We're going to do comment shoutouts again I think. Would love to see you all engaging more as it's really motivating. So big shoutout to everyone who has commented so far: jueka1 , amiva0402 and brightyeolie

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"While we will explore the film movements in more depth next term, I really want you all to start thinking about what your individual style is in this next multimedia product," our teacher said. "I want you to consider how you are using the codes and conventions we have been looking at the past year to create your own style."

I was glad Sara spent most of first lunch briefing me on what Film TV would be like and the teacher's style, because otherwise I would have been so out of the loop. Back in Melbourne, we were running on a slightly different curriculum in the state. After Sara gave me the run down on everything they had covered here so far, I was starting to understand what we had already done and what I would need to ask the teacher about for further study.

Nonetheless, the teacher didn't take long to finish her spiel, turning it over to us to start brainstorming project ideas while she went and sat at her desk. Sara said 'high student autonomy' was big for Mrs Clarkson—if we didn't want to do the work then it was our own problem. But she'd go to the ends of the earth to help if we just asked.

However, as I tried to focus on reading through the task sheet, my attention was cut short as a bunch of chairs from around the room suddenly scooted over to mine and Sara's desks.

"Is this going to happen every lesson?" Sara muttered to herself.

"Sorry," I whispered, just before one of the boys tried flipping me a grin.

"So... Lexi... Are you really Callie's sister?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Mhmm," I replied, barely glancing at him as I turned my attention back to my work.

"You don't look alike," he commented. "I don't see how you're twins."

"Not all twins are identical, you big dummy," Sara retorted, throwing her eraser at his head.

"Hey!" he complained, rubbing his head. "That's abuse, Sara."

"Your face is an abuse, Fraser," she shot back.

Turning to Sara, a smirk spreading onto my face, I said, "You know... I'm really starting to like you."

"What's not to like?" Sara grinned back before leaning across the table and shoving Fraser's chair, sending him rolling across the room. "I suggest you two scoot now as well before I get out my ruler or scissors next and start throwing them," she said to the others.

Instantly, the other two boys began to roll their chairs away, returning to their desks.

"You're my saviour," I muttered to her.

"Was it like this back in Melbourne?"

I snorted in response, causing a raised eyebrow from Sara. I nearly began to tell her that the boys knew I'd never look at them when I was too busy staring at Mia (my girlfriend back then), but I caught myself just in time. "Um... no, definitely not," I replied, snagging my bottom lip between my teeth.

I hadn't told mum or Callie yet... not that either of them would care too much. But I wanted the dust to settle before I mentioned to them that I'm gay. I wanted Callie to stop acting like it was an offence she had to eat at the same dinner table as me before I even tried to tell her my truth. Because, the reality was, Melbourne was really progressive. No one batted an eye if you came out—in fact, most people had to announce they were straight otherwise anyone was fair game. But up in the north... too many conservative ideals still permeated the minds of people here. While most I was close to wouldn't shun me, I wasn't ready to see if other people would.

"The girls must have been from another planet down there then if the boys weren't surrounding you like this," Sara then said.

Glancing at her, I found her already smiling at me warmly, her eyes crinkling with kindness before she looked back to her task sheet.

"What do you mean?" I then asked, feeling my heart start to drum in my chest.

"I mean... you're drop-dead gorgeous, Lexi. I can't believe they didn't even—"

"I'm gay," I quickly blurted, bringing her words to a halt. So much for the plan of waiting to tell mum and Callie first, my brain nagged me.

"Oh," she said, smile dropping from her face.

Does she... hate that? And why would that bother me? Averting my gaze from hers, I wiped my sweaty palm on my pants before trying to focus on brainstorming ideas for my project again. But I couldn't speak. I was too conscious of the fact she hadn't said anything. And for some reason, after now being in my third class with her and seeing how kind Sara is, I wanted her to like me.

But then Sara leaned closer to me, whispering in my ear, "I'm sure the girls will be surrounding you next week. Once the boys have finished drooling." Then she continued to do her work, like I had merely told her my favourite movie or what I ate for dinner last night. Which made me more hopeful that perhaps things had changed from when I was a kid. Perhaps my fears for coming out up here were baseless.

When class came to an end and Sara and I packed our books away, ready to head back to our seating area for second break, I froze after zipping up my bag, causing Sara to turn to look at me.

"Can you not tell Callie yet?" I asked.

"Tell her what?" Sara asked, blinking at me innocently.

"That I'm... gay."

Her brows furrowed but she gave me a small nod. "You know she won't—"

"I do. But she and I have... bigger issues at the moment. I just don't feel comfortable enough at home just yet to talk about it."

"Does your mum not—"

I shook my head, cutting her off.

Sara shot me a warm smile, her eyes crinkling again as she placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Don't sweat it, Lexi. Secret is safe with me!" Then she hoisted her bag over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I know she's your best fri—"

"Just because Callie and I are besties," Sara started as we began to walk, "Doesn't mean I tell her everything. I get she's very sensitive. Sometimes you have to slowly ease her into new things and let her think they're her idea."

I couldn't stop the laugh coming from my mouth in response. "You sound just like my aunt."

"I'm going to take it as a compliment to be compared to Queen Jojo."

"Queen?" I asked back.

"If I grew up to be like her—wise, pretty, smart, successful, kind—then I'd say I've lived a great life."

I let my eyes trail over Sara. She had pulled her hair back into a ponytail during class as the humidity of the day began to intensify, which now only accentuated her soft olive skin on her neck. Her round-rimmed glasses added a glossiness to her obsidian eyes. The corners of my lips turned upwards before I looked away from her back towards the path we were walking. "You've at least got three of those characteristics already," I then said.

Second break passed a lot like the first, though shorter: Callie sat with her arms crossed over her chest, looking everywhere but at me. Sara chatted way too much, nervously trying to ease the tension between us to no avail. And I responded where it seemed appropriate, trying to be friendly enough to Sara, while also worrying I was upsetting Callie more by hogging her friend.

But when the break came to an end, I forwarded off to drama while Callie and Sara left for bio, meaning it would be my first official time alone today.

Drama went almost like every class. The moment the teacher had finished instructing us on what we were doing and asked us to get into groups, the boys immediately flocked to my table, causing many of the girls to scowl at me. Little did they know I was more interested in them than these sweaty stinky idiots. I did my best to be 'nice' so I didn't get labelled 'the new bitch', but their endless questions about whether I had a boyfriend was honestly testing my already short temper.

Nonetheless, somehow, I survived the seventy minutes. Scrambling out of the room faster than I thought possible, I threw my belongings into my bag and headed for the front of the school away from the boys before they could even breathe the same air as me again.

As I neared the front of the school, spotting my sister sitting on the bus stop bench, I slowed down, frowning at the fact there was no Sara. Once I had reached her, I asked immediately where her friend was.

"Why? So you can hog her again?" she snapped at me before crossing her arms over her chest and looking away.

She's just as old as when I left... still eleven at heart. Sheesh, Cal. But I bit back my comment, playing with the straps on my bag instead.

"She will be here in a moment," she then sighed. "She forgot something in the classroom and told me to go on ahead to wait." But then, surprisingly, Callie's cheeks began to turn slightly red.

"Mum said you normally get a ride home... Can I join or would you prefer I walk?"

Pressing her lips together, she flickered her gaze between me and the pole she had been staring at to avoid looking at me as she thought over her response. But then her shoulders relaxed as she said, "I guess. It's not like I stand a chance anyway."

A chance for what? Before I could press her on what that meant though, loud footsteps thudded on the pavement behind us as a voice called out, "Sorry!"

Turning our heads, we both smiled at Sara as she joined us, doubling over, phone gripped in her hand. "I can't believe Miss Fischer took my damn phone," Sara mumbled.

"Well you shouldn't have been playing on it," Callie mocked her, though I could see the humour in her eyes.

"I can't help it!" Sara retorted. "My boys just dropped a new music video and I couldn't not watch it straight away. What fan would I be?"

"But you weren't even listening to the song," Callie replied.

"That's besides the point, Cal. I can listen to the song later. I at least needed to watch it and appreciate them in all their beauty and visionary mastery and for the lighting and colour—"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Callie rolled her eyes again, but the grin was in full form now as she watched her friend gush.

"What band?" I asked, interrupting.

"My boys," Sara replied.

"Yeah, but what's their name?"

This time Callie barked a laugh, but when a small grin crept on my face and our gazes met, she quickly dropped the humour—apparently we couldn't even share smiles. "They're a K-Pop band. Literally named 'MyBoys'. No space between the words either."

"K-Pop... that's like BTS and Shinee, right?"

Sara's eyes bulged, "I mean... yeah. But those groups are old school now. BTS was like, so five years ago."

"They still make music. Mu—" But I caught myself in time, clearing my voice before I said, "Jessica was always listening to them."

To my dismay, my slipup didn't go unnoticed, inidicated by the scowl Callie now sported. Though before we could exchange any further on the topic, Sara hooked her arm through Callie's and pulled her to her feet. "Noah just texted me that he's in the car park. Let's go."

I hesitated behind them, not sure if I still should go after upsetting Callie again by almost calling Jessica 'mum' in front of her. Besides, if it was Noah, Sara's brother, surely Sara had to invite me.

Though Callie and Sara came to a stop after taking a few steps, glancing back at me.

"You coming?" Callie asked.

"Yeah," I said, feeling my mouth go up again.

We crossed the car park, Sara clinging to Callie's arm, gushing about how cool it is to be able to walk together like that now. But as we approached the blue 2015 Mazda 2, the boy inside lowered his phone, eyes going wide as he took all of us in.

Sara threw open the passenger door and said, "Noah, this is Lexi, Callie's sister. You remember her, right?"

I leaned down in the doorway and gave him a brief wave. "Long time no see," I said.

"Y-yeah," he stuttered, eyes going over me. I didn't have to look at Callie to know she was glaring at the back of my head. But as he finished checking me out, he then glanced over my shoulder. "Love the new leg, Cal!" he said, leaning down further to see her outside. "Knew you'd rock it."

"Thanks," she said quietly, a small giddy smile spreading across her face.

"It's a little cramped in the back so you should take the front," he then said to my sister.

"Um..."

Sara and I stood up straight, both heading towards the back while Callie glanced at us both.

"He's right, Cal. It's okay to take shotgun," Sara grinned at her, before opening the back door and sliding in, while I rounded the car to the other side. And finally Callie climbed into the passenger side.

All buckled in, Noah craned his head over his shoulder, looking at me once more. Then, leaning through the gap, he held his hand out. "Great to see you again, Lexi. You've grown up well."

I gave him a small smile and a curt nod, before breaking the awkward eye contact. Yet, strangely enough, he didn't keep gawking and trying to strike up conversation like the rest of the boys. Instead, he turned to Callie. "Is the seat far enough back for you?" he asked, smiling at her warmly.

"Y-yeah," she stuttered, looking down at her lap. "Thanks for taking us home, Noah."

"Well, mum couldn't make it today and I used to always drive you both last year so... Even though I graduated, couldn't miss coming back on the first day, right?"

Callie let out a fake giggle while Noah's eyes continued to stare at her face, brown eyes tenderly taking her in.

Doesn't stand a chance, my arse, I thought, recalling her comment earlier. I can't believe she was worried he'd give me all the attention...

But then he turned his head forward as he said, "Right, let's go." Putting the car into drive, we headed home.

After waving goodbye to Sara and Noah, Callie and I shuffled into the empty house, setting our bags on the ground.

"You know..." I started, struggling to stifle the smile threatening to spread onto my face. "He's really sweet on you."

Callie—who had been focussed on something on her phone as she mindlessly ambled further into the house—snapped her head up the instant the words left my mouth, turning to look at me. "What?" she asked, voice alarmed.

"Noah... Like, from someone who knows nothing... He seems like he might almost... like you."

But then that familiar scowl took hold of her face. "That's exactly it, Lexi. You don't know anything."

"Look, I'm new here and it's only been one day at school... But after the fight you and I had when we got here I'm just thinking that maybe... maybe a lot of this is all in your head."

"In my head?"

"That didn't come out right... All I know is, from what I saw, everyone was in awe to see you walking today when you first arrived, but you were too busy looking at the ground. And they all were giving you friendly smiles, but you hunched into yourself. And two boys had nothing but smiles for you today, so it seems to me that it's all in you—"

"You can't come back here and think you know everything. You left. You weren't here when I had to listen to everyone say I look ugly with only one leg. Or when the boys laughed at me and called me a pirate. Or when I confessed to Adam Turner in the 9th grade and he laughed at me and said 'do you think anyone would ever like a one-legged monster like you'."

A part of me was mad that she was coming at me like this, though the other part had Aunt Jojo's words lingering in my mind. Callie was right. I wasn't here when this all happened. If anyone had spoken to my sister like that in front of me, I would have punched them right in the face... even if I had been struggling to look at her at the time too. But the people she knew back then had changed from what I could see. No one cared about her disability anymore. The only obstacle left for her was in her head... but how do I make her see that when my words weren't working?

"Exactly. You know I'm right," she said when I didn't say anything. "So stop thinking you can comment on things you don't know. Because you don't know a damn thing, Lexi." With that, Callie began to storm away from me—as best as she could. But as she did, I noticed there was a limp to her step. One that wasn't there this morning.

She must have been hurting all day but was too scared of the stigma to say anything or take her leg off, I thought to myself. After her door slammed shut down the hallway—Callie making her final dramatic point that she was angry with me—I walked down to my room, falling onto my bed, and staring at the ceiling until mum came home.

Mum could tell something was off as she tried to grill us about our days when we had dinner that night. But we both only had one word responses for her. Eventually she sighed and gave up, stating that 'if we keep acting like this by the weekend, then we're going to have to have a family talk'. Though the threat didn't seem to phase Callie as she wheeled away from the table—her prosthetic certainly off for the evening—and dumped her plate in the sink. She thanked mum for dinner then mentioned something about homework before heading off to her room.

"Let me guess," mum said, turning to me. "You have homework too?"

I shook my head at her. "Though I do have to put my washing away. So I'm going to do that."

"And then?" she said, voice tainted with a little bit of sadness.

But I shot mum a smile before I said, "Maybe we could start a show together or something? We no longer have to do watch parties now that I'm here."

Mum grinned back all the way to her eyes before she nodded. "Sounds perfect, Lexi. I'd say we should try to convince your sister to join us but..." Mum glanced down the hallway towards Callie's room. "I think she just needs some time. I imagine all these changes are overwhelming for her."

Yes... everything is overwhelming for her. But let's not forget what I've been through... But as soon as the snarky thought entered my mind, I felt guilty. Because mum was never going to quite understand how I was coping with the loss.

As I put away the final clothing item in my cupboard, I pulled the mirrored door shut, liking the smile that was finally on my face. I was glad I was happier these days after months of pain and sorrow... even if I was hiding a part of myself and if Callie hated my guts most of the time. But this situation certainly wasn't worse than Melbourne. I lost two people when we learned of the cancer. And even though Mia and I had broken up six months ago, she was still one of the closest friends I had before our feelings for each other went and complicated everything.

But as I began to turn around to head back to the living room, I noticed something missing. Leaning closer to the mirror, I pulled my hair to the side, noticing my favourite earring was gone—one that Jess had given me for my birthday last year.

"No," I muttered. "No, no, no," I said again, turning around, frantically looking at my bedroom floor.

Please don't tell me I lost it at school. I can't have lost it. It's too important.

Falling to my knees, I crawled the entire surface of my floor, looking for the tiny golden moon. But nothing was there.

In my last desperation, I ducked down and glanced under my bed, hoping, praying, I had somehow kicked it under.

Then something shined right by my memory box.

Grinning, I reached under, fingers clasping the tiny metal object as I pulled it out to inspect.

"Thank heavens," I breathed. But rather than slipping it back in, I took my other earring out and popped them both into my bedside table for safe keeping.

Though as I sat on the floor, waiting for my accelerating heart to slow down as the relief eased through my body, my eyes kept flickering back to the memory box.

Slowly, I reached back over to under the bed, pulling the box out and glancing inside.

Find common ground, Jojo said... What do Callie and I possibly have in common these days? She likes science, I like art. She likes boys, I like girls. She barely tries with her appearance, while I love the expressionism of makeup and fashion. She reads books, I go for walks and play video games. We have nothing in...

But then my eyes flickered to the list poking out, zeroing in on the two names at the bottom.

Fraser Fowler... and Noah Hashimoto. Both we saw today... Fraser when he tried hitting on me in Film. Noah... when his eyes had turned into love hearts while looking at Callie.

I pulled the list from the box, scanning through the names again. My brows furrowed as I looked at them. I certainly recognised some of them today, but either a few had changed a lot with puberty or a few had left. Nonetheless, there were at least half of them still at school... that I knew of.

Callie refuses to see that Noah likes her... she thinks she's not good enough because one boy told her that when they were fourteen.

What if... what if I change that perspective?

What if I get the boys to look at her?

Show her that she could have anyone she wants?

A smirk took hold of my face. But before I could plan further, my door burst open. "Lexi, are you com—" mum stopped, eyes flickering from me, to the box, to the list in my hands. "What's that?" she asked, coming closer.

"Nothing," I quickly said.

"Tell me!" she said, sitting on the floor next to me. But I quickly buried the list deep in the box. "What are you hiding?" mum asked, eyes narrowing.

"Nothing," I repeated, feeling my heart hammer in my chest. Because, the reality was, if I somehow convinced Callie to complete the kiss list, mum would totally not approve. When she was our age, she had big plans of becoming a doctor, getting a good job, marrying well, and then settling down for kids. But then she went to one party and dad knocked her up. Unfortunately she lost that kid, but it only took a year until somehow she got pregnant again. After we were born, mum never quite found a way to finish her studies. So now she was just a receptionist at a doctor's office.

And while she's not against either of us having boyfriends (not that I would), she's very much an anti-party person. I learned that after telling her about the first one I went to, deciding to not share such information with her again. And she certainly wouldn't approve of us—or Callie—kissing a bunch of different boys whom she wasn't dating, because she'd just assume something else would come after that.

"Lex, you're worrying me now," mum then said as my eyes continued to stare widely at her and I could feel my palms sweating at the thought that she'd pull out the box and start searching.

So I shoved my hand back in the box and pulled out the first piece of paper I found. "I was just looking at this." I barely glanced at it as I handed it over to her, worrying that Callie and I had come up with some other stupid thing that she was never meant to see.

But as her excited eyes started to gloss over with confusion and the smile dropped from her face, she looked up at me and said, "Why are you looking at Callie's participation award for year four sports carnival?"

"Because... um... I think it's funny she didn't win anything even then."

Mum's eyes narrowed, but then she shook her head and tucked it back into the box. "You're a weird one, Lex. Ready to go watch something?"

"What are we watching?" I asked, getting to my feet and following her out.

"I figured we'd start that TV show adaptation of that book series your sister reads at least once a year... Magic Mutations?"

Laughing, I said, "Surely she wants to watch it too."

Mum shrugged. "Part of my plan. I figured that maybe once she hears the dialogue on screen she will join us."

In the end, we only got five minutes into the show. Callie's door burst open and the sounds of her foot thudding against the ground echoed through the house.

Pausing the show, we both turned in surprise as Callie jumped her way down the hall, hand bracing her body against the wall.

"What have I said about hopping on your good leg?" mum scolded, clambering to her feet and running to Callie's side to help her to the couch. "You have a perfectly good chair, crutches, and prosthetic. Don't put unnecessary strain on your other ankle."

"I already disinfected my leg and couldn't be bothered grabbing my chair or crutches," Callie complained, not even looking at either of us as mum helped her onto the couch. Her eyes were glued to the screen. "Start from the beginning. I've been dying to watch this."

Mum took the seat in between us, arm extending around both of our shoulders, then I hit play on the remote.

Ooof! That was a long one. What do we think? This book is probably going to be a mammoth. I hope we're prepared.

This chapter came earlier than intended because I finally figured out how to approach the next one, meaning I'm going to write it today. I will try to upload a little more regularly (one every 4-5 days) until school goes back.

Once I start teaching, uploads can only occur on weekends, but do let me know if there's a day you'd prefer (remember I'm in Australia so you all are a day behind):

Saturday (AEST)

Sunday (AEST)