Bits and Pieces

Music to My Ears

Hey everyone! I started a new, long-term project called, Music to My Ears! The first chapter is up and published. Feel free to check it out! (meaning: PLEASE READ MY BOOK BECAUSE IM DESPERATE FOR FEEDBACK).

Anyway, I've included the quick summary and the synopsis in this section of Bits & Pieces, as well as a sneak-peak of the first chapter! If you like it, head over to my profile and click that nice, pretty read button on Music to My Ears to read the entire chapter!

Quick summary:

Moving back to the town where you were born can be hard after a difficult two years away. Hannah Vixen is a little lost, but with time, she may be able to find the people, and the strength within herself, to find her way.

Synopsis:

High school is a difficult time for a lot of people, especially Hannah Vixen. After being dragged across the country and then yanked back to her home town, Hannah is faced with many hard challenges. A lot of unexpected things happen to Hannah during her junior year of high school, but she never expected that she would end up falling in love.

Sneak-peak!:

"Hannah, please promise me you'll try to have fun."

I shouldered my overnight bag and shot my mom a look. Was she serious? I wasn't thinking about fun, only the overwhelming sense of dread that was filling my stomach.

I swallowed and took in my surroundings; a large building to my left, a pool to my right and trees everywhere.

I glanced at my wristwatch to check the time. I was already hours late to junior orientation, due to flight delays in coming back home, but the longer I was outside the longer I had to be with my mom. Usually, kids from school arrived to orientation on buses, but since I had flown home just this morning from Maine, my mom had had to drop me off. She had rented a car from the airport, and then the pair of us had booked it over.

Not that didn't love my mom, but sometimes she could go a little overboard.

"Okay, but you know I won't," I protested as my mom ignored me, checking her phone.

"I have to go pick up your father at the airport," she said, looking back up at me. My dad had been forced to take a different flight from ours due to work complications with his business back in Maine. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

The fact that my mom was excited for me was an understatement. For some reason, she thought seeing people I had known from the past and stirring up old enemies would be fun.

"Alright. Bye, I guess."

"Bye!"

Mom waved enthusiastically as I started down the hill toward the entry of the building. I would never be caught alive admitting this, especially if my mother found out, but a part of me was sort of looking forward to orientation. Both my older brothers had had such a good time at all of theirs.

Every year, there was a new orientation for every year of our high school. But we had moved away my freshman and sophomore year, so I had never actually been to one of the infamous orientations. My two older brothers had gone to high school, here in Ashland, Oregon, and had both had splendid times. I was secretly hoping orientation would be fun, but it was hard to focus since I would be seeing people I hadn't seen in over two years.
What if everything about my old town and all of its people were completely different from when I had left? What if all the friends I left with had changed so drastically they weren't even the same people anymore? It scared me just thinking about it, and it hadn't even become a reality yet.

I entered the building and stood awkwardly in the lobby, peering into the main room. Everyone was seated in small clumps, staring dully at the speaker who was spilling words about how important it was to be kind to everyone.

Not that I disagreed or anything.

I was unsure whether or not to go in or to wait for someone to give me some guidance. For once in my life I wished my mom was there to tell me what to do. Before I could decide, however, one of the women I assumed lead orientation noticed me and came over to greet me.

"Hi!" she said. "Sorry I didn't notice you, I hope you weren't standing there for too long."

I smiled and shook my head. "Nope, I just got here."

"I'm Allison," she said, extending her hand. "I'm the coordinator of the orientations."

"Hannah Vixen," I said, shaking her hand. She had a firm and genuine grip on my hand as she shook it, and her own hand was rough and calloused.

"Welcome!" she scanned the clipboard in her hand. "Looks like you're part of the red team."

She produced a red bandana from her pocket and handed it to me, along with a nametag and a pen.

"We put our names and prefered pronouns on our name tags," she explained. "Come have a seat with your team when you're ready. You can put your bag and shoes there."

She gestured to a disarray of scattered and assorted shoes along with the pile of duffel bags.

"Thanks," I said. She went back inside the room and assumed her seat from before I had arrived. I momentarily to look at in my surroundings. The large space where everyone was seated had walls covered with large, floor-to-ceiling mirrors. A small stage with assorted instruments was at the front of the room. To my right, in the lobby, was a small table covered with tea making necessities. Two long hallways lead to oblivion on either side of me.
I dropped my duffel bag on top of the others and slipped my Birkenstocks off my feet. There were at least a dozen other Birkenstocks in with the mix. It was so typical of Ashland, a hippie town to say the least.

Next, I leaned over the table of the tea making station and scribbled my name and pronouns onto the nametag; Hannah, she/her.

Lastly, I tied the bandana on top of my head, underneath my braids. Some kids were drinking out of paper cups filled with tea, so I thought it okay to make myself a cup. I poured the hot water into the cup and then dipped in a tea bag until the water had turned a golden brown color. I picked up the milk and unscrewed the cap.

"Oh, I wouldn't if I were you."

I whorled around to face my speaker. It came in the form of a tall boy with blond hair and quite striking blue eyes.

"I mean, unless you really are dairy free and take it with your tea then go for it, but the label was hard for me to read so I thought you may have not noticed it."
I glanced at the carton of milk in my hand, and indeed, the label did say, Dairy Free!

"Ah, um, thanks," I said, screwing the cap back on and feeling my cheeks reddening. "I guess the movies really are right when they say to read the fine print."

He quirked up one corner of his mouth. "Yeah, I guess so."

He turned to leave disappearing down on of the ominous hallways. I pressed my fingertips to my warm face; being flustered wasn't a feeling I was used to.