Halo

Chapter 1

I can't do this anymore. I won't. I won't wake up another day with the burning desire to crawl into the black abyss of nothing. Please, tell me this is over. As I take a deep breath, I let my head hit the pillow, allowing myself to drift into the comforting feeling of numbness.

My phone's deafening alarm goes off, setting my brain into a panic. The alarm tone may be called "glittering butterflies", but honestly, it is anything BUT glittering butterflies. It should be called "broken fire alarm". Waking up in the morning is disappointing, but I figure I might as well stay in this repetitive motion until it's over. Pulling the silky blue blanket off my carmel skin, I weakly sit up, looking down at the sun-soaked wood floors. My feet barely touch the frigid ground, but on this early November morning in St. Louis, Missouri, I can tell it is going to be much colder when I brace the outside world.

Getting up is always an excruciating pain because it forces me to think about the day ahead. I somberly head into my closet, and tug my typical outfit off of hangers: Dark wash blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and my favorite Superman hoodie. Most girls spend 4 hours to get ready, but what's the point if you've got no one to impress?

Walking into my personal bathroom, and look at my reflection. At first, I see what I always see. My straight, dirty blonde hair with ebony dip-dyed ends, my obsidian black eyes, and my milky, brown skin. As I stare at the girl in the mirror, she becomes a stranger. A stranger that I once knew. The girl with the broken smile and faded memories. I blink myself back to reality and quickly brush my hair into a presentable fashion. Before walking downstairs, I grab my favorite black Converse high-tops, my ordinary white backpack covered in music pins, and my phone. 53% charged. Great.

As usual, it's just me today. Earlier on in my childhood, my dad died and to this day it still leaves me with something missing. My mom however, is a big astronomy professor at NASA and spends 99% of her time at work. So, I spend most of my life alone. Come to think of it, I haven't seen her in a couple weeks.. maybe I'd stop by to see her later. Not that she'd actually have time. I snatch my keys from off the kitchen countertop and prepare myself for the wintery air. As soon as I open the door, I'm greeted by the overwhelming sensation of pure freedom. The beautiful, frosty wind whirls around me until I reach my small, red 1998 Volkswagen Passat. Nothing fancy. Just enough to get me from place to place. The drive to my school, Gateway High, is about 15 minutes of dead silence. I'm new to this neighborhood. This whole COUNTRY for that matter. We used to live in Canada, but Mom got a job offer that paid more than her old one in Toronto. Allow me to say, 4 months is NOT enough to get used to a completely different life.

I carefully park my car into the student parking lot and clumsily grab my book bag out of the passenger's seat. Stepping out of the car, my first thought is "Please, just until I get to the stairs.." Head down, I swiftly make a bee line to the glass front doors of the school. Just as I'm about there, I hear the chatter start up like a racecar engine. "Guys look, there goes LilyAnna! Stay back the disease might be contagious!" Just once, I'd like to be able to get to school without everyone pointing at me like I'm a zoo animal..

In case you didn't hear Kaydra, the Kim Kardashian of the school, I have a disease.. well, 2 actually.. They're classified as mental disorders, but everyone does everything they can to make me feel like a freak. I have Mood Disorder and Anxiety Disorder. Anything that most people say is depression or bipolar disorder, my doctors just prescribe more pills. Ughhhh.

Hurrying up the frost dappled stairs, I rush inside, my long blonde hair falling in my face. "Locker, locker, locker," I think. I clear my head and remember the way, mapping out the least trafficked route. Rushing up to the Junior's floor, I make a sharp left turn and slam against someone else. I violently drop to the floor like dead weight, my bag spilling open, allowing all the contents to tumble to the ground. I start feeling an overwhelming pain in my left temple. I wince as I try to get up, pressing my fingertips on my throbbing head.

Getting off the ground almost feels effortless, until I realize someone is pulling me to my feet. I look up into the darkest eyes that twinkle like the midnight stars. He's definitely somewhere around 6 feet tall and as I gasp for breath, he smiles the sweetest smile to reveal perfect teeth and dimples. "Glad I caught you," he says. He has the most adorable country accent that sounds like a symphony. As he hands me my books, our hands touch, and it feels like electric currents coursing through my veins. Before I can say a word, I'm ripped away by the school bell and I watch as the perfect stranger walks down the hall. With one glance over his shoulder, only one word comes to my mind.

Him.

Wanna find out about this perfect stranger and more? Comment if I should continue this.. ♡