The One With The Pretty Green Eyes - kickthepj/pj liguori

301 Days Before

Moving schools seems simple. Nothing trivial about it. It just like moving houses; new street, new people, new life style. Some would say its a fresh start but moving a whole country away from home is different. Charlotte Simmons sat resting one elbow by the car window dissolved into the music playing through her headphones. She didn't see moving schools as such a dramatic change to her life, she had gone through things far worse. Moving school is always exaggerated in movies, it always starts with a girl who has moved from some unknown rundown town of mostly elderly people and the deceased, enrolling into a high school full of dull dreary teenagers that will go to any length to make the new kid's lives miserable. To Charlotte moving school doesn't cross her mind unless her dad  mentions it.

 Her dad sat next to her, driving with both hands on the wheel without speaking. He would take a few glances over to her every minute or so to catch her attention until he eventually gave in and initiated the conversation. "Excited?" He asked briefly switching his attention to Charlotte. She didn't reply, not even a flinch. "Charlotte?" He said louder. She could hear him perfectly over her music but refused to give him her attention so she carried on pretending as if he wasn't there. He nodded in defeat turning back onto the road. "Still hate me huh?" He said. Still no reply. He turned and swerved around round abouts getting the hang of driving on the left side of the road. Boxes rattled against each other by the back seats as light clouds shadowed over the small car. Suitcases sat perched upright by the door at the back seat along side with the boxes.

"Are we there yet?" Charlotte broke the silence pulling out one headphone from her ear.

"Ahh" He smiled "Now you're talking to me"

"Its a simple question"

"We're here" He singed slightly. The car turned into a road with houses lined up next to each other. Kids ran around with toy carts attached to strings and windmills spun in spirals by front gardens. Replicated brick houses towered over layers of green lawn. Groups of adults stood with glasses of drinks by their cars, laughing lightly at each other. Everything seemed so unreal, the way everyone seemed to get along with each other and exchange kind glances. The car pulled into a freshly painted white garage beside a large house, which Charlotte had no say in buying.

"Home sweet home" ' dad murmured looking out through the window taking everything in.

The neighbourhood gave off a friendly vibe, a surreal buzz that shot through house by house intoxicating everyone within the street as well. It was a classic suburbia.  

"Great, I just cant wait to run away." Charlotte whispered sarcastically taking the opportunity to jump out of the car and storm her way into the house. Her dad quickly came out of his seat resting his elbows on the roof of the car as he watched her purposely walk as quickly and loudly over to the front door as possible.

"C'mon you're my only child, Lottie . I'll be nothing without you" He yelled copying her sarcastic tone ending it with a husky laugh to himself.

Charlotte pushed in her spare key into the keyhole and turned it-without effort, stumbling inside. She stood startled at the interior of the house, she half expected it to be covered with inhabited nest attached to the damp corners of the ground. She expected doors to be hanging lifelessly at their hinges and the walls to be peeling as if they had some sort of skin disease, but everything was the complete opposite to her low expectations.  The floor was bounded with pine floorboards. The stairs, located straight in front of the front door, spiralled against the far wall, a set of halls continued onto the kitchen and living room from her left and right. Everything was painted beige, cream or white. The house was already furnished with photo frames hanging by the walls and the coffee table resting in the centre of the living room.