The Elijah Walker Fanclub

Chapter One

Chapter One

I didn't have a great track record with firsts. In fact, sometimes it felt like my 'firsts' were the universe's way of evening out all the great things in my life. Maybe it was unfair that I had an awesome dad, two really fabulous best friends and a pool that was heated year-round in my back yard. So maybe my 'firsts' were a way to bring me down a peg.

The first time I rode a bike ended in twelve stitches to my right knee, a scar that still haunts me to this day. My first kiss was described as 'not a big deal' by Andrew Carlson at my friend Rosa's first girl boy party. My first drink of beer ended with me projectile vomiting on Andrew Carlson, which I admit he kind of deserved... and my first day of high school was the day my mum left us.

That being said, today was the 'first' I was dreading the most. Today was the first day back at school after being unceremoniously dumped by my long-term boyfriend over summer break. It wasn't just that he broke up with me, which was in itself, not a huge loss, but it was that he dumped me on my birthday and took his new girlfriend to the concert that was supposed to be my birthday present.

I'd spent the rest of the summer hiding out at home until my best friends Rosa and Cody coaxed me out of my shell with chocolate, pizza and a hell of a lot of vodka. As I said before, I had some really fabulous friends.

What I was looking forward to the least, was the questions, most of which I'd already been asked at the parties I'd attended in the latter half of summer. Post birthday break-up as it were.

Did I know he was seeing someone else? No, I did not, but he had been spending a strange amount of time helping his dad with gardening. I was pretty sure they had a gardener and that his dad had an aversion to dirt.

How was I going to face seeing them together every day at school? Well obviously, I was going to completely avoid and/or ignore them. I mean, that one was very obvious. Seriously, why did anyone even need to ask?

And the worst question of them all, how am I doing? I don't know. How would you feel if the boy you'd been dating for the past three years, decided that your birthday was the perfect day to end said relationship, having found someone who they considered to be better than you? It is a real kick in the self-esteem, that's for sure.

I started the day off like I did most days, by checking on my succulents that lived on my window ledge with a great view of the aforementioned pool. I loved my plants. They brought a feeling of tranquillity and peace into the home, but I wasn't the best at keeping them alive. My dad bought me my succulents the Christmas after I'd asked for a cat. There were four and I named them after English princes: George, Harry, William and Charles. They were my children and I adored them like the little princelings that they were, even if they were just substitute cats.

"Hey George, how are you doing this morning?" I asked, certainly sane enough to recognise that he wouldn't be replying to me. I sprayed him with my water bottle and moved on to the others.

"Harry, you're looking particularly dapper today," I continued, giving him a squirt. "Williams, Charles, you guys are looking mighty fine, I must say. Keep up the good work." Two more pumps of my spray and I flounced over to my wardrobe where I'd set aside my school uniform. It was freshly washed and ironed, thanks to our housekeeper Tildy who popped in several times a week.

Our uniform was kind of fancy, with a navy shirt and tie, and a charcoal blazer. The boys wore charcoal trousers and the girls a form fitting pencil skirt down to the knee, and they were very particular about the dress code with the school being a favourite for high flying politicians, businessmen and the odd celebrity to send their kids.

I dressed and pulled my red hair into a high ponytail, before setting myself up in front of the mirror to do my makeup. I wasn't the best at makeup, my first attempt at eyeliner had made me look like I was a four-year-old who'd been let loose with a black crayon. Cody, who was slicker at makeup than anyone I'd ever met, had helped me perfect my cat eye, giving me a classic look that I was able to replicate most days with ease.

When I rushed downstairs, suddenly aware of how quickly time had gotten away from me, I discovered from the note dad had left me wishing me a good first day back, that he'd already gone to work. This wasn't unusual for him. He was a busy man and often left early and came home late, hence the housekeeper. I filled a takeaway cup of coffee, and grabbed my lunch from the fridge, shoving it into my school bag.

On the last weekend of the summer break I'd been shopping with my friends, replacing my worn-out school shoes and bag for some shiny stylish gear–heavy on the shiny. New term, new look. As much as that was possible when you could only show off your razzle dazzle with the type of shoes you wore or bag you used to carry your books. I slipped on my snazzy new pumps and left the house.

"Bye house," I said, swinging the door shut behind me and taking a sip of my warm delicious mud juice. "Wish me luck." Sadly, the house, being an inanimate object, did not wish me luck.

Outside, rain was plinking on cars pooling in puddles on the pavements. Rain was never a good sign on any day, let alone one of my 'firsts'. I flipped up the hood of my coat and jogged along the pavement. I would usually catch a lift with a friend to school. With it being a fifteen-minute power walk from my house, I'd figured I could do with the walk to help build my confidence for the day. I was seriously regretting now.

I dodged pedestrians with umbrellas, wondering why I hadn't thought to grab mine before I left. Oh well. Too late now. I was already almost at school. I sprinted past the huge cast iron school gates and up the stairs to the main building.

"Hey Mae," called someone just off to the side as I pushed through the glass doors.

"Oh hey," I replied, spinning on my heel to see who it was. Big mistake. My new shoes were extra slippery and extra wet. I skidded on the black and white vinyl, throwing my coffee up in the air as I crashed dramatically to the floor.

"Ow!" I cried out, my coffee cup still in my hand the lid nowhere to be seen. My butt hurt where I landed but it was the coffee drenching my bare legs which really hurt. Dazed, I brushed the coffee away and pushed myself up from the floor.

I glanced around to see if anyone had seen. I was standing in the main school entrance; of course people had seen and of course everyone was looking. I pursed my lips and tried to work out where my coffee cup lid had fallen. I had basically launched it across the hall, and it had rolled all the way to... Damn!

The lid had come to a stop at Alex Johnsons feet. Otherwise known as, my ex-boyfriend. His arm was slung around a black-haired girl who had the longest legs I'd ever seen, and makeup nearly as perfect as Cody's. So, this was the girl he'd left me for, and here I was, the ex, stumbling around on the floor covered in coffee. Good job Mae, he's definitely regretting dumping you now.

Alex cleared his throat. "Wow Mae, that was really embarrassing."

"Totally," agreed the girl.

"You think?" I said, putting on my best smile and doing jazz hands. "I was going for theatrical modernism." I swiped my lid off the ground and scurried away down the hallway, trying desperately to hide the cringing awkwardness I was feeling.

**Authors Note**

I hope you guys liked my first Chapter, I'm laying it out a little differently than I did with 'Where Two Collide' but hopefully it still flows well. Please drop me a vote if you enjoyed reading, and add this book to your reading list to get Chapter updates <3