According to Plan

Chapter 1: Two Words

A/N: I worked really hard on this first chapter, so I hope you like it!

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Ariella's POV

I yawned, sitting up in my bed and stretching, putting my best effort into getting up.

Nope, not happening.

I slumped back into my bed, sighing in content. It's so warm.

A knock on my door snapped me out of it, "Ariella, you need to leave for the campus in thirty minutes," my mother said softly and then closing the door again.

A smile instantly took over my face.

My first day of college. I can't even wrap my head around it, it seems like just yesterday I was dressing up like a princess, playing with my dolls.

Grudgingly, I managed to get myself to the bathroom. I jumped in the shower and allowed the hot water to trickle down my skin, and allowed my thoughts to take over.

I'm so excited for college, this is going to be a fresh start for me, I know it. A way to make some friends and start my own adult life. A way to leave the nightmare of high school behind.

All my years of high school had been shit. Nobody talked to me or even acknowledged me, and it hurt like hell. I'm not gonna say something like "I was invisible," because obviously I was visible, just completely ignored.

I wasn't bullied, but the way I was just brushed off like that through the four years I had attended that school hurt me almost as bad. I went through dark times where my thoughts would scare me, and I would cry myself to sleep every night. I was just so lonely, and I felt like there was no hope. Sometimes my mother would hear my cries and she would be the only one to comfort me and wipe away my tears.

Let's not even get on the topic of boys, since the only kind of contact I've had with one in my entire existence is with my two year old brother.

I thought back to my high school crush, Colin Averie. Every girl wanted him, and every guy wanted to be him. Not only was he extremely attractive, it was just the bad boy aura he gave when he was near, it drew me to him, even though he ignored me like everyone else.

But now I'm eighteen, off to college for God's sakes. It's time I rid of those stupid feelings and finally face the real world.

I got out of the shower, drying my hair and brushing my teeth hurriedly, as I only had five more minutes. I quickly put on my usual outfit, jeans and a t shirt.

I grabbed a few last minute packing items, shoving them in random boxes and carrying them in my arms.

I walked downstairs, finding my shoes and slipping them on my feet. I walked into the kitchen and found my mother sobbing, with a box of tissues in her hand.

I set the boxes down, "Mom, college campus is only two hours from here," I frowned. For some reason, I didn't think she would cry.

She sighed, "I know, honey. It's just, it's going to be lonely here with just me and Abby. She's at that age where she just doesn't want to talk to me," she frowned deeply and blew her nose.

I instantly felt guilty for leaving her like this.

I nodded understandingly, walking over to my mother and wrapped my arms around her comfortingly.

"Everyone goes through that age, Mom, she'll get over it soon," I reminded her, "Then you two can become best friends again," I smiled.

She laughed, "Yeah, well, I'm not going to get my hopes up."