Chapter One

"Chloe! Wake up, you're gunna be late for school!" Yeah mum, I know I'm gunna be late, that's why I'm still in bed, thought Chloe to herself. She heard her mum storming up the stairs. "CHLOE!" her mum's voice was as shrill as a magpie. "Get up NOW!" Sighing Chloe slowly got out from under her covers and pulled on her fluffy blue slippers. Her mum, seeing that she was awake, quickly slipped out of her room. Her new room. Her new room she hated so much. She felt tears clouding at the edges of her eyes. She missed her friends already! She hadn't even had her first day at school yet! Sighing to herself she glanced at her alarm clock. It was 7:30am. She wondered if her boyfriend Shane was awake yet. Probably not, she thought, he's never up at this time. Shame was 19, just fresh out of school. He worked night shift at the local radio station back in Chloe's hometown, Miami. He wouldn't be awake now. Chloe looked through her wardrobe and decided on her 3/4 cargo pants, a cute top and her grey USA sweatshirt. It looked sunny outside, so she slipped on her green dirty dogs, after she had applied a bit of eye make-up and lip gloss. Adjusting her hair into an attracive bun, and glancing at her alarm clock, she realised she really was going to be late. Knowing that she was never late in her whole life before, she decided to go to school anyway, even though she hated the idea. Chloe grabbed her bag and stuffed a few pens and a few pieces of refill she found on the floor. Slipping into her sandals, she fled all the way down the stairs, grabbed a piece of buttered toast and gulped down a glass of orange juice in immaculate time. "Honey, slow down, take it easy!" her dad told her. "Dad, it's my first day at school, you know I'm never late for anything!" she argued. "Oh? Am I still talking to that same girl who wouldn't leave her bed a few minutes ago even if the world came crashing down around her?" Groaning, Chloe gave her dad a hug, kissed her mum on the cheek, and left the house clutching a local map. Stepping out on the sidewalk, Chloe breathed in a gulp of fresh air. Contentedly she wondered why on earth she had wanted to stay all cooped up in her bed in the first place. Uncrumpling the map, she stared down at the jumble of symbols, trying to make sense of it all. "Oh, I know where we are!" she told herself. She often talked to herself, being an only child had helped develop the habit. Chloe remembered the time she even had an imaginary friend once... what was his name again? She smiled as she remembered how everyone had thought the quaint cheerful little 7 year old who always kept to herself had gone a bit "queer" in the head. Bob was her best childhood memory. "Yeah I know where we are too, where are you headed?" Chloe turned around to face the person who had startled her. He was of medium build, had a dazzling blonde head of hair, and the bluest eyes she had ever seen... kind of like a mix between the colour of the sky above her and the colour of the ocean at night. It was hard to explain really. But those eyes held her own hazel ones, she felt mesmerised. They bore hard into hers, yet they were gentle and warm enough, that Chloe felt as if she had known him for ages. Feeling foolish, Chloe broke the spell and looked away before replying, "I'm... uh... actually looking for Orlando High." She faced him again. He looked around her age, about 16, wore bone-coloured cargos, and a black wife-beater top. He had on the most gorgeous necklace, it was of a gold anchor and was encrusted with tiny little diamonds. Smiling he told her, "Oh really? Well that's where I'm going, do you want me to walk with you so you don't get lost?" Boy did he have a cute smile, thought Chloe. "Umm... alright" replied Chloe. "C'mon, we better hurry if we want to make it in time!" he said. "By the way, my name's Nick, I live over there." He pointed a finger at the residency next to her own. "My name's Chloe" she replied. "I just moved in yesterday." Smiling gratefully at Nick they both headed down the street. They arrived at Orlando High just in time. Her watch read 8:45am when they had reached the main building. The school, Chloe saw, was massive, much bigger than the school she had gone to back in Miami. It was made of bricks and was the old-fashioned type of school which had corridors everywhere leading to different parts of the school. Through the door she could see rows and rows of lockers pinned along the sides of walls. In big huge lettering, a sign just outside the main block read "Orlando Highschool: Live To Thrive." Nice, Chloe thought to herself. Looks solid enough to survive through a nuclear war. Nick turned to Chloe and said, "The office is just through that door, they'll help you sign in." "Thanx for helping me out" Chloe said. "I really appreciate it." "No worries, anyway I better go, Science teacher is real strict" Nick replied. "I'll see you again maybe, bye!" "Wait Nick!" Chloe shouted before he turned to leave. "Yeah Chloe?" Nick asked. Chloe walked up and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Thanx, I really mean it!" she said. Grinning like a hyena Nick replied, "Don't worry about it, see ya!" He walked away quickly and turned into a nearby building. Chloe walked slowly up the stairs that led to the office. What did I just do? thought Chloe to herself. I hardly know the guy and I gave him a kiss? Boy, I really am missing Shane more than I realised.

Don't forget to send your feedback to the autor, Monica

kentuckysgirl@hotmail.com

Chapter Two