1

New beginnings. Thanks to the calendar, they occur every year. Just set your clock to January 1, put the past aside, and start all over again.

As far as I am concerned, the new beginning is ahead and happening today. It's hard to resist the chance of a fresh start. A chance to put potential problems behind us.

But who takes the liberty of defining new beginnings? It's not a date on a calendar, it's not a birthday, it's not a new year. It is an event. Big or small. Something that changes us. Ideally, it gives us hope.

But it is above all a choice, a decision that we can take when we feel the need, the need to change the air and also to turn the page on old events.

A new way of living and looking at the world. Let go of old habits, old memories. What's important is that we don't stop believing that we can have a fresh start.

But it's also important to remember that out of all the bullshit, there are some things that are worth it.

Today is D-Day.

The great departure towards Mystic High and its great promises that made me dream so much.

My mother has been going around in circles since very early this morning, I can't blame her, I'm as nervous as she is. My father is already loading the luggage into the car, probably already dreading the long hours on the road and the potential traffic jams.

As for Lucky, well, he's still sleeping, not caring about the minutes ticking by on his alarm clock. I wish I had my brother's serenity, but Lucky and I are very different in every way. Lucky is impatient and reckless while I, on the other hand, am calm and thoughtful. In high school, he is appreciated and rather popular, while I am discreet and little surrounded. My brother is messy, unlike me who is borderline manic. Despite our differences, our fraternal bond is indeed present, just take a good look.

My excitement at leaving was also accompanied by some apprehension. I know very well that I will miss many things, like my father's not so funny jokes as well as my mother and her crazy dishes.

I won't miss the city itself. It's time for me to distance myself from Los Angeles and discover new horizons. I am also excited at the idea of ​​living there, of having my independence and of discovering this school which was only a myth until then.

- Elena, take your suitcase down and I'll load it in the car, please! echoes my father's voice on the stairs.

- Yes, dad for a second, I say, looking for my phone, probably placed in an unlikely place.

It's seven o'clock in the morning and the house is already full of commotion, my parents are running everywhere, my mother seems panicked at the thought of being late, my father does whatever it takes to calm her down and Lucky is sleeping. Again.

After finding my phone, which was only under my bed, I drag my suitcase downstairs. My suitcase was heavy given that I was leaving for a rather long time;

- THANKS. By the way, wake up your brother, my father asked me when I handed him my heavy and ridiculous suitcase.

I answered with a mischievous and mean smile before rushing to my brother's room. I knocked violently several times on the wooden door. Waking up my brother is something I really enjoy doing. It is not at all in the morning, and nothing better than to annoy him in order to put me in a good mood. However, I know that today is not a day he was looking forward to, so I decided to take it easy and Dre just shout his name.

- Lucky up we're going to be late  !

Seeing that Lucky was having his own way, I knocked harder this time.

- Lucky! If you don't get up, I'm coming in! I threatened, but no response from him was heard.

So I decided to pass the portal to the other dimension and enter.

He was in his bed under his duvet. Only her blonde hair could be seen in the white sheets. I opened the curtains wide, letting in the daylight to wake Lucky up. Despite that, I didn't get much, except a groan.

- Hmmm, let me sleep.

- Lucky, we're going to be late, so get your ass off your bed, I say, snatching his blanket.

- You're just jealous of my ass, he retorted, his voice muffled by the pillow.

- Not possible to be so stupid, I say, letting out a smile at his childish remark.

- Not possible to be so painful, he mutters under his breath, his eyes still closed.

- Don't make me go get mum, she'll get you out of bed before you can even protest.

A simple smile formed on his lips, fully aware that what I said was true.

- I'm coming, he said in a more alert voice than a few seconds ago.

After checking the house from top to bottom, so as not to forget anything, here we are finally on the main road towards what seems to be my new beginning. My new adventure. All of this is exciting, but also scary. Even if I only ask to escape this city, detaching myself from it is still a difficulty.

All we have to do now is wait four long hours on the road, riding right in the middle of forests and cliffs, each one more beautiful than the other.

...

After a long journey accompanied by the snoring of Lucky, here we are finally at Mystic High. The place was beautiful. Large trees overhung the wooden chalets built at the foot of them.

The cold wind lifted the few leaves that had lost their way and the blue sky brightened up the place even more. The campus already seemed very full, given the number of people present and crowded everywhere.

- Well, children, we have to find your respective chalets, exclaimed my mother, her hands occupied by two large travel bags.

Of course, Lucky and I had decided not to share the same chalet. At least Lucky decided for both of us. He told me that this will allow us to make friends more quickly since we have to share the cabins with another person and that it would be impossible for the two of us to live together.

After thinking it over, I finally decided that my brother was not wrong, for once, and that it would be better to avoid conflicts with my little brother. Lucky and I tend not to support each other when we are both in a small space. Probably because of our differences. But we don't love each other any less, we just need our own space.

- Very well, Lucky is going with your father, and I'm going with Elena, we'll meet here when you've put your things in your cabin, ordered my mother.

My father nodded and guided Lucky to the location of his new place of residence.

- So, your chalet is number 20, it must be..., she inspected the numbers on the wooden constructions, that one! she exclaimed, pointing to one of the cabins that looked like the hundreds of others.

When my mother opened the door, I was immediately struck by the grandeur and beauty of the place. A magnificent living room stood before our eyes, with a large fireplace in the center of it. A very beautiful old chandelier adorned the ceiling and two sofas were placed next to each other, creating a large sofa. A flat screen was highlighted in front of them. The place was beautiful and much more equipped than I could have imagined.

- Mom, you never told me it was a luxury school, I say, stunned by the luxury of the room where I was.

- And you haven't seen anything yet! a male voice was heard behind us.

When mom and I turned around from one man, a boy my age towered over us by at least two inches. Her hair was dark, almost black, her cheeks and lips were slightly pinkish from the cold.

- Pleased, I'm Fina Collins, and this is my daughter, Elena Collins, introduced my mother, addressing the boy in front of us.

My mother's smile was so big, I thought she was going to tear her jaw out.

- Pleased, I'm Jace Moonhood, he said all smiles, shaking hands with my mother, completely ignoring me in passing.

- I assume you are his roommate? my mother asked, her smile still bright.

I remained silent. The boy was intimidating. His tattoos weren't helping.

"Yes, indeed," he replied directly.

It is therefore with him that I will have to spend my year. I don't know what it is, but something – maybe the look he gives off – tells me he's not the best roommate I could have had. On the other hand, as I have always been told, appearances should not be trusted.

- All right, let's put things down and then we'll go join your brother and your father, declared mom while looking around for my future room.

"At the end of the corridor," Jace indicated with a flamboyant smile, which was more than enough to charm my mother.

- Thank you very much, she said smiling back at him.

After quickly setting down my things in what is now my home, we joined Lucky and my father where we had left them.

- That's crazy ! exclaimed my little brother as we approached.

Seeing him smile was a relief. Especially when I think about how reluctant he was to come a few months ago. A huge weight left my shoulders thanks to Lucky's words.

- You saw that, little brother! I gave him a wink.

- The cabin is pretty good, said my father in false modesty.

It was obvious that he was as amazed by the place as I was.

- So, who do you share it with? Lucky asked.

- Oh, with a certain Jace Moonhood, I grimaced slightly. And you ?

- With Tom Ackings, he's my age.

- Happy for you, little brother, I smile.

- Well children, it's time to let you settle down, my father informed us, his eyebrows furrowed.

My mother's face tensed at the words and I knew goodbyes were not going to be easy.

- Goodbye mum, said Lucky hugging her with his long arms.

- Goodbye, my Lucky, take care of yourself and don't do anything stupid, focus on your studies. I trust you my son, she said kissing him on the forehead. I love you, mum added.

Lucky replied that he loved her too and rolled her eyes when Mom gave her a final hug.

- Goodbye my little Elena, take care of yourself and your brother, and tell yourself that all this is just one more step to realize your dream of becoming a writer. I love you, she said when it was my turn to receive her hug.

She knows how important my dream of becoming a writer is to me, and her support is beyond reproach.

- Goodbye, mom, I love you too. I gave him a big kiss on each cheek. Everything will be fine, you'll see, I reassured her.

She just nodded, overwhelmed with emotion.

- Goodbye my little Elena, take care of your brother, will you?

Dad put a hand on my shoulder. Her eyes were wet, but no tears escaped her.

- No worries, dad, I say, wrapping him in my arms.

The goodbyes finished, mom and dad headed for the car, their steps heavy and their eyes still sad.

- Well, see you later, Lucky threw me when our parents were out of our field of vision.

- I see, impatient to enjoy his freedom! I laughed, amused by my brother's newfound enthusiasm.

- Nan, impatient not to have you in the paws anymore, he said heading towards his cabin.

I put on a fake look of annoyance even though he knows it actually makes me laugh. I can't be more thrilled that my brother finally loves this school.

Not really knowing what to do now, I decided to go put my things away in my new room.

When I walked into the cabin, my roommate was sitting on the living room couch watching TV. I quieted down and snuck back to my room.

She was huge. The first thing I noticed was the huge window in the middle of the wall. It took the whole wall up to the ceiling. A double bed sat in the middle of the room, while a desk was installed to the left of the bed. The room was very warm. The walls were made of planks, except for the wall where the office was located, which was made of gray and greenish stones.

...

The adventure is off to a good start, I thought.

After placing my clothes in the closet near the desk, I returned to the living room. Jace was still frozen on the couch, staring at the TV screen and I hoped he heard me walk into the room.

- So, where are you from? I tried to break the silence. I sat down on the couch opposite his.

No response, he remained focused on the screen.

- I come from Los Angeles..., I tell him shyly.

I'm not fooled, I know he's ignoring me. But I am a persistent person, and I intend to break this silence.

No reaction from him.

- I came with my little brother, Lucky, I continued.

I finally get a reaction. Jace looks up at me, looking me up and down with his cold eyes.

- I came here because - I continued, but he cut me off, leaving me no chance to finish my monologue.

- Look, we're not going to be friends. Just to be clear, I don't want you here. I should have shared this chalet with my best friends. I advise you to stay away from me. The less I see of you, the better off I'll be, he said dryly and clearly.

His words automatically made me regret my insistence.

- I just wanted to get to know each other, I explained, really surprised by his behavior.

- Well, I don't want to meet you, so please get out, he says, looking back at the TV.

Hurt by my roommate's words, I slipped into my room in silence, a thousand thoughts in my head.

The day had started well, and it went as I had dreamed, until Jace burst in like a big ink blot in the middle of a perfectly written text. Despite being taught never to judge a person on their face, it was hard to imagine Jace as a pleasant person. He gives off this aura around him that screams - danger.

And I have the impression that if by misfortune I dare to try to erase this task, it would only spread out on the paper.