He used to be happy once, that was before he had to lose his family, siblings not to be seen again and now stuck with an aunt who can't stand even the presence of him. Aunt Kate hated him, he knew it, and she made it very clear to him.
Connor looked out the plane window, grateful to have a window seat. Kate was at his side, she had dozed off an hour ago, they would be landing soon. Connor knew this was good, good to get out of Minnesota and try escape the constant reminders of his family that he saw all around him everyday in his home town. Moving to Perth was actually exciting for him, if only he could stay with anyone else.
He would rather be on his own, soon he could be. He had just turned seventeen, and then he just had to bare another year till he could get out and be on his own. But for now he was stuck, stuck somewhere that caused him both more physical pain and emotional pain than he could bare. Kate treated him nothing like a guardian should, even if he did not have his parents for the past year and a bit, he could still remember his father's reassuring pats on the back or his mother's warm hugs, Kate gave him none of that. She always told Connor she wishes she could have gotten any of the other children, but she was stuck with him. Connor came to believe all of her words. Believing it was his fault for the loss of his parents and also that he was worthless.
The plane began its descent to the runway. Connor was anxious about being in a completely different country, one he had never been to, let alone having to start at a new school the next day and not know a single soul.
.-.-.-.-.-.-
Kate and Connor were on the way to the new house , the car was thick with tension. Kate glared at Connor from the corner of her eye; Connor sat staring downwards at his hands, something he did often. Even though he knew it made Kate feel more superior to him.
When they came onto the street of their new home, Connor observed how perfect the small suburb appeared, the lawns were pristine and mowed , the tree's leaves were budding now, it now being spring in Australia, and all the homes looked welcoming.
"Get the bags inside. All your stuff is already inside your room, which is the basement. When you done I don't want to see you for the rest of the day, or night for that matter," Kate ordered Connor, he still stood with his head bowed down, looking to his feet.
Kate disappeared into the house, not even holding the door for Connor to get all the heavy bags through, some were double his weight, inside the house. He took the rest of his things and bags and went to the door that lead down to the basement. To Connor's surprise it was actually quite a nice space, the walls pristine white, the floors covered in soft carpet, a double bed in the corner to his left from the stairs with plain white sheets and duvet and two pillows. A desk and chair to his right, and straight ahead was his own bathroom. He walked into the bathroom to which he noticed a window above the toilet, that lead to the outside of the side of the house. Connor immediately thought of it as an escape route, if the lock on the door at the top of the stairs were not strong enough to withstand a drunk Kate he would have a plan B.
Connor resumed filling his dresser with his clothes and personal possessions, some of his most treasured being his dad's camera and mother's wedding ring. Surprisingly enough Kate had already placed all his schoolbooks in a box for him and with it was his schedule and directions to the high school he would be attending.
Connor figured he would be walking himself to school; it would only take ten minutes to get there from where he now lives. He continued to scroll through Tumblr, reblogging the same old depressing images and quotes, everything in his feed currently ranging from grays to black with some white. Connor hadn't cried over his parents since he left Minnesota a few days before, Connor was going to keep it that way, he knew they were not coming back anyway, the same with his siblings.
