November 9, 2009 

Hartford City, Connecticut 

Chapter 1: 

“Pages 331!” Mr. Bennet said, to the classroom full of wary teens, waiting for the bell as cue to escape his class. Unfortunately for them, class had just started. There would be stuck here for another 45 minutes, and so would I, glued to my seat, hand on chin. I sighed as I brought out my Biology textbook from my bag and slammed it against the desk. The other students followed suit. 

“Psst! Aurora! What page did he say again? I wasn’t listening.” Dante, who was sitting right next to me, looked at me apprehensively waiting for an answer. 

Dante was my childhood friend. We had known each other since we were kids, and of course lived in the same neighborhood. His mom and mine used to be close, unitil my mom moved up to Vegas. Still, I was treated as a daughter in their home. 

“Page 331. Listen next time, ok?” I answered. 

Really, he never listened to anything. Not even me. Although, he was very responsive when the girls in the hallway shot him glares and giggled while blushing. He was popular, the quarterback on the football team, so it made me wonder why he stuck around someone like me in public. 

“Thanks.” he said, flashing his perfect wide smile. Blinding, if you ask me. The rest of the class continued on like this, with Dante asking me every now and then the answers to questions we’ve already gone over. Finally, the bell rang and the students sprang up in relief.

Finally, time to go home…I wonder if I should call mom. But would she be busy at this time? Ugh, if not only for the time zone difference in Nevada.

“Soooo umm….” Dante started.

I shot him a glance and stared into his green eyes. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked.

The next expression on his face was unbelievable. His eyes went wide and his mouth hung open in disbelief. I laughed, shaking my head and swung my bag over my shoulders.

“The game Aurora! Are you coming or not?” 

Seriously? 

“No, I'm not coming. I have homework, and actually… so do you. Why don’t you bail out of today’s game and catch up on your school work, hm?”

I started making my way to the door and his footsteps were right behind me.

“You know I can’t do that. I have a ball to catch…and girls to impress.” 

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. Good thing this is my final year. 

When we were out in the hallway, the sound of the gossip and chatter were louder than usual. 

“Yeah. Apparently they own some company. I don’t know what business they do though.” 

I caught wind of what Alex Porterman was saying as he walked with his best friend towards the exit. 

“The hell? What family?” Dante asked. 

“I dunno Dante. I don’t know. But you should really catch up on your homework.”

“Ugh…stop talking about it will you?” he groaned and grabbed his football shirt out of his locker.

I laughed while opening my own locker and getting my car keys out of it. 

“Soooo….this means you’re definitely not coming to the game are you?” 

A heavy glance was all it took to get him to give up. 

“Ah well fine then. I’ll see you later. Say hi to your dad for me!” He was running down to the gym now, probably going to practice his smiles and pick up lines early for the field. 

Meanwhile, dinner tonight was an issue. What should I eat? 

“Aurora! Hey!” 

I quickly turned around to catch sight of my other best friend, Clover.  

She had short black hair and round black eyes framed with long wispy lashes. Short, but skinny. Unlike Dante, I had only got to know her during junior year. 

“You still up to give me a ride?”  she asked, bouncing in her place a bit. 

“Yea, obviously. But what’s got you so excited today?” 

“I heard that the new guy is gonna be SUPER hot! Ya. Like really hot.” Clover said. Her face was turning bright pink.

“What new guy? And who cares if he’s hot? This school has like 2000 people…” 

We were walking towards the parking lot now. 

“THIS SCHOOL?” “What are you talking about! You can’t compare him to the guys in this school! He’s like on another level or something. Oh. And probably super rich too.” 

I found it ridiculous that she was saying all these things about him when she’s never even seen him herself. 

“Riiight.” I said sarcastically. 

‘I think it's a hospital or something. A pharmacy? Or no. I heard it was a silverware company, ' Emily Richards said.

The other students in the parking lot were also talking about the same thing we were. 

Jeez. It’s such a big school but gossip still spreads like wildfire. 

*Beep Beep* 

I slid into my car with relief, finally feeling safe in my comfort space. 

“Aurora, could you please speed a little this time? I promised my little sister we’d watch Larva today.” Clover said, fastening her seatbelt. 

“Right right.” 

I adjusted my front mirror and took a look at my own dark blue eyes and black hair. My father often gushed about how much I looked like my mother. 

I’d gotten nothing from him. My mom and I both had the same jet black hair and deep blue eyes. Even our skin were both pale to the bone. The same light freckles as well. Too bad. She’s living out her life in Las Vegas while I'm stuck here in Hartford. Ugh.

“Aurora! It’s clear now.” Clover said, looking backwards in her seat. 

I revved out from the space quickly before it got too crowded again. Small city, packed school. No idea why. 

I dropped Clover off at her house and greeted her parents. I liked them, but I think they underestimated me a little when I said I spoke some Chinese. I could still hear them talking about me from afar. Granted, it wasn’t bad. Just some superstitions about my background. Her little sister was cute too. 

When I got home the lights were still off so I assumed dad hadn’t come back home yet. 

I went upstairs, pushed my bag to the side and threw myself on my bed. 

Work is tomorrow morning… It’s probably best to make dinner now and sleep early.

*Clankle Clankle*

“Dad?” 

“I’m home honey!” his voice shouted from below.

Whenever dad came back home late, I was always eager to check if he was still holding up well. Taking extra shifts probably took a toll on his mental health. And I don’t want it to get worse than it already is. I’m sure he does it to work his stress away rather than thinking about his problems.  He always struggled after mom divorced him last summer, even though he insists that he’s fine.. 

“Oh good. You brought pizza.” I was already down the stairs now, trying to help him carry the pizza box and a few grocery bags.

“How was work today dad? You look like you’re in a good mood.” And he was. His face looked brighter than usual, and he was even smiling a bit. 

“Great. Great actually! They were the ones that gave me the pizza.”  he answered proudly.

“They?” I questioned. 

“Yeah…the new family in town. The Le’Giannis.” 

“The whos now?” I asked again, putting the stuff on the counter. 

“One of them should be in your school actually, have you met him yet?” 

I scoffed and turned around to start unpacking the groceries. “I’ve no idea who you’re talking about dad.”

He came to help me as well. 

“The new family in town, you haven’t heard of them at all? I thought for sure their son would be in your school.” 

I put the milk in the fridge and paused there for a second. 

“Ah- wait. A lot of students were talking about some new family that just moved into the area…are those the people you’re talking about?” 

“They must be.” dad said, shifting his glasses. “If anyone moves into this place, even the birds would know and gossip about it.” 

And that’s true.

“Well anyway, if you see the boy tell him I'm eternally grateful for his father’s help.”

I turned around to face him and cocked my head to the side, curious. “His father works at the hospital…?” 

His face was blank as he said,  “No.. he’s the owner.”

…

“The owner?!” I exclaimed. 

Dad suddenly burst into a long, carefree laugh. It’s been a while since he’s done that. A long while. 

“Yes honey.” He was still smiling a bit. “Previously they resided somewhere West of California and now they moved here. No idea why. The hospital headquarters isn’t even in Hartford.”

Weird, so that’s why everyone at school was making guesses at the ‘new family''s business. So it's a hospital...The hospital dad works in, no less. 

“Thanks to him, I might be getting a promotion soon! The guy came up to me in the waiting room and said he’d heard all about my hard work and dedication or whatever. He even gave me that ‘CEO pat on the back’!! ” 

“Really?!! That’s great!!” I set down a box of cookies and went over to give him a big hug.

For some reason, after their divorce, everything seemed to be going bad for dad. Depression, anxiety, and our rent even went up once. Maybe something good will finally happen. 

He pulled me back from his embrace and made a weird face. “Also, super odd…but that guy looks like he just came out of his late 20s. Thought he would be waaay older. Heck, I could be his older brother! Same thing with his wife. It’s kinda creepy honestly.” 

I giggled.

“Well, enjoy the pizza honey. I’m gonna bask in the happiness of my possible new promotion. WOOHOO!!! ” He pointed gun fingers at me, smiling and backed up into his room. 

He looked chipper today, and it made me happy that he was genuinely smiling for the first time in almost a year. 

Finally…

The rest of the day, I ate pizza and did my homework. At night, I fell asleep to that old DVD movie mom got me for my birthday when I was 10. 

When morning came, I dressed up and drove to the hardware store to start my morning shift. 

Now that I thought about it, it might be better if I had chosen the afternoon shift instead, so I wouldn’t have to wake up so early and then go straight to school…

Ugh.

I went to the “basement” of the store and brought out my apron from my assigned locker. 

“Morning Aurora. You look tired. Didn’t get enough sleep last night?” Jason asked. Jason was my coworker and friend. Sort of. 

“No um. I did…I just. I honestly don’t know why I'm still tired dude.” I sighed exasperatedly.

“Sorry, girl. Look, how about I do the first rounds for you and you just organize those nails? Hm?” 

YESS!! I thought to myself. 

Jason smiled his wide, braces filled smile and said. “I’ll take that look of hope on your face as a yes.” 

“Thank you! You’re really the best J!”  I threw him a big hug to express my gratitude. 

“Ah- ok ok. J-just organize the nails o-ok?” And with that he went out the front and stood behind the counter. 

Well, at least I get to rest for a bit now. I went to one of the shelves and brought out a thick pack of old nails that needed to be sorted out by type…

Here we go… 

The nails clattered on the floor as I poured it out from the box.

“U-Um Aurora!…can you come here sec please?” Jason shouted from the front. 

Dude. I haven’t even sat down yet. 

I sighed. “I’m coming!” 

When I opened the door to the front I saw Jason looking down at the cashier in a terrified way. 

I didn’t pay much attention to the customer in front of him. I need to finish this quickly so I can get to school on time. 

Jason turned back at me with the most horrified look on his face and mouthed the words “Help.”