My life with Complications

Chapter 1

Amber's P.O.V

I roll over in bed and look at my clock. 5:30 AM. I jump out, put my hair into messy bun, put on my glasses, and throw an oversized hoodie over my tank. Then, I grab my camera. You think I'm waking up early? Welcome to the life of Amber Rose Chandler.

I slink down the stairs and quietly open the door. When I step outside, a raindrop lands on my high cheekbone and glides down my face.

Rain. My favorite. I dash outside, barefoot, and in pajamas, but smiling. I run down the block to my place, happy to be out of my family's obnoxious little bubble of 'happiness'.

I reach the fence that blocks us off from the passing trains and let my feet slide down the hill. I look to my left and smile. Right on time.

A train bolts toward me and I lean in, happy to feel the rush of wind from the passing train. I snap a few pictures by reflex.

When the caboose passes me, I run back to the fence, and hop into town.

I run behind an abandoned building with graffiti covering every inch of the walls. I take out my camera and look at my own statement. Far different from the others on the wall.

A rose is painted onto the wall, strong and beautiful, and beside it, a pale hand, white except for the prick of red on the fingertip. My work from that day. Pain in my heart.

I smile at my work. 'Every rose has it's thorns. Including you. A piece of art, but nowhere close to a piece of cake to take care of'. My mother used to tell me this, when I was being a bit of a feisty kid.

I missed her so much. A car crash took her away from me, two years ago. Why, I have no idea. Destiny is pure bullshit.

I raise my face to the rain. The drops land on my eyelids, my cheeks, my lips.

"I love you, Mom." The words croak out of my mouth and I leave them hanging in the damp air, while I run home.

The rain pounds on my head, like music, pounding along with the base, my heart.

I arrive at home and slip inside, careful not to wake my dad. I slip back upstairs and into my room. Pictures cover every inch of my walls, all mine, all meaningful.

I climb into my bed and curl up under the covers. Just before my dad comes in to "wake me up" for school, I slip off my glasses and set them on my bedside table.

"Wake up honey, time for your last week of your senior year." I groan and get off my bed, pushing him out of the room.

I slip on some jeans instead of my silky pajama shorts and shove my glasses back onto my face.

Yay. School. I hop down our stairs and slide into our kitchen.

"What's for breakfast?" I ask my dad, seeing him busy at the counter. He laughs.

"Ta-da!" I give him a frown as he turns around, revealing a messily made potato-salad-sandwich. However, I still take it into my hands and dig in.

Then I see Kayla in front and I turn back to my dad.

"Gotta go. Don't wanna be late." I swallow and kiss him on the cheek. Waving goodbye, I grab my backpack and open the door for the second time that morning.

Out front, Kayla swings her head to her loud music.

"Hi Kay." She looks up at me and smiles. She's so pretty with her cute little dimples, white teeth, and big brown eyes. I wonder what her natural hair color is, I think to myself as I stare at her current neon pink.

"What's your natural hair color? I mean I like this new one and stuff, but," I bat at her hair, which had been re-dyed within the last week.

"It's a secret." She said, wiggling her eyebrows. "Oh and speaking of last week," She pulls down the edge of her shirt to reveal a small tattoo on her collarbone.

I roll my eyes. "Shut up and drive."

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Fifteen minutes later, we pull up in the school parking lot. Voices from all around yell and gossip.

"Welcome to highschool bitches!" From in the corner I hear another senior, Travis Ray (plays far more than football, girls) shouting at some freshman.

"Travis, leave the poor girls alone and go throw yourself at some cheerleader. Better stick to what you do best." Kayla gives him a sugar-sweet and ever sarcastic smile and then we continue towards the building.

Inside, I split off at my locker and Kay yells back to me with a teasing smile, knowing the impossibility in her hilarious words.

"See you in third! Oh and don't get into any trouble while I'm gone." I smile back at her and nod, opening my locker. I grab all my stuff for my morning classes and then I get ready for a long day.

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After finishing my first two excruciatingly boring classes, I am ecstatic when I remember that I have third period with Kay. I walk down the hall to meet her at her locker, but she's gone, instead of waiting like usual, she left for class.

I walk to my History class and gasp to myself when I see her sitting with and talking with Ethan Davis. The Ethan Davis.

Ethan is a shy boy in our grade who hardly talks to anyone, though he sits with the obnoxious jocks who usually talk too much. He is about as normal as a cat and dog romance novel, but he is cute, I'll give him that.

I sit down at my desk and smile to myself when I see them talking. Good for you, Kay. She gives Ethan a nod and then steps back to her desk next to mine. Where she gets brutally questioned.

"What was that about? Do you like him? Does he like you? How'd you get him to talk?" She rolls her eyes and pats me on the back. Ignoring my questions, she gives me a question of her own that leaves me completely confused.

"Would you mind if he sat with us today? I asked and he said yes." I nod several times. Who wouldn't? "But there's a catch."

My eyebrows furrow. "What's the catch?" She turns and looks to the back of his head, dark brown hair spilling out from the edges of his beanie.

"He's cousins with Travis Ray." I frown. "I know, right? So he will only sit with us if Travis does, too."

My frown deepens. "You didn't." She smiles. "Oh but I did. Lunch today will be great."