Forbidden

First day of school

Today is the day. The day I start at a new school in my new town. My heart races with nerves as I stare out the window of the car, watching unfamiliar streets pass by. My mom is driving, and beside her sits my stepbrother, Lucas. He hasn't said a word to me all morning, his usual rude self.

As we pull up to the school, my stomach twists into knots. I take a deep breath and step out of the car, trying to muster up some courage. The school stands in front of me, intimidating and overwhelming.

I hope I make some friends.

please be good to me, new school.

I follow the stream of students into the building, my eyes darting around nervously. I can feel Lucas' presence behind me, but I don't dare look back. I don't need any more negativity from him.

I make my way to the main office to pick up my schedule, my hands shaking as I approach the receptionist. She smiles kindly at me, but I can't help but feel like everyone is staring, judging the new girl.

With my schedule in hand, I navigate the crowded hallways, trying to find my first class. But before I can even take two steps, I feel a hand grip my shoulder tightly.

I turn around to see Lucas scowling down at me, his eyes dark with anger. "Watch where you're going, i***t," he sneers, his voice dripping with hatred.

My heart sinks as I realize what's happening. He resents me, blames me for everything that's gone wrong in his life.

I didn't want any of this either.

i didn't want this new life.

I didn't want my dad to die

I try to brush past him, but he grabs my arm, his grip tight. "I'm warning you," he hisses, his face inches from mine. "Stay out of my way."

I wrench my arm free, my eyes stinging with tears. I want to scream at him, to tell him how much he's hurt me. But I know it won't make a difference. Lucas doesn't care about anyone but himself.

With a shaky breath, I turn and walk away, determined not to let him ruin my first day. But as I disappear into the crowd, I can't shake the feeling that this year is going to be harder than I ever imagined.

Suddenly, a voice calls out to me from across the courtyard.

"Hey there! You must be new around here."

I turn to see a girl with a warm smile making her way towards me. She has a confidence about her that immediately puts me at ease.

"Yeah, I just moved here," I reply, returning her smile.

"Well, welcome! I'm Emily," she says, extending her hand.

"I'm April," I say, shaking her hand gratefully. "It's nice to meet you, Emily."

We fall into step together, chatting easily as we make our way to our class. Emily tells me all about the school and introduces me to some of her friends along the way. Before I know it, the bell is ringing, signaling the start of the class.

As we settle into our seats, I can't help but feel grateful for Emily's kindness. In just a short amount of time, she's managed to make me feel at home in this new and unfamiliar place.