Chapter One

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CHAPTER ONE

Alyssa's point of view

I inhaled through the dying cigarette in my hands, then breathed out the smoke and watched as it blew off in the air like a cloud. I passed the cancer stick over to Perla who casually took it from my finger tips, breathing in the toxic air then released it, smoke filing out from her mouth.

"You will not make me go there alone," Perla was saying, "I swear to it, you are coming and there's nothing that will stop you." Perla flicked her dyed brown hair off her shoulder so it ran in layers down her back. Her side fringe constantly fell down and covered her left eye, each time, within seconds, she would brush it to the back of her head only to have it fall over her eye again instantly.

"You know I hate going to these stupid parties of yours. I've been to, what, seven now?" Perla rolled her eyes. "Don't you dare force me into another one." She handed me the cigarette again, which I relentlessly took.

"Firstly it's only six-"

"And counting," I interrupted to which was answered by a glare.

"Secondly," Perla continued, "this time there will be hot boys." She wiggled her perfect eyebrows at me. "And they'll be rich too."

"You said that last time," I said not looking at her. I stared ahead of me. It was early in the morning, early enough for the sun to only just be above the horizon. Early enough for the morning fog to still linger in the air, causing us to see only so far ahead of us. It was early enough for people to still have their curtains shut and early enough to still feel the moisture on the grass below us.

We sat on a broken, wooden bench. The same place we sat every Saturday morning for the past two years. I wore grey, battered sweat pants and a large navy blue jumper, underneath a singlet I wore to sleep the previous night. Perla wore something similar. Our faces still held the sleep in our eyes and any sign of make up worn the day before was long gone.

"Yeah, but this time I mean it. You're my plus one, whether you like it or not."

Knowing I couldn't win this battle I sighed and flicked the remaining ashes of the cigarette onto Perla's black sweat pants, then threw the cigarette onto the gravel path below my foot and stood on it with my worn out slippers. Without comment I stood up and began walking in the direction of the tall trees ahead of us, knowing Perla would soon follow.

In less than a second, she had caught up to me. She linked our arms together and off we walked, arm and arm, towards the old trees. The ground beneath us held no pathway, so with each step we disturbed the tranquil ground as twigs snapped under our soles. The birds chirped their morning songs and quietly we listened to their beautiful sounds.

"Thank you, Ali." Perla rested her head on my shoulder which was the perfect height for her. Lets just say the only thing she's below average at is her height, not that I was a giant but compared to her I felt good enough. "I know that it's a pain for you, so... thank you."

We slowly walked our way out of the beautiful forest. I thought back to the time we first walked through here. We instantly got lost and desperately searched for a way out. Now we now this place like a puppy knows the smell of its favorite toy or like a mother knows her children.

Up above us the never ending trees left little gaps to see the sky, causing the mystic shadows that lingered across the bark, but the little you could see, past the leaves and branches, the sky was a light grey. With every step ahead we took, the fog took a step back. It was like a never ending path of the same looking trees and sticks but eventually we passed the forest and we were able to see the beated down house. The house which held pain and grief. The house where the once beautiful flowers bloomed were now greying. The house that I considered my home.

"You ready?" I gently nudged my best friend off me with my elbow. Perla straightened up puffed her chess then gave me a tight nod with a mock concentrated expression on her face.

I grinned at her before taking my steps forward. As we began to approach the the door the shouting was clearly heard. I opened the door with my supportive best friend, as usual, by my side.

I told Perla to wait in my room while I followed the voices to the end of the house in the kitchen. In there I saw my older brother and father in each others faces. Neither one noticed my presence. It wasn't until finally my brother's eye made contact with mine was it that he finally stopped shouting. My father quickly noticed his silence and turned to face me where my brother stared.

My brother sighed with frustration then gently shoved his way past me and out the front door, where I then heard his car engine start and the screeching of his wheels as they pulled out of the drive way and onto the road. My father made no attempt at reaching my eye.

"How was your walk, honey?" He said, guilt laced through his voice.

I didn't answer his question, instead I walked up to him and gently kissed his cheek before sighing. "You can't force him, Dad."

He frowned causing the wrinkles across his face to reveal themselves, "If he doesn't work soon we're not gonna have enough money to buy ourselves food to survive let alone for your mother."

Usually Perla's family would offer us money, but us being the stubborn family we are, never take it. "We don't take charity." I remember my father muttering to himself over and over again, all of us knowing how much we wanted it, needed it.. Perhaps if we weren't so proud things would be better.

He sat himself down on the stool for our bench and buried his head in his aging hands. I stood by him and softly rubbed his shoulder. "Everything's going to be alright Dad," I spoke softly, "maybe not now, but eventually." He looked up at me with sad eyes. "I promise."

But honestly I didn't know. I had no clue how our future would turn out. I didn't know if mum would get better or if dad would be able to find another job. I just didn't know.

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A/N:

[ALYSSA'S PIC TO THE LEFT]

So first chapter to A Time for Life.

No one has edited it so i apologize, in advance, for the grammar and spelling mistakes.

Feedback is always acceptable and very much desired!

Don't forget to vote and comment to make my day!

Oh and also thanks so much for giving up your time to reading this. It's not much yet but hopefully as the chapters continue to be updated will the story line get better. 

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