photo above is of Kira

*beep beep beep*

My alarm. The most hated sound on the planet for anyone who enjoys sleep. Scratch that, for anyone who is human... or alive in general.

I look over at my alarm clock and read the time. 7:20 Time for hell!

I get up and take a shower, washing my hair as well. Then I head over to my closet and look at the outfit I had picked out the previous night. Always need to make a good impression the first day.

If you know me at all you know I love fashion. If I have a good outfit, I'll most likely have a good day. I get dressed in a cute baby pink romper with a brown leather belt and my favorite pair of cute wedge heels to match the belt. I put on mascara, lip gloss and very light eye makeup, I dry and curl my hair and I'm ready to head out the door. It's a bit more dressed up than I usually am but again, it's the first day of junior year.

I look in the mirror at my reflection. At 17 years old I'm all around average and waiting for that glow-up I was promised to happen. I don't hate myself for every single imperfection like most people my age, I like my body. I'm proud of it. But that doesn't stop me from being insecure. I'm not super skinny but I'm not overweight seeing as I was blessed with a high metabolism I'm 5'7 height which is around average where I'm from and have wavy long dark brown hair that flows down my back to my waist. My hair is so dark and I have so much of it that sometimes it looks black. It's naturally wavy, curly even, but now with its length, it seems to have straightened it's self out. I have green eyes which have been passed down throughout my whole family for generations. I love them if anything they're my favorite feature. People have always said I had my mothers eyes but my father's soul behind them.

Looking over at the clock I see I'm a couple minutes behind schedule.

     *sigh*  "Oh boy how I am going to miss laying on you all day." I say giving my bed a hug goodbye. I close my bedroom door and make my way to the kitchen.

     "I smell something heavenly and delicious!" I say turning the corner into the kitchen. My brother is stood in front of the stove in a 'Kiss the Chef' apron and is cooking chocolate chip pancakes. My favorite. Zach cooks it every year for me on the first day of school.

Zachary is my brother but I call him Zach for short. Although sometimes I like to call him that just to push his buttons.

He's 21 years old and has taken care of me ever since my parents passed away. I'm grateful for him and don't know what I would do without him. He's way taller than me at 6 feet maybe even more with muscle from boxing so much. Ever since their passing my brother took up the hobby saying it's good to have something that makes you happy. Zach works as a trainer teaching and helping other people box and work out in general for those who want to stay or get fit. He has short and scruffy dark brown hair but it's nowhere near as dark as mine, but he does have green eyes as well. His are darker than mine with a hint of brown in it from my father's side.

     "One plate of chocolate chip pancakes, extra chocolatey. Just the way you like them." Zach gives me a giant grin, placing the plate in front of me where I sat down just seconds before. "You ready for your first day of Junior year?" He asks sitting down next to me with his own plate of pancakes.

     "I guess you could say that." I stuff my mouth with a piece the pancake and swallow it whole. "I'm just really nervous, every year there's always some sort of drama wether it's mine or one of my friends and I'm not really ready for that. I just want one year, drama free. You know?" I grab another piece and stuff it in my mouth, taking my time to actually chew this time.

     "Yeah, Ki, I get that." I smile at his nickname for me that I've had ever since I was little. "But that's just the way life works. Everything is for a reason you know." He gives me a side hug squeeze and gets up grabbing both our plates.

     "We better get going or you're going to be late for school and I'm going to be late for work." I make a sad puppy face, wanting more pancakes. "Don't worry I made more for when you get back." I smile at my brother happily, he knows me so well. I grab my keys off the little plate at the entrance along with lunch money Zach had left for me to take.

I make my way out the apartment and head for the elevator. I text Elliot telling him I'm on my way.

Elliot's been my best friend ever since my brother and I moved to this apartment building, he lives directly across from us. We've been through thick and thin together, I don't know what I would do without him.

The elevator door opens and I see my best friend sitting in the lobby talking with the door man Leonard. I sneak up on him ready to attack before he turns around scaring me instead.

     "Oh come on!" I yell hitting him playfully. "Three years and I still can't scare you!"  I pout like a little child crossing my arms before Elliot gives me a hug.

     "You know you will never scare the great Elliot for as long as he lives!" He says putting an emphasis on the word 'never'. He laughs putting his head back laughing a little too hard at his own joke. "Come on," he says hugging me from the side leading me out the building.

I look at Elliot. He's my age 17 but older by a couple of months. He's a little taller than me to at what I think is about 5'9. He also has short hazel brown hair which his pride stems upon. His eyes are blue and quite frankly resemble an ocean. Elliot is a soccer player so he's in shape and always taking care of his health. He's the one exception to the jocks that I hate. He has his fair share of muscles and that just makes it all the worse for when the girls at school swoon over him; but for some reason, he's never been interested. He's dated a couple but he sees the truth in the girls only liking him because and I quote 'They can't help themselves but to swoon over my sexy good looks and soccer captain status.' Which I can't help but agree with, although I wouldn't put in in as many words.

We said goodbye to Leonard and walked to school. It's a 15-minute walk from the building to the school which is refreshing. Gives time for  Elliot and me to talk and breath in the fresh air yet not too far away that we are tired by the time we reach school. It's 8:30 by the time we get to school but classes don't start till 8:45 so we have time. We walk over to the office to grab our schedules and compare.

     "Yes! We got 1st, 7th and 8th period together!" Elliot says fist pumping the air. I laugh at his child like ways and continue walking with him to our first-period class. English.

English is one of my favorite subjects, I happen to be very good at it. I actually enjoy reading for fun believe it or not, and writing little short stories. Elliot and I walk into the class room and sit in the middle towards the side of the classroom. I look at my schedule and examine it trying to memorize it. English, Science, Music, Social Studies, Lunch, Math, Gym, Study Hall... Aka FREE PERIOD!!

 I don't take art anymore as it's not necessary since I take music. And I'm actually quite the scholar so I opted out of languages since I had all the credits needed for it. As of a year ago, I am 'officially' fluent in Italian, even though having learned as a child.

The English teacher walks in with a giant crate of notebooks in her hands. She looks pretty young, I would even say late twenties early thirties. She is tall and has a skinny hourglass figure. She has blond hair to just under her shoulders and bangs that look like she's trying to grow them out. She sits down on top of her desk and looks around the classroom.

     "Good morning class. I'm Ms.Brunway. Now I know you all may hate me for this but it's not as bad as it seems. I'm giving you a project, due in exactly one month from today."

The whole class groans to complain including me. I may be good at this subject and love it, but nobody likes work on the first day. No one.

     She passes out the journals and explains the project. "Each of you will receive a journal, you will fill it out with whatever you please. Doodles, words, poems and so on. Obviously school appropriate." She says looking at some snickering guys in the back. "One thing will be required of you, this journal is to be filled with observations of your loved ones, friends, family, people you despise, people you met at the grocery market one day, anyone who gives you a strange feeling, anyone who stands out or impacts your life. Anyone you bumped into on your way to class that for some reason was worth remembering. Anyone." She says emphasizing her last word. "The journals will be anonymous so feel free to express yourself and say whatever you feel or comes to mind. You will not be judged on language or your thought but rather on what you observed. The only person who will know what's in your journal is you and I after you turn it in."

     Everyone looks down at their notebooks taking to the person next to them sharing their thoughts. "I like this project," I say to Elliot looking over into his journal and what he wrote. "As do I Kiki," he says showing me his notebook and what he wrote.

'Kiki is my fav fam' with a little heart on the side.

     I grin at him showing him what I wrote in mine.

'Elliot sucks' with a disgusted face on the side.

     He hits my shoulder playfully pushing me a little and makes a sad pouty face crashing his arms and looking away. "Aww come on Elli. You know I love you." I say a giant smile on my face. "Yeah, you do." He says still pretending to be mad then we both start laughing.

     "Ok class, settle back down. Let's take attendance and then you may speak quietly with the person next to you."

      Elliot and I give each other mischievous smiles knowing no one will be quiet, it'll be more like shouting across the room. We laugh quietly to each other than put our attention back to the teacher taking attendance. This year sure is off to a good start.

//So... What did you think of the first chapter? It's more of an introduction into her school life and friendships but don't worry we're getting there.\\

~ Question of the chapter: What's your favorite ice cream flavor? ~