Girl On Top

Chapter 1- Moving

The morning sky is mostly cloud, deep steel blue-greys that mirror the hues of the highway. Everything is a muted shade, like a matt photograph in a dimly lit room, everything except the tail lights that flow into the heart of the city. They shine like the first berries on winter holly: unabashedly brilliant, scarlet, hypnotic.

As I twirled my dark hair around my index finger I stared through the window of the aeroplane. The sky was beautiful, breathtaking in fact.

This was my first time being on a plane and of course I was nervous, very nervous but being able to see this stunning view with my very own eyes made all the butterflies in my stomach disappear.

"We will be landing in Manchester in approximately five minutes, please fasten your seat belts." The pilots deep voice echoed down the isle, my eyes darted to the black belt and I quickly grabbed it.

Just as I finally heard the click of the belt rejoining with the red button I began to close my eyes and take a deep breath.

My mother told me the best way to cope with a plane landing was to think of anything else, literally anything. And that's exactly what I did.

With a loud exhaled I squeezed my eyes shut and let my thoughts take over. To some that may have been a challenge to just switch off and let your thoughts whizz around. But to me and my maze of thoughts it wasn't, it was actually quite easy.

I pondered about anything and everything. The first thought that made my brain ache was the thought of my mother, alone. Her and my farther had been divorced since before I could remember and even after eighteen years she was still single and very much alone. I didn't have any siblings and now that I had finally left home, flew the nest, she was truly and utterly alone.

My lip quivered a little at that thought but I remembered what she had told me, 'have fun dear live a little'  her melodic voice soothed me.

The next thought caused my body to fill up with adrenaline, excitement, adventure. My mother was right (but then again when was she ever wrong) I needed to live a little. Now that I'm eighteen; an adult I could do anything. I was unstoppable. Not quite in the superhero way but I guess this was as close as I was going to get.

Great Britain had always caught my attention from the peoples gorgeous accents, the sophisticated tea sipping and the exquisite universities. The UK was my dream and now I was about to live it. I had packed my bags and left American to attend school here.

I was in a new country not to mention I didn't know anyone. But on a better note I would soon be making some friends or at least acquaintances, so I hoped.

Today was moving day, new apartment, new furniture and not to mention new roommates. I hope they like me, what happens if they don't like me? What if they hate me! When was the next flight back to America?

No! I ordered myself to stop stressing and only think about the positive. Only good thoughts would be allowed to enter my mind today.

But before I had the chance to delve into my next thought my arm began to itch. Nope not an itch more like someone was tapping me. With each tap progressively getting harder my eyes shot open.

A blonde haired air hostess leaned over me, her dark eyes full of worry. I tossed in my seat as I realised I was the only passenger left on the plane.

"Are you okay ma'am?" Her red lips moved slowly making sure I could hear her every word clearly.

"Uhm yeah," my voice was groggy. I guess my mothers trick had worked too well because now I had zoned out so much that I had missed the landing completely and not to mention the key part, exiting the plane.

The air hostess grabbed my luggage from the over head locker and cautiously brought it over to me, still very unsure if I was actually okay or not.

"Thanks," I smiled and gripped onto the bag with my left hand as my right pushed against the back of the chair in front of me.

With one last awkward smile at the kind air hostess I waddled sheepishly off the plane towards Manchester airport.

///

It had taken the taxi around an hour to reach my apartment, my new apartment. When the car had finally stopped moving I slid the money over to the rather large driver and went over to the boot to retrieve my luggage.

The sound of the engine roaring made me jump and I watched as the black taxi drove away, leaving me here. There was no turning back now. In front of my excited emerald eyes stood a tall building full of apartments.

In one of those apartments my new roommates and hopefully soon to be friends stood awaiting my arrival.

My hand slid into the pocket of my leather jacket and back out with a crumpled piece of paper. As I undid the folds my eyes glided over the letters until finally landing on my apartment number, 24B. With one last shaky breath I braced myself as I entered the building.

The stairs ahead were twisted in a perfect spiral, like a child's slinky toy pulled from each end. Each stair was likely a deep walnut, but with the thick layer of undisturbed dust it was hard to tell.

As I began to get closer and closer to apartment 24B I started hearing voices. A smile appeared over my lips as I held the stairs for support to contain myself.

Wait a second! I suddenly stopped in my tracks as I reached the top stair, my front leg began to shake as I realised those weren't just voices, they were deep voices, male voices.

Surely not I reassured myself. It must be one of my neighbours or my roommates have boyfriends.

But as I stepped closer and closer inches away from the opened door I stared at the number. Engraved in gold was 24B. I stared at it for a few seconds reading the numbers and letter over and over again to make sure I wasn't in the wrong apartment.

Male laughter exploded from inside the apartment, I quickly pinched myself just to make sure it wasn't a dream more like nightmare. My skin began to turn red as it was irritated by my sting, nope definitely not a dream I rubbed the fresh raw mark that had began to ache a little.

A muscle twitched involuntarily at the corner of my right eye, I was scared. No. I was petrified. Just stepping inside the apartment made my breathing rapid and shallow. I can feel my pulse pounding in my temples.

My eyes doubled in size and my jaw dropped at the sight of three guys standing in the kitchen of my apartment.

• uh oh spaghettios •