The Nonpareil Order

Chapter Two

Location: Cosa Nostra, New California

I reached over to my bed side table and pressed the snooze button. The sun has just began to peak through the white curtains of my balcony doors. I stretched and made my way to the doors, swiping the curtains open, allowing the Sunday morning sunrise to kiss and warm my skin in efforts to wake me up. I was no morning person, but at 6:30 in the morning on this particular day, it seemed rather easy to roll out of bed. I waved my hands over the doors, "Open" I spoke a soft command, and cascaded down my steps into my back yard. I sat down and dipped my feet into the water of the pool. Moments later, the tiny clicking of my dog's paws were heard staggering down the stairs. She snuggled next to me, urging me to scratch her head.
"Well Beauty, I'm glad one of us is happy. I don't think I'm ready for this girl, what do you think?" She wagged her tail and licked my leg. Her sweet optimism was usually contagious, but today was different. "Why'd I ask you, you're always happy." I smiled at her.

I yawned, still exhausted and sleepy. I hadn't slept too well, seeing that the previous nights events weren't exactly favorable. Plus, the anxiety I felt towards starting a new school somewhat in the middle of the semester wasn't helping either. Cosa Nostra Secondary School of the Elites, I had learned, wasn't just a dwelling ground for elitist offspring. Many commoners attended as well, thanks to the excessive amounts of money pooled into it. It allowed a good portion of the school population to be made up of Commoner teens due to grants and scholarships they received to attend the private school. However, elite or commoner, I dreaded the idea of having to readjust and melt into a new pool of people, none of which I knew or quite frankly wanted to know, because they usually were cliquish and liked to talk shit. It was elitism school was similar to regular high school, drama was inevitable, but you just spent an extra year in it to make sure you come out as stuck up as possible. I hated it.

Was I a confrontational person? Not at all. But was I scared of confrontation? Definitely not at all. I was actually pretty quiet and reserved. The problem was, I had heard rumors that those that attended the school were extremely snobbish, and as for someone who was raised never to maliciously wave my wealth over people's heads, I didn't take kindly to snobbery. Nor did I take kindly to others attempting to punk me. Believe it or not, that earned me a fight or two back in Borgata, but one was in defense of someone else. My parents had my record wiped of both accounts. Hey, no one told my dad to fight train me. I guess he had been good for something. Taught me that if it came to it, maybe, just maybe, one day I could kick his ass. Maybe. I learned on my own not to take anyone's bullshit though.

I closed my eyes and began to consciously breathe at a steady pace. The sound of the waterfalls and soft breeze in the palm trees relaxed me. Maybe I shouldn't be so pessimistic. Maybe I should actually give it a chance. Maybe I shouldn't be so standoffish. Maybe-

"Lovely, it's 6:45 in the morning on a Sunday. Why are you awake?" My mothers soft brown sugar voice questioned. Her voice was always sweet in my ears, no matter how angry with her I was. Especially when she would sing and hum around the house. She never did that anymore.

"Hi. I couldn't sleep." I said, eyes still closed.
"You should try to go back to sleep, you need rest. You had a long day yesterday."
I opened my eyes and pulled my feet in from the pool that resembled a miniature lake. I  watched her take a seat next to me, beckoning Beauty into her lap.
"Tell me about it, mama." I whispered and twiddled my fingers, my white ballerina nails clicking against each other.
"What's going on love?" She asked. I shrugged.
"You know, first day nerves. New city. New faces. New home. New life." I looked up into her apologetic eyes. She scooted closer to me and pulled my head to her shoulder.
"It'll work out love."
"If you say so."
"I know so, just try not to stress."
"Mother, for the last few years all my life has been is stress. I was barely getting back together before all of this." I said quietly. She was silent for a while.
"Things will be better now, my sweet girl. Come now, you and I both have big first days tomorrow. Go get some more rest and unwind, finish unpacking, and we can go grab some food in the city. I heard of a great spot.