New Beginnings

chapter 2.

I reluctantly rolled away from the harsh rays of morning light to the other side of my bed, quickly finding another comfortable position. I sank deeper into my warm bed when an odd unfamiliarity dawned on me; since when was my bed directly under my window? Slowly opening my eyes to see for myself, the recollections of yesterday's events came rushing back to me.

"Uughh," I groaned loudly, pulling my doona over my head- refusing to let the truth get to me. Today was Friday, and next Monday I would have to go to some new high school. Where an effort was required in learning some difficult ATAR subjects, as well as making new friends- but that wasn't too essential, I could always possible just be a loner and focus on studying and school work.

Picking my phone up from my bedside table, I realised I had almost slept in nearly half of the day. Splaying myself out across my bed and looking up at my roof, I contemplated my life for a solid half of a minute, overthinking whether I should get up and make breakfast, or try and go back to sleep to escape reality.

Eventually, my hunger got the best of me, and I tumbled off my bed and stumbled down the stairs. Ben was sitting lazily on the couch watching an episode of 'The Simpsons' while eating a banana. Looking back up the stair to mums room and quickly glancing into the kitchen, I noticed that she was missing. Walking to the lounge room, i stood in the way of the TV- blocking Bens' view,

"Do you know where mum is?" I asked,

but being Ben, he tried to outdo me and look past the sides of me,

"Ben!" My voice rose higher,

"Get out the way Riley," he whined, screwing up his face.

Knowing this was the only way to grab Bens attention I grabbed the TV remote and paused it,

"Ben, where's mum?" My voice grew dangerously low, I couldn't get why he always had to be so difficult.

"You should know Riley, she told us last night at dinner." He raised his brows and pressed his lips into a thin line, looking up at me mockingly.

Rolling my eyes and huffing off, I realise i wouldn't be getting the answer anytime soon. Walking into the kitchen, I noticed a small piece of paper sitting on the bench top from mum, saying that she was away for a few hours to do an interview for her job.

"Oh." I muttered, wondering how i didn't see that before.

**

When mum finally comes back, it's almost four o'clock. She steps through the front door with a genuine, radiant smile on her face.

"How did you go?" I curiously asked from my place on the sofa.

"Vincent seemed like he'd been looking for a lady like me everywhere!" She almost squealed with positivity.

"Vincent?" Ben looked up from his phone, looking confused,

"He's the boss of the company." She explained, sounding as if she couldn't believe the words she was saying herself.

"Woah! Mum that's great, so when do you start work?" I queried,

"In about two weeks, I reckon." She smoothly replied, sitting down at the table with her MacBook. I nodded in response and sat down at the table in the seat opposite and scrolled through Instagram on my phone. Most kids right now would be doing homework or hanging out with their friends after school, neither of which I could do. I could walk around the neighbourhood to find a park with Ben, maybe later.

**

"I'm bringing the footy with us, okay?" Ben told me, bouncing his football through the side-gate, closing it behind him. He would most likely join a club soon, similar to the on he had been a part of in Cairns. He had willingly agreed to search for a park with me, bringing us to walk side by side down pathways didn't know.

"Fine." I agreed.

Ben was in year nine now, causing his head to be inching it way above my shoulder throughout months. Deciding to turn down a street a small park stretched out at the end of the road. In the middle of the park was a small playground with a few kids on it, surrounded by abundant green grass on its sides.

Walking down the street, i noticed a tanned guy about my age running down the street with his dog. Following him with my eyes, I watched as he went through the front door of his house with his dog, as he turned to close the door he looked up, and we briefly made eye contact. Instantly I looked away, hesitating to look back at the house, but the door had already closed.

At the park, I helped Ben practise his skills by kicking the ball back and forth to him at different distances. Sometimes doing running drills then switching to practising his handball. In Cairns, we would regularly do this after school or whenever the weather was right, and we had free time. I used to play for N.A.B when I was younger but then didn't have enough time for sports due to studying. We stayed for about twenty minutes before trying to remember the way back to our house by memory. Once or twice we made the wrong turn and had to go back, but eventually, we got there.