NO HALO| Matt Champion

One

      My eyes shoot open at the sound of my alarm, blaring loudly into my ear.  I grumble and moan immediately after tapping my phone screen to rid White Ferrari by Frank Ocean of playing.  I sit up in my bed and look around my room.  The sun has risen but it's low enough to give off a pleasant glow that beams through my window.  Huffing, I pick up my phone and check the time.  6:19am.  Normally I wouldn't even think of waking up before 7:30, but that was because of my old school which started later, was closer to my house, and I couldn't have cared less how I looked there.  Now, though, It's my first day at my new high school.  My family and I moved to Los Angeles in mid July because of a job opportunity for my dad.  It was an overwhelming situation since we used to live in a small town called Stettler in Alberta, Canada and all of America was very foreign to us.  My brother, Keenan, was miserable with the thought of leaving Canada but he tried to keep it to himself as he understood what it meant to my parents.  I, however, was quite open, excited actually for a change.  The difference between my brother and I is that he perfectly fits the expectation of a small town boy, but I have always been a city girl needing a community to accept who I am creatively.

    I crawl out of bed and tiptoe downstairs, into the kitchen.  I notice both my parents busily wandering around the house.  "Morning," I manage to get out through a yawn.  "It's early for you to be up," my dad jokes with raised eyebrows.  "I need time to mentally prepare myself for this hell," I state, continuing on his dry humour.  I notice my mom frowning at me.  "Sorry.." I say.  My mom has always been a ray of sunshine.  She could always find the good in any situation, so I'm sure she didn't enjoy my joke.

     After making a cup of coffee for myself I jog back to my room.  This is where I spent a majority of my summer.  Sure, we had just moved and I should've been exploring and getting familiar with my surroundings, but instead, I put hours of labour into decorating it.  My room in Stettler was boring and not me at all, so I made sure that I'd put my whole heart into this one.  My favourite part of it was the album covers, art, photographs, and lyrics and poems pinned to my wall.  Realizing that half an hour had already passed, I threw on my light wash mom jeans, a light green button up sweater, and my Doc Martens.  I combed out my short brown hair-that I have attempted to dye black twice-and let it fall at my shoulders.  I take a few deep breaths as I inspect my outfit in the mirror.  I throw what I think I would need for the day into my bag and head to my car. 

    "Just be yourself," I think to myself, and laugh at the thought.  Humming to myself, I hop out of my car, lock it, grab my phone and bag, and I walk through the parking lot and into the doors of the school.

🌇Part 1 Playlist🌇

Sober-Childish Gambino

Eventually-Tame Impala

Perfect Places-Lorde

Dreams-The Cranberries

Ok so if anyone is reading this just know I do indeed live in Canada and know nothing about America anddd I do go to middle school and know nothing about high school so, sorry if there's some confusing stuff