Here & Now

Chapter One

        'AAIIIDDEENN! Hurry up and come down for breakfast! You'll be late for school!'

        The sound of my Mom's voice rang in my ears for a minute. I mean, would it be that bad not to get up and go to school? Lots of people did fine without going to school. Johnny Depp, Tom Cruise, Nicolas Cage, Charlie Sheen. I mulled on that last one for a second, but stopped when I heard a soft thud, which began growing louder. This was my cue to get out of bed.

        My Mom marching up the stairs scared me way more than it should for someone my age, but when you are a single Mom and you have to play both Mom and Dad, patience can go out the door. I flung off the sheets, looking for my pants. I found it incredibly annoying when I couldn't find my clothes-it was definitely up the top of my list of annoying things. But to be honest, I'm the mastermind of my own destruction. Mom had asked me to unpack and clean my room at least thirteen times since we moved here last week, after Mom left Dad.

       I missed Dad, even though I didn't want to. He'd been the closest thing I had to a best friend-besides Atticus, of course. Atticus was my dog. He was a mixed breed dog, three quarters Dachshund and a quarter Jack Russell. I looked at him curled at the end of my bed. Even though he was only a few years old, he snored like an old man with respiratory problems. I always loved the way the light reflected off his golden coat. Like most animals, he always knew how I was feeling and would respond accordingly.

       During the weeks leading up to the move, he could sense how sad I was and he never left my side. I finally located my pants. They were hanging on the doorknob just where Mom left them the night before. As I changed into my school clothes I quickly surveyed my new room, mostly full of unpacked boxes, my guitar leaning against the wall, which glared at me in a way only a unplayed instrument can, and rock posters plastering every square inch of wall.

        One of the many things Dad had done for me was give me an appreciation of rock music. When I was ten years old he took me to a Linkin Park concert. The power and command in Chester Bennington's voice shocked me to my very core. The way he could transport everyone away from their troubles with one song. I think that's what I missed the most when he passed away. Both Dad and I cried that day. It didn't make sense to me that someone who helped people with their own pain had so much pain as well. The swinging of my door jolted me from my thoughts.

        'Aiden!' Mom's voice was almost as shrill as it had been earlier. 'What is taking you so long?' Mom looked around my room in distaste, shaking her head.

        'Okay, okay! Sorry! I'm coming now!' I tried to calm her. I felt bad for my Mom, she was always trying so hard for me and my little sister, and I usually repaid her by being late to school, failing tests and getting in trouble at school by teachers due to my frequent daydreaming. But today would be different, I told myself. This was an opportunity to start again. Before Mom had an opportunity to scold me anymore I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs and yelled,
'Bye mom! Love ya!' and kissed her on the cheek on the way out. I jumped down the stairs a few at a time, heading straight for the front door. When I was outside I felt the sun on my skin, which felt really refreshing. Back in Orlando we had been receiving buckets of rain. It definitely suited the atmosphere my parents had set in our old house, miserable with a chance of shouting. I think I was submerged in my own senses a bit too long when I heard a loud beeping pass by my house!

        Crap! That's my bus! I thought to myself. I began sprinting, but realised quickly that all those hours on the PS4 hadn't put me in the greatest shape. Dammit! I'd missed it. Trying to catch my breath, I staggered back to the house. My little sister Faith met me on the lawn, laughing in hysterics in her private school uniform. Tears fell down her cheeks as she said,

       'I can't believe you missed the bus on the first day! You are such a loser!' I looked at Faith with distaste. My sister, who was two years younger than me, had become a product of social media. Always on her phone, always taking selfies and trying to imitate whatever cosmetically enhanced person was making headlines that day. Walking past her I said,

        'Why don't you go put on some more make-up, I think I see a patch of your actual skin showing through all that cake.' I was quite happy with my little retort. The good thing about not really caring about your appearance is no one can offend you. As I opened the front door, Mom was already moving towards the street with car keys in her hand. She must have heard Faith and I.

        'Come on Aiden, let's go. I'll drop you off after I drop your sister off.' My sister went to a performing arts school where she was pursuing dancing. It was much more expensive than the public school I was attending. The tuition fee at Faith's school forced Mom to get a second job, but she was happy to do it because she just wanted the best for us.

        In the car I drowned out the radio with my headphones. Radio to me was all gossip and white noise. I wasn't a fan. I hit shuffle on my iPhone and 1985 by Bowling for Soup came on, which made me smile. Sometimes the Shuffle feature just knew how to make me happy. I could definitely relate to the woman in the song, an older woman who is stuck in her past, reminiscing about the life that she never had?. She'd become everything she used to stand against. Older music had character, which new radio music just didn't have. I loved it. Don't get me wrong- I didn't mind all newer music, but the depth and storytelling in older music was where I lived. The trees passed by in a blur and before I knew it we rolled up to my new school. I could see groups of students converging on the entrance of the school. I tried to identify if any students were walking by themselves, but it seemed everyone had already formed their friend groups. That's what happens when you start school a week later then everyone else. I suddenly had butterflies, and of course Mom sensed it. She put a calming hand on my head.

        'You'll be fine, Aiden. Just be yourself and you'll make new friends in no time.' I heard that in so many movies and TV shows, but for some reason, it did put me at ease.

        'Thanks Mom, have a nice day and I'll see you tonight.'

        I stepped out of the car. I heard Mom call something out-'Shoelace!' but I chose to ignore it. I got a whiff of the salty air again. It reminded me of how different this place was to my old home. Lush ivy sat upon the rooftops of the school, dangling down wrapping around the windows and doors as if in a chokehold. The large trees in front of the school complemented the large oak entrance to the school. As I swiftly moved in and out of the crowd the ocean breeze kept me cool despite the sunny weather. It made me feel like a stranger, but I was going to embrace it. For Mom's sake.

        I entered the building and looked around, but no kids were looking at me. Perfect, I thought. Hopefully no one notices me stick out too much and everything will be fine. Entering high school won't be so terrible. We are the Champions by Queen came on my phone. The music gods are on my side, I thought to myself, smiling.

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Thank you so much for taking the time to read my pet project. I hope with all my heart that I have the conviction to finish this story, because I truly believe this is not just my story, but a story that has a piece of everyone who has faced trials in their lives.

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