Better Than Onions

CHAPTER 1

Beep. Beep.

My arm clock rings suddenly, jolting me out of my dream. I groan, sitting up.

It was such a good dream... I think to myself. Maybe I could go back to sleep... just for a few more minutes...

But, as my gaze drifts aimlessly around my room, my grey eyes land on my calendar. It's September 3rd, which means...

"JULIA! SCHOOL!" my sister screams at me. 

"Yeah, thanks for reminding me. I totally didn't know" I mutter as I crawl out of bed. 

I put on an oversized hoodie and jeans and drag a brush through my hair. When I was younger, my hair was blond, but now it has darkened, so it is almost brown. I tie it back and stumble into the kitchen, where my mum is making pancakes. 

"Good morning Julia" she smiles at me, putting a pancake onto my plate. I pick it up and take a bite. 

"JULIA!" my sister screams again. She flings open the door and grabs my hair, dragging me out of the house. 

***

My dad's car speeds across the road, racing against time, as he tries to get us to school on time. 

"ARE YOU EXCITED FOR YOUR FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL?" my sister screams against the howling wind. 

I look down at my half-eaten pancake. I was so hungry in the morning but now, the closer we get to school, the more nervous I feel. There are butterflies - no, elephants - dancing in my stomach, and I'm beginning to feel very very sick. 

It's my first day at Shrek Academy. Me and my family moved to a few months ago back in the summer. It's a nice town, and our neighbors are really friendly but now I will have to start a new school, with new teachers, new people...

And I'm so so scared.

But I don't want my sister to worry about me so instead I lie. 

"Yes, really excited"

"GOOD!" she screams. 

I lay my head against the window and close my eyes, trying to shove the nausea rising up my throat back down into my stomach.

***

The car stops suddenly, and I'm propelled forward out my seat. My eyes fly open. I must have fallen asleep because suddenly, we are in a large car park.

"JULIA WAKE UP" my sister screams. 

"I am. I am" I say sleepily. I grab my pink bag from under my feet. "Bye sister. Bye dad. I'll see you at home"

"HAVE A NICE DAY!! :)"

I climb out my seat and jump out onto the pavement. The car zooms off before I can close the door. 

"Julia!" 

I turn around to see a tall, pale boy running towards me. 

Oh yeah. One good thing about my new city. Edward Cullen. 

I bumped into him a few days ago, when I was carrying boxes to our new house. He fell over, and probably got a massive bruise, but he was really nice about it and he even helped me unpack my things. He's really good looking and I had a tiny crush on him when we first met, but nothing could ever happen between us. We're just good friends and besides, he told me he has a crush on a girl called Bella.

"Hi Edward!" I say happily. I dump my bag on him and we walk towards the school together. 

Edward is seventeen so he won't be in my class, which is sad. Everything would be so much easier if he was. We could sit together, and eat together and maybe we could go out for dinner. And then after, he would take me home and we would kiss...

Wait, no. Ignore that last bit. We are just friends.

"Julia? Julia!"

I blink slowly, coming out of my daydream. Edward laughs at my confused expression. 

"Sorry. I have a habit of drifting off sometimes" I admit, blushing. 

He laughs again. "Aww, you're so cute"

He thinks I'm cute. A smile blooms on my face, before I can stop it. 

No. NO. JUST FRIENDS. I scold myself. 

He turns back to me abruptly. Luckily, I manage to restrain my smile.

"So, I was saying" he continues. "In your year, there are three really mean girls that you must avoid. Fiona is the worst; you'll spot her immediately because she's green and has red hair. Then there is Mai and Ty Lee. They are both really skilled fighters so be careful"

I nod. He's not really making me feel better, and the sick feeling is only growing, but I'm glad he is trying to help me. He's so sweet. 

"Who else?" I ask. 

"Harry Styles is also in your class. He's my friend and a really great person but he's dating Mai, so I don't hang out with him as much"

"Is Fiona dating anyone?" I ask. 

Edward's expression darkens. "Yes"

A silence falls. It's clear he doesn't want to talk about Fiona's mystery man, but I decide to ask anyway. 

"Who?"

He takes a deep breath. "Shrek. He's my age, but he got into so many fights with people in my class that he got moved into your class"

I want to ask why but suddenly, he turns, so he's right in front of me, his hands gripping my shoulders, his face inches away from mine. 

"Stay away from him, Julia, ok?" he says, his usual light-hearted tone serious. 

"Why?"

"Shrek owns the school" 

"You mean he's popular?" 

"No he literally owns the school. Why do you think it's called Shrek Academy? His dad used to be the headmaster, but then he died, so now Shrek owns the school"

"What? So he's the headmaster and a student? How does that-"

"JUST STAY AWAY" he bellows in my face. My heart rate leaps, thundering against my chest. He notes my expression and calms himself, his breath ragged. "Just promise... promise you'll stay away from him"

I nod, wide-eyed. "Y-yes, I promise..."

He stares at me for what seems like years, his face unreadable. Then he pulls away and says abruptly. "I have to go"

"What, why? I thought you were going to help me find my classroom!" I protest.

But he's already gone. 

****

By the time I reach the classroom, I'm already half an hour late. 

Stupid, stupid Edward Cullen and his stupid rules. I was half inclined to talk to Shrek, just to annoy him. Why should he dictate who I can and can't talk to? And he had no right to leave me like that. 

I arrive at Room 6 (my form room) and push open the door angrily - harder than I should, and in result, I stumble as the door opens. 

Dozens of eyes swivel around to me, and suddenly, the elephants in my stomach triple in size, and I feel very very sick. 

No, I don't feel sick, I am sick. I'm going to be sick. 

As I turn to throw up, I realise that someone stands behind me. Someone tall and green and very muscular. 

And I realise that one, I may or may not have just met Shrek.

And two, I have just thrown up all over him...