Chapter 1:
I'm the girl you see in the magazines. The girl all the girls want to be and all the guys want. Everyone calls me perfect. But how can I be perfect? I'm no one special. I'm just like any other regular teenage girl. People think that I have been lucky all my life. The truth is, I haven't. I've probably been the most unluckiest girl. They only think that I'm perfect and lucky because that's what the magazines, movies and interviews tell them. Fame isn't all it's wound up to be. I wish I could just dissapear. And that's exactly what I'm doing.
Next week, I am going to be attending the Green Leaf arts academy. The best college in the world they say. The academy teaches all the normal subjects along with technology and arts. I'm going to be staying there for the next 4 years, in a room with 3 other girls. But going to the best college comes with a price, rules. I recently got the rule book posted to my house in London a couple weeks ago. Our homework before we start attending is to read, revise and memorize all the rules. We are studying these for our first test in memorization class. Yes, we even have a memorization class. We are expected to be up, dressed and ready in the hall at 7:30am ready for the academy notices and breakfast, then period one. Our timetable goes somewhat like this:
7:30 = Breakfast & Notices
8:00 = Period One
9:00 = Period Two
10:00 = Period Three
11:00 = Brunch
11:30 = Period Four
12:30 = Period Five
1:30 = Lunch
2:30 = Period Six
3:30 = Period Seven
4:30 = Study & Homework Class
5:30 = Free time
6:30 = Dinner
7:30 = Free time
8:30 = Dessert
9:00 = To dorms
9:30 = Lights out
My jaw dropped when I first saw the timetable in the mail. But my horrified feelings towards the school suddenly changed when I saw the food menus. The academy is located in the remote country side of Canada. It snows there every November and December. Snow and rain has always been my favorite weather. All of my friends think I'm strange as their favorite weather is sunshine.
Next week is the start of my new life. New people, places, classes, teachers and a new life.
Chapter 2:
My finger traces the outline of the suitcase. I remember my first holiday that I took that suitcase with me. It was 2009, I was 12 then. My mum, dad and I took a long holiday to Rarotonga. This was before the accident. My mind starts to trail off to that distant memory. But I quickly pull myself back into reality. I've always told myself never to look back because the truth has always been too scary. They say it was an accident, but what happened was no accident.
I hear my mothers tired run-down voice calling me from downstairs, "Isabella! The taxi is waiting outside."
My mother hasn't been the same since the accident. No one in my family has. I tilt my head to see an old photo sitting on my oak cabinet. It's my mother. She looks very beautiful in the picture. Her honey-brown hair is in a high pony tail and her face is full of life. She is standing in front of a newspaper stand. I look behind her slim body to see a newspaper article named, "The truth about the Green Leaf Arts Academy."
"How can that be possible?" I whisper under my breath. The picture is dated 1982, but Green Leaf Academy was built in 1990. Eight years after that picture was taken. I reach my hand out and quickly put the photo in my suitcase. The academy might have some answers. I take a deep breath and look around my bedroom one final time.
"Goodbye." I whisper dimly. I open the creaky door and shut the door behind me, holding back tears. I have always been a strong person, but I guess everyone has their weak moments. I lug my suitcase down the carpeted stairs and take a final look back at the staircase landing. I remember inviting all my friends over and using sleeping bags to slide down the stairs. I swallow, trying to get rid of the lump in my throat. I manage to fake a smile. I hear the familiar ringtone of my phone in my pocket. I run my fingers through my blonde hair and pull my phone out of my shorts pocket.
It's Sam.
"Goodbye. Have a safe trip. Maybe I'll see you someday." The text says. Ever since we broke up a month ago he has been texting me a lot, making me think of him. I wish he would leave me alone. But the truth is, I miss him, but I can't be with him. I lock my phone and slide it back in my pocket. I look up to see my mother standing at the bottom of the stairs. I decide not to tell her about the photo, it'll make her think that I'm paranoid.
"You all ready to go?" Her croaky voice asks.
I take a final look around and exhale. "Yes. I'm ready."
She pulls out a gold bracelet from her pocket and hands it to me. "I want you to have this."
It's the same bracelet in the photo. It's a perfect replicar. The same curved edges and carved indents. On the big gold charm, the letters 'GLBR are engraved in. I run my finger nail in the crevesis.
"Thank you mum." I give her a final hug and open the modern door to see the taxi waiting out front.
