Unexpected

Prologue

The Miami humidity is threatening to be my last straw. Not the two and half days spent on the road with each night's motel being dingier than the last, not the entire box of clothes my mom kept fighting to label "donate" being conveniently misplaced during the move, and not my sister's habitual people pleasing. But the wetness of Florida's air that's proving to be an entirely different beast than California's.

I'm forcing my fingers through my hair a third time when Nicole says, "The oils in your fingers actually make it worse."

I drop my hand, wanting to be mad at her but knowing it's not her fault any of this is happening.

"How come yours looks fine?" I ask, eyeing her blonde pin straight hair that's somehow maintained it's sense of dignity.

She shrugs, "You can try the hair product I used this morning, that might help."

I flop backwards onto the unmade mattress in our room just in time for my mom to stick her head in and scan the unpacked boxes. She's about to say something when Nicole rushes out an explanation.

"We're not done yet, we just needed a break."

My mom nods, her eyes landing on my hopeless state on the bed. I'm thankful Nicole is the unofficial pacifier out of the two of us, since I don't have the energy to add anything else no matter how long my mom looks at me like that.

She finally looks back to Nicole and says, "Okay. Just don't let it pile up too much. We're aiming for a presentable house by Monday. Dinner will be ready in half an hour."

She leaves and I quirk an eyebrow at Nicole, to which she just smiles and shakes her head. My mom said "we're" as if my father could care any less about the state of the house. He'll most likely be living in his office again soon enough, leaving my mom to have nothing better to do than obsess over the small details.

Nicole resumes putting things away and I join her, deciding a clean room is one improvement I could stand to make.

I've just about finished putting my clothes away in our closet, or what's left of them anyway, when we're called down to dinner.

It's silent, aside from the scraping of forks on expensive porcelain. My parents start to discuss work, something I'm convinced is a main component of their personalities at this point, while my sister and I listen on. Not even Nicole bothers to feign interest, since this conversation will happen regardless of our presence or our attention to it. All I can focus on is the fine detailing on the plates that my parents have probably never noticed due to the conversations that occur in order to afford them.

I scoot my chair back, no longer able to endure the negative echo chamber my fatigue and stress has caused. I know with some time and decent rest, moving to the sunshine state right before junior year won't seem so dreadful. Having my parents return to work and Nicole and I to school should help with the forced amount of interaction we've had to participate in lately.

I get a few glances when I retreat to the stairs, but thanks to the ever pressing matter of business I'm left to trudge towards my new room without any comments.

Not long after, Nicole follows suit and helps me with the remaining boxes. It's around midnight when we turn out the light and climb into bed. The room could use more character, considering it's current main feature is a single Rihanna poster plastered against bare walls. As I settle deeper into my sheets I begin to drift off, dreaming of new possibilities.

AN: Man, all these years later I did not think I would be working on this story again. I honestly just could not leave it alone as it was, I'm too embarrassed lol. I'm not considering this a fanfiction since I'm not really a fan of Austin's anymore, and it would just feel weird to write. But he's still the character in this story if that makes sense? I'm sorry to anyone I may disappoint, but it's too hard existing as I do today on this account with a fanfiction I wrote at 14.

Also, I know this chapter was short and kinda boring, sorry. I wanted to character build a lil. It'll pick up, I promise.

Vote, comment, whatever. I'm just happy you're here xx