A Troubles Paradise

Chapter 1

It all started way back before I was born, we had a new queen and with that, new rules. Nobody knew what to expect apart from maybe new curfews or new guards outside the city. Nobody knew what was coming.

I sometimes hear old stories about what it was like before Queen Kristina took rule, some say that it was better without all these uniforms and curfews and some say it's better now because there's no violence apart from in the other half of the city. I don't know any different but from what I can tell even the free walkers are getting agitated and are looking for some excitement. That's what worries me.

I'm 16 and only a few months away from graduating high school. I thought this year would be different, more exciting, but it's still same old boring routine everyday no matter how hard you try to make it fun or even a little adventurous.
I guess having my best friend Della with me makes it interesting enough, she's the one who dared me to stay outside later than curfew, and where did that get me? Nowhere but the curfew cutters headquarters. Yup that's right, they have a headquarters for people who stay out past curfew! How lame is that!
And now thanks to Della I'm being closely watched just incase I might pull something like that again. Yay me, but seriously they have to be blind if they think that I could end up like the trouble walkers.

I finally roll out of bed and drag my feet to the bathroom, I glance in the mirror at my reflection. Frizzy brown curls hang messy over my face making my blue eyes seem bigger than they should, many people have said that I'm pretty but I really fail to see whats so pretty about me. I'm nothing special, I have freckles dusted over my nose and long eye lashes, and to me they are just annoying.

" Kelsey! Come eat your breakfast before it gets cold! " I hear mum yell from downstairs.

I straighten my top as I head downstairs, I can smell French toast and bacon, hmmm my favourite!

"Morning," I say as I take my seat at the table. My stomach growls so I dig in until my plate has nothing left on it apart from the little bits of fat I cut off from the bacon.

I head back upstairs to have a shower and grab my uniform on the way. Afterwards I quickly dry off and get dressed into a simple white button up shirt and black skirt, sighing at how plain it is.

I quickly brush my hair, pinning it back so it doesn't hang over my face and head out the door.

I meet Della at the train stop and notice that she's in a happy mood, considering that her owl died just yesterday. I wouldn't dare ruin her good mood and bring it up though, cause Della when she's upset is horrible. She gets really bossy and moody, it's like she's on her period, but worse. Not that I'd tell her that.

We aboard the train and sit in our allocated seats near the back, thankfully I was put beside Della so I wouldn't be a loner.

First period drags on and on until finally the bell signals for us to leave, I grab my things a make a beeline for the cafeteria so I can avoid being pushed and tripped up as people move through the hallways. I see Della sitting at our table and make my way over to join her but I'm pulled up short as an orange collides with my head. I don't have to think twice as I grab my apple and chuck it at the person who threw the orange.

I thought it was a pretty good throw but I kinda didn't aim as straight as I wanted it to, so it hit the boy next to him instead. I gasped as the person I hit turned around, no, no, no, no, no. This can't be happening. I just hit Derek, the guy that every girl drools over, including me sadly, on the head with an apple. Oops.

I feel my face heat up as he looks at me confused, his blue eyes making me feel as if I could melt. I gulp and mouth sorry to him before I sit down with Della.