Hey Everyone!

So this is my first fanfic. Please tell me if you see any typos or errors. Please follow, favorite, and review. I hope you all enjoy!

*Edited as of 12/21/17*

(Alina's P.O.V)

"Alina!"

I heard my mother's voice ring through the entire house.

Just five more minutes, please…. I thought tiredly.

"I know what you're thinking, and if you don't get up, I'm coming up there and dumping a bucket of water on you." I groaned inwardly, cursing her in my mind and rolling over on my other side. Do it, just do it. I don't have in it me to care right now.

"Now, Alina." She then yelled. My eyes snapped open at her tone, dark and full of no-nonsense. Now that was threatening. I growled deeply, sitting up in my bed and throwing the covers off of my form.

"I'm coming." I shouted back, running a hand through my disheveled head of hair and looked over to my bedside dresser. I grabbed the iPhone that sat docked on the charger. I bet you could guess what she was shouting at me for, can't you? Yes, school. Of which doesn't start for another hour. And being the lucky girl I am, it's only a five minute drive.

Smother me with a pillow, why don't you?

Holding back the curses that lingered on my tongue, I hopped out of bed and walked into my closet to get clothes for the day. Assuming it was rather cold out-San Francisco winters could be brutal, trust me-I snatched a long-sleeved blue sweater and a black jacket to go over it, along with darkwash jeans and my favorite pair of brown boots. No cold was ever going to reach me, I was sure of it.

I made to stand in front of the mirror, examining my choice of outfit. I decided I looked decent enough to skip the majority of make-up, saved for the minimal mascara over cobalt blues eyes. My hair looked decent enough that I didn't need to run a straightener over it. Braiding the dark brown tresses the night before had given it a soft sort of wave.

I blinked a couple times and did another once over.

Decent enough.

Grabbing my phone once again, I checked the time. 7:45. That's probably like a record-breaking time or something, I thought grouchily. Well, at least I can eat something before I leave.

I trudged downstairs, walking groggily over to the counter plucking an apple off the counter rack.

"Morning, sleeping beauty." My brother, Adam , stated playfully. I took a bite of the apple and chewed, cringing slightly at the nickname.

"Please, don't ever call me that again if you love me." I joked back, shoving him back the slightest bit and smiling when he chuckled. My older brother was truly the only blessing that I have been given in my droll life. He always put me first no matter the situation and was the most reliable person in my family. "I can't see why mom thinks to wake me up so damn early. It's not like it takes me an arm and a leg to get ready."

"Enough complaining. If you have time to talk, that means you have time to walk out the door and get to school you two."

Oh, lovely.

My amazing (this is me being sarcastic) step-father chose the right time to interrupt our conversation, glaring at us as he walked in the kitchen with my mother in tow. To say that I despised this man, was a grave understatement. Nothing good ever escaped his mouth and he had to be the most negative, self-centered person that I have ever had the pleasure of living with. He was not family, no. He was an imposter that replaced my late father and my mother had seemed to kiss the ground he walked on. It made my brother and I sick.

In short, he was a pest that I dearly wish would leave us the hell alone.

"I am so glad they aren't married." Adam whispered to me as quietly as he could without being head by someone else. Unfortunately, mom had incredibly sharp hearing and glared at him as she wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's waist.

"Watch your mouth, Adam. That is no way to speak about your father. Ignore him, Nolan." she soothed gently. But saying that made everything worse, as I suspected it would.

"What? What did he say?" Nolan said lowly, taking a step out of her arms and towards Adam with malicious intent. "Come on, boy. If you think you have a right to say something to me in my house, then you're dead wrong. I dare you, say something to my face."

Not good, not good. Warning bells rang off in my mind. And being the overprotective brother he was, Adam stepped in front of me, making sure that I wasn't in the way of the approaching violence. This was a regular occurrence. The two of them had a nasty, hateful relationship that was even worse then mine. They've never put hands on each other. At least, not in mine or my mother's presence. That doesn't mean that it couldn't happen and that was what I was deathly afraid of.

"I don't think you'd want to hear the things I have to say to you anyway. You wouldn't be able to comprehend them." Adam replied smugly, a dark smirk forming on his face.

That was the final straw. I was not about to sit here and watch them kill each other.

Scooping my arm through his, I grabbed his car keys along with our bags and rushed out of the kitchen and to the door. Neither even realized what I was doing until we were out of the front door. "Time to go, bye mom love you!" I called back, intentionally skipping Nolan and continuing to pull Adam towards his car.

I could tell the latter was slightly relieved at what I had done. He looked a bit better when he was out of the suffocating situation. "Thanks, sis." he sighed, running a hand down his cheek and taking the keys and his bag from my hands. I waved him off, getting into the passenger side seat and buckling myself in.

As we drove, I tried to control the immense sadness rolling throughout my body.

It was always like this. I loved my mother dearly, even though we weren't as close as we used to be. After my father passed away, things were never the same. She secluded herself from us and started to drink away her problems, and low and behold that is how she met Nolan. A bar that she claimed was her savior in the matter. In reality, she just got a faux replacement parent for Adam and I, and a drinking buddy. How she says she loves him, I will never understand. He's just a bastard that will end up using her until she shrivels up and becomes a shell of her former self.

While I was stuck in my thoughts, I felt a hand pat my cheek. "Hey, you alright? You're really quiet." Adam broke me out of my stupor, glancing at me quickly before turning back to look at the road.

I sighed deeply, giving him a small smile to conceal what I was feeling. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just got some things on my mind."

"Want to talk about it?"

I felt my eyes tear up the slightest bit. He was always so selfless. I looked out of the window and closed my eyes to stop the liquid from flowing out of my tear ducts. "It's alright. It's nothing important, promise."

"...Okay. You know what to do if you need me."

"Always."

When we arrived at school, I said a quick goodbye to Adam and headed towards my first class, which was English. It wasn't the easiest subject to have first period, but I always pulled through in the end. It wasn't an issue, I rather liked English.

Walking into the classroom, I sat down and pulled out my journal and a couple of pencils. It was then I didn't see my bubbly best friend bounding up to me.

"Ally cat~" she tapped my hand, making me look up at her and give her a grin. Caroline's cornflower blue orbs met mine, the sides of her eyes crinkling when she smiled. "Five minutes until the bell. We're fine." she answered my question before I could even ask it.

Rolling my eyes, I shooed her off with a hand and she sat down next to me. "Alright, mother time. It's good to see you. How was Florida?"

"Surprisingly hot. And I don't just mean the weather." her sudden wink made me laugh. Caroline was the more cheerful of the two of us. She was immensely similar to Adam in that aspect. A sweetheart and a thoughtful person all in one. While I was a bit more quiet, she was a bit more loud. I'm more into volleyball, while she's more into cheer. We weren't polar opposites, but we did like different things. That didn't matter. I wouldn't want anyone else to be my best friend.

I rose an eyebrow at her declaration. "Glad you had fun. And how's your mom?"

Her nose crinkled the slightest bit. "She's good. She watched me like a hawk, though. I couldn't really go out too often with her breathing down my back. I did manage to go to one beach party thankfully. And I met someone that was really cute; hazel eyes, black hair, athletic. Turns out he had a girlfriend, can you believe it?!"

"Bummer." I snickered, bringing the pencil up in my hand up to my mouth to bite on the end.

"I know right?" she sighed dreamily. "I wondered who was the lucky girl, really I did. But it's okay. That just means it isn't time for the right one yet. I'm happy to wait."

"I know you'll find someone worth waiting for someday, Car. You're right to be patient."

Another wink from my blonde-haired friend. "You know it." her eyes brightened, as if she remembered something important. "Before I forget, how does going out later sound to you? I wanted to invite some people to go see that new horror movie. I don't know who will come since it's Friday night, and everyone probably made plans beforehand..."

"I'm up for anything. Just have to let my mom know."

Caroline rolled her eyes in exasperation. "You're almost eighteen, Alina. You shouldn't have to ask to go to the movies on a Friday night. But anyway," she tapped her nails on the desk and winced when the bell ringed. "Tell Adam he's also welcome to come. The more the merrier."

I nodded, placing my pencil down and folding my hands in my lap as our teacher began her daily warmup.

xx0xx

I groaned and sat down on the school's front steps, tired after the long day of academic torture. There's only so much one mind can take.

"Alina!" I hear Adam call from his car. My eyes locked onto the dodge charger as I stood, making my way over to the passenger side window. "Do you want a ride home? I know you usually like walking back, but I was thinking about stopping to get coffee or something."

I shook my head. "It's alright, I'll walk today. The sun's out and you know how rare that is to get some sunshine around this time of year."

He shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "Suit yourself. Oh, and Caroline asked if I wanted to go to a movie with you guys tonight. Is that okay? I wouldn't be imposing on your girl time, would I?" he joked, and I leaned in to swat at his arm. Of course, I missed.

"She beat me to asking you, but no. It's supposed to be a little get together in celebration of her returning home. Other people will be there." I replied evenly, leaning down and crossing my arms on the window sill. He hummed in acknowledgment.

"Sounds good. I'll see you a bit later, then." he waved and I backed away from the car. He sped out of the parking lot, taking a sharp turn and driving down the street. I shook my head. His dramatic exits were ridiculous.

I started my walk back home, closing my eyes briefly and enjoying the rays that touched my skin. I've always thought that San Francisco was beautiful, no matter what season it was. California in general was gorgeous. I looked up to see multiple flocks of birds, flying south like they always did for winter. I smiled to myself. So free, with an endless sky to guide them through their lifetime. I longed for that to be me.

The screeching of tires behind me was my answer. I turned around quickly, not masking the surprise that came over my features.

I didn't have time to react when the tough, hard metal met my rib cage, knocking me back into the black abyss that claimed me instantly.

This was not the way I pictured the end of my life.

I'm so glad I came back to edit this story. This has always left a special place in my heart and it deserves some more love. Thank you to all of you who have favorited and followed this story until now. You guys are awesome and you've made me want to return to finish TBOL. Please, continue your support and you can count on me to not let you down.

See you again!

~M