while but still stuttering like an idiot whenever I talk to you...then I'm scared.

This is why I have trouble fitting in all the time. This is why I have trouble making friends. At my old school it took me like three months to make friends, because only one person - Aisha - was patient enough to help me not to feel nervous around her.

Aisha was, and still is, my best friend in the entire world. And she was so gorgeous - long dark red hair and full lips...perfect hourglass body and an amazing fashion sense. She was every guy's dream and every girl's body goals. I honestly felt so honoured that she chose to hang out with me above anyone else - and the best thing about that was that she always chose me and only me. I always felt so plain walking into school next to her - but I didn't care. She took good care of me and was more than I could ever ask for in a best friend. It hurt me to leave her, but...it was for dad. And she understood perfectly, bless her soul.