Chapter 1 (Edited 11/10/2021)

Lilith’s POV

“Lilith! "What the hell happened to my breakfast?" My uncle ranted from downstairs.

I groggily get out of bed as I hear him stomping up the stairs. As I rush to the door to check that it is locked, I trip over my bag and crash into the door with my side. I clench my teeth as I check the lock and sigh. It hasn't been unlocked since I went to sleep.

Heavy footsteps come to a halt at my door, followed by a constant bashing of fists against it.

"You little shit! You don't lock the doors in my fucking home! You'd better get your ass downstairs and start cooking before I tear your door down!" He's shrieking now, which sends shivers up my spine.

"Uncle Tim, I'm getting ready for school and will be down in a jiffy," I respond.

My ears perk up at the sound of him stomping back down the staircase. With a sigh of relief, I drop to the floor and rub my side.

"That's going to leave a bruising..." I murmured to myself.

I get up and go over to my filthy dresser, where I grab a blue fitted t-shirt and black sweatpants. However, if I had more fashionable attire to wear, I'd be

more confident in my appearance. Tim bought all my clothing at a secondhand shop. He told me it was a waste of money to purchase me anything new since I was a hand-me-down child.

My uncle, who was never able to have children of his own, grew up to be a grumpy old guy who shouted at neighborhood kids who let their ball drift in the yard. On his best days, he primarily rants and curses at me. On his worse days, he's been known to physically attack me.

I make my way downstairs to the new kitchen and begin making Jimmy Dean Sausage and Cheesy Scrambled Eggs for him. In terms of cooking time, what's better than pre-cooked meats and eggs? No other option will be available to him other than to consume the food I prepare. My memory is hazy, but I don't recall ever seeing him prepare a meal on his own that didn't entail the use of a microwave.

I can hear incomprehensible mumblings coming from the living room. When I looked at the stove to see what time it was, I realized my bus was just 10 minutes away. Thanks to Tim cranking up the volume, I can hear the newscaster describing a missing girl in a town not far away. As I rotate the sausages, the meteorologist switches over. He mentions we will have a sunny day here in Georgia and to expect a 70% chance of rain in the evening. I grin as I recollect the chilling wind that we would have right now if we were still in Michigan.

My deepest want is for frigid days to occur more often, even though I know I will never be that fortunate. My uncle's inability to use his knees was preserved by a miracle: cold weather. He couldn't get close to me because he couldn't use his knees to support himself. When I think about how he pays for our housing and food, I'm afraid to ask. It's not as if he's able to work without being restricted by his disability.

I hear a bus honk as I put his meal on a plate and put it on the table with a glass of orange juice. My school bus is patiently waiting for me as I peer out the window. I grab my book bag, put on my tennis shoes, and dash out the door without telling Tim about his prepared food. Hopefully, that doesn’t leave him in a foul mood for me to come home to.

On the bus journey to Oceanside High School, there was a lot of silence. There were two people on the bus when I got on it, and it had five more passengers to go until it arrived at school. My eyes were drawn to the beauty of the school and its surroundings as we approached it. It was almost as if it was a school that specialized in the study of foliage. The massive Red Wood trees that flanked the school and stretched into the distance, cast a natural shadow over it.

Hopping off the bus, I couldn’t help but miss my best friend back home. I had no way of communicating with her and it was eating me alive. Her school year starts about two weeks after mine. I knew she would cheer me on from the sidelines if she was here.

Pushing past the gaudy school entrance, the scent of breakfast hit me. Cafeteria breakfast always carried that memorable, attractiveness when it hit your nostrils. As I enjoyed the aroma, I passed through a few cliques hanging around the faded and beaten, green lockers. The outside of the school did not help with the worn-down insides it contained. The dull, yellow walls had flyers taped to them wherever a student could reach and the once white tiles were now gray with permanent scuff marks. Disgust crossed my expression when I accidentally stepped in old, sticky-pink gum. Attempting to scrape it off as I walked, a few students passed by and judged me with their eyes as they snickered.

I searched for my locker among the bustle of kids mingling around the school. G52, where are you? I bump into someone as though I'm in the midst of a scavenger hunt, gazing at a paper map and glancing up to see where I'm heading. All I could think about was: Ugh, please don’t be a mean girl… I don't need anything else to occupy my time.

Looking up from my paper, I see a girl around my height with short, wavy brown hair. Almost the hue of milk chocolate. Seeing her, I couldn't help but be charmed by her beauty. Shock spread over her face as she stared at me with her green eyes, which were neither light nor dark. She seemed to have been sculpted to perfection with freckles covering her face. In every way, she exemplifies the concept of beauty.

"Hi, Hi, Hi, Hi," she exclaims with a grin as she realizes she's being stared at. 'I'm Susi," she says, her voice full of laughter. "Who are you?"

She lowers her head slightly, looking up at me from a side angle. With her hands behind her back, she takes a deep breath. I lift the side of my lips in a "caught red-handed" smile.

"That obvious, huh? My name is Lilith, but feel free to call me Lili with an 'I'. Could you point me toward the G section?"

In the past, I've never been afraid to meet someone new. From my straight- forward question, she becomes excited. Her excitement shone through her resolve, happy that I put my trust in her for assistance.

"Sure thing! Let's go together!" In an exuberant yell, she grabs my hand and takes off towards the hallway I'd missed. She turns around as we come across the lockers. "What is the number of your locker?"

"It's G52."

Her grin was so bright it was almost blinding.

"Oh, this is going to be so fun! My locker number is G51. Go ahead and get situated. I'll wait here for you." She promised

Swaying and rocking back and forth on her heels, she waits patiently. Her personality appeals to me. She exudes a sense of joy and vitality. Our future friendship will blossom into something special in no time at all.

It's my first day of school, and I'm already looking forward to it. Closing my locker, I confirm all my essentials for the first period. According to my schedule, English is the first class of the day. Over my shoulder, Susi leans forward and exhales forcefully.

"We have the same courses!" She remarked, now beaming with happiness. This girl is undeniably attractive.

“Are you all set?” She asks.

I nod, double-checking everything I didn't stow in the locker. Making a new friend and having such a wonderful experience doing so, has shifted my expectations for the remainder of the day into overdrive.