One & A Half Chance

Chapter 1: Day One

"Got your keys?"

"Yes dad. You do know that I've been to school before right?" I sighed. Summer was over and it was time to get back to school.
If you think your summer sucked, try spending it stuck in a Newyork apartment with your always-busy dad and his new kid-wife. She's literally a good 15 years younger than dad.

"You want me to drop you off on the way?" Claire, my dearest stepmother (gags), asked. She taught English Literature in NYU. She's actually pretty smart, i can give you that. Doesn't mean I like her any more than I already did.

"I'll take a cab." I said.

"Are you sure? Because i wouldn't mind..."

"Well I do. I can take a cab Claire." I said one last time. Neither one of them responded to it. I guess they were secretly scared I might run away or something.

"Good morning." Nicki, the girl who lives in the apartment infront of ours greeted me at the elevator.

"Ugh. Not even close." I groaned and spilled everything about how much i don't like Claire.
Nicki and i had made good friends within the 3 weeks that I had spent there. Nicki knew what having step parents is like. Her mother had already been married 4 times and on the way to the fifth marriage.
Bu unlike me, she was born and bred in Newyork. And she loved it.

"Good morning girls." The doorman, Paul, greeted us.

"Good morning Paul." Nicki and I said together.

"See you after school." Nicki said once I hailed a cab.
You see, Nicki is what you call a genius. And thats where she went to school. A school for gifted kids. I'd never wished I was a genius more than at that moment. So that I could go to her school.
I miss Texas.

I looked around at the student body and groaned internally. They all seemsed like stuck up, high maintenance, really really well dressed snobs. No judgement but they did. Okay well, maybe a little bit judgement. That was mostly because I just didn't want to be there.
I always wanted to live in Newyork. Just for a little while. And definitely not with my father and his wife. Ugh.

I looked around once more to see if there was anyone who would direct me towards the principals office. Everyone was moving about, doing one thing or another. Except for one guy standing against a locker, playing with his phone.

"Excuse me? I was wondering if you could tell me where the principals office is.." I was standing behind him.

"Sorry I'm a little bit bus...." he turned around and just paused. He was staring at me and frowning. I fiddled with my legs and held back the gasp that was forming on my lips.

He was a gift from God.

The guy looked like a character straight out of a badass movie. He looked far too mature to be a teenager. He had dark black hair and a scrubby beard.

"I..I'll..just...get someone else to help me." I stammered. I stammered. I stammered. I never stammer. I wasn't an awkward person. Quite the opposite really.

"No wait!" He caught my wrist before I could turn away. I had to look up to meet his eyes. He was freaking tall. Those eyes. Perfect brown eyes.

"I mean, I can show you. If you don't mind, that is." He asked it more like a question.

"Yeah. Thanks." I smiled. His smile looked half hearted. But then again, he did not seem like someone who smiles often.

"How's Newyork?" He asked after a long, awkward silence.

"What exactly of it?" I asked.

"You like it as much as you thought you would?"