Chapter One- Superstar
My eyes glistened with tears as I took in the familiar Melbourne suburb surroundings. The sky was clear and the air around me was warm and fresh as I stood in front of the house I lived in just a mare seven years ago. The memories that took place in that house were still vivid in my mind and made me smile whenever I thought about them. I had the best years of my life in that house, and I was ecstatic to be back.
I was born and raised in the suburb of Glenroy in Melbourne and I would never consider any place other than here home. But when I was ten years old- my family packed our bags and moved away to New York, all the way in the United States. We moved because my Dad got promoted. So myself, Mum, Dad and older brother packed our bags and left all of our friends and family back in Australia. I hated it in America- I knew nobody and everything was just so different. But worst of all I left behind my five best friends; Beau, Luke, Jai, Daniel and James. I know them as my friends, though the majority of teenage girls know them as the Janoskians. When I moved to the States, all of us eventually fell out of contact, so it was to my surprise when one day I clicked onto Youtube and saw my former best friends come up as one of the suggestions. The first video that I clicked on the ‘Awkward Train Situations’. By the end of that video, I had tears streaming down my face; half from laughter, the other half from missing them and wanting to come home.
I guess my wishing payed off, because my family finally moved back to Melbourne after my dad quit his old job. I couldn’t wait to start year 11 at Penola and see all of my friends again- especially the boys.
“Dakota, you can start bringing the boxes into the house now!” I snapped out of my daydream when I heard mum’s voice booming from inside the house. That women can wake China up, I swear.
“Sure mum!” I answered back as I began to take one cardboard box at a time inside, setting them down in the empty space that would eventually be turned back into our living room.
After about ten minutes of moving boxes, I took the ones that were mine and brought them inside my old room. My dad had already put the big pieces of furniture in there, so I just had to put my personal items in. I opened the three boxes that contained my clothes and started filling my wardrobe when my brother, Matthew, came into my room.
“Oi, mum told me to tell you that we’re going grocery shopping- are you coming?” He looked at me, waiting for my reaction.
“Nah, I’m just going to stay here and unpack.”
“Okay, see ya sis” And with that, he walked down the stairs and left the house with mum and dad.
I was almost done unpacking my clothes when I heard a familiar knock on the door. As I walked down the stairs I was searching my mind to try and remember where I’d heard that knock before. But then I remembered…that was the knock Beau used whenever he’d come to my house. I quickly ran down the stairs, missing the last two steps and tried my best to walk calmly over to the door- checking my reflection in the hallway mirror before opening it.
And there stood three of my five former best friends. Jai, Luke and Beau stood on my porch with a plate of cookies and a smile on each other their faces.
“Now way!” I screamed as soon as I saw them
“Hey…um we just wanted to welcome you to the neighbourhood, our mum made you these cookies.” Jai said awkwardly as he passed the plate of cookies in my direction.
“Thanks Jai” I said while taking the plate
“You know my name?” He said while still looking awkward and now a little confused, I looked at him as if he was crazy- surely they remember me?
“I know all of your names! Don’t you remember me?!” I looked at them, desperately trying to remind them of our friendship seven short years ago.
“Actually I think I have seen you somewhere…did you come to our meet and greet last weekend?” Luke said while squinting his eyes at me, like he was trying his best to remember and figure something out.
Those eyes that I loved so much. No one knew- but back when we were ten years old, I had the biggest crush on Luke. It was like being stabbed in the heart knowing that my old crush and former best friend had no idea who I was.
“Wait! I know who you are!” Beau jumped up excitedly, I smiled thinking that he’d finally remembered me.
“You’re the girl who gave us each a beanie at the meet and greet!” My smile slowly faded.
“No, not exactly. It was nice…meeting you, but I need to go unpack.” I half smiled at the boys, then closed the door.
My best friends didn’t even recognise me. I’ve grown up, but surely I don’t look that different? The only thing different about me is that I’ve matured and gotten taller. My dark brown hair is still the same- only longer, coming down to my ribcage and my light brown eyes haven’t changed either.
I knew that the Janoskians had gotten insanely popular over the past few months- but I never thought that thousands of other girl’s faces would replace mine. I no longer saw them as friends- but as a group of superstars to whom I was just another fan to. Just another face in the crowd.
“I’m no one special, just another wide-eyed girl- who’s desperately in love with you. Give me a photograph to hang on my wall…superstar.”
