Chapter One

Hearing the wind whistling through my window wakes me up on this beautiful summer morning. Sliding my slim body off my queen-sized bed, I look out my window to see the leaves floating from the trees, dancing and swirling on their way to the ground.

I can’t believe I start school tomorrow, I think to myself. It feels like summer just started.

Stretching and yawning, I look at my bed. It’s covered with blue and purple zebra prints. The blankets are tossed off of the sides of the bed, and the pillows are sprawled out, some on the floor.

The bathroom is extremely welcoming. As I turn the water on, I feel water of the perfect temperature sprinkling out of the showerhead, bouncing off my arm and splashing me in the face. My clothes slip off my body, and I move the shower curtain back to enter the warm waterfall.

Water is gliding down the slight curves of my body as I wash and rinse myself. I'm going to miss taking my time with everything, I think.

 

After returning to my room, I stand in my towel, wondering what to wear. I scold myself about saving my favorite outfits for the first week of school shortly before I decide on wearing my white and purple flowered sundress.

My light brown hair is flowing down my shoulders as the blow drier sends shivers down my back. If only my hair was a little longer. I could look like those beautiful models. I would be able to get any boy.

While wishing that I was perfect, I realize that I am beautiful. My hair is a beautiful light brown; my eyes are a piercing green. The freckles that once danced upon my cheeks have disappeared, though my skin is still incredibly childlike and soft.

Looking at myself in the mirror also makes me see my flaws. Sure, I may be beautiful in some aspects, but everybody has their faults. My eyelashes aren’t full enough, so my makeup never looks quite right. My nose just seems slightly too small in comparison to my face, and my body just looks awkward.

 

My room is an interesting shape, considering the fact that I have seven walls. It’s kind of like a pentagon, but around my door there’s a small hallway. It’s nice, though, because there are beads hanging down that I walk through every time I enter or exit my room. I also have windows that take up the two parallel sides of my room, which brings in the beautiful sun rays no matter the time of day.

 

When I finally decided to travel down the staircase that spirals from the upstairs hallway into our living room, the wondrous smells of bacon, eggs and hash browns enter my nose, causing my stomach to let out a loud roaring sound.

“Good morning, Mom,” I say when I reach the point of the staircase that allows me to see into the kitchen.

“Good morning, Brooke. Did you sleep well?” My mother is such a beautiful woman. She has the same hair color as mine, which is cut to a nice bob and flows perfectly around her ears. She stands a few inches over five foot tall, and her body shape resembles an hourglass.

“I kept waking up. I keep thinking about the fact that I'm going to school tomorrow.”

“Honey, be excited. It’s your second year of high school, so you already know what to expect.”

“I know, but that’s not the point. Being a sophomore is way different than being a freshman.”

My mom rolls her eyes while flipping the food on the stove.

 

“Is breakfast almost ready?” I hear my twelve year old brother coming in behind me, his hair looking worse as usual, which I didn’t think was possible.

“How about you go make yourself presentable first?” My mother was all about being polite and looking nice, something that my brother was lacking in his DNA.

Trudging back up the stairs, I can hear my mother complaining.

 

I sit down at my chair at the table, and my thoughts about returning to Marshall High School start to dash through my brain. What if my friends have moved on? Samantha was gone all summer, so I haven’t even seen her since the last day of school. Taylor moved away, which means I won’t even be able to see her at all. Anthony was in Italy for a year, so what if he doesn’t want to be my friend anymore? What if my other friends don’t remember me? What if I've changed �" for the worse?

“Darling, are you worrying about the first day of school being tomorrow?” My mother could always tell exactly what was going through my mind.

But I decided to play it off. “No, I'm just really tired.”

I could tell that she didn’t believe me, but she just went along with it.

“Go get your brother; breakfast is ready.”

I get out of my seat and walk over to the bottom of the stairs. “Josh! Get down here or I'm eating your food!”

Seconds later, it sounded as if a herd of elephants were stomping down my stairs as my brother ran down.

 

Once we were both in the kitchen, the three of us sat and ate while avoiding the topic of school.

Eventually, though, it was brought up.

“So, Josh, are you excited to start middle school?” My mom has been asking him this every morning for the past month, at least. She’s so proud that he passed fifth grade. The second time around.

“Yes, Mom. For the millionth time, I am excited to start middle school.” His voice wasn’t the least bit convincing.

Josh was in the fifth grade for two years because he couldn’t stay concentrated. He was having speech problems due to the fact that he was deaf for a few years as an infant. Somehow, everyone believes that his bad handwriting and lack of educational motivation are linked to his speech impediment, but I have my doubts. Sometimes, I think he just uses it to his advantage, getting homework extensions and pity.

 

Breakfast slowly comes to a halt, and my family separated to participate in our boring, average day. My mom stayed in the kitchen, attempting to clean up after our wonderful breakfast. Josh rushed up to his room the second he was excused to start playing various blow-them-up typical guy video games. And me? I slowly paced to my room to imagine the wondrous day that lies ahead of me.

 

I brush my hair in front of my dresser. Then I walk to flop down on my bed. Then I stand up and go check my backpack to ensure that I have all of the essential materials that I’ll need for tomorrow. I cannot stay still. Or calm.

Reviews

[Andy Ruffett]

Chapter One:

I've changed " should be "I've changed" in the first page

'Seconds later, it sounded as if a herd of elephants were stomping down my stairs as my brother ran down.' It should be "the" not "my," right?

'Then I stand up and go check my backpack to ensure that I have all of the essential materials that I’ll need for tomorrow. I cannot stay still. Or calm.' It should be past tense I believe. "Stood up," "Went to check," etc.

My piece

Great first chapter. You really portray a girl going through the second year of high school. High school's tough, especially if you're worried about losing friends. It makes sense that Brooke's worried but also exited. Her little brother is a typical little brother and it's interesting to introduce some history as to why he failed 5th Grade. Your hook is great because it also introduces Brooke's love for summer and the one season that will soon be leaving her. All in all, great first chapter and I'm curious as to what the second chapter will hold.

Your writer friend,

-Andy Ruffett

[diannesam]

Great first chapter!I loved the descriptions, and when she thought about her flaws. You really make the reader feel like they are in the setting with smell, hearing and vision. Feels like me every morning. Loved it!