Bad News | Punk Michael Clifford

two

I stepped out of the cab and walked up to my new house. The air was humid. I had forgotten that the seasons were switched here in Australia. I unlocked the door to my new home and stepped inside. Cool air met my face- a good sign that the air conditioning worked. The house was decent sized. Not too big or to too small. Since this was my first time in the house, I decided to go exploring. I passed through the kitchen, the dining room, the living room, and a bathroom all on the main level. After familiarizing myself with those rooms, I headed upstairs. There were three bedrooms, and since I was the only one living here at the moment, I took the liberty of choosing the biggest bedroom. I would probably have to change after my mom got here though.

Next, I started to unpack. I blasted music as I did so. I found homes for all my clothing and other items. I taped posters of my favorite bands on the walls. Once I was satisfied with the way my room looked, I decided to take a shower. Despite the hot weather, I took a steaming hot shower. The warm water felt great against my skin. After probably 20 minutes, I stepped out and dried off. I grabbed an old cut off band shirt and a pair of black shorts and slipped those on. I also blew dry my long, dark hair and threw it up in a pony tail, and then I tied a bandana around my head to secure any stray hairs. I threw a little bit of makeup on and decided that I looked decent enough to go out. Then I slipped on my worn out converse and headed out to explore the town.

I walked around trying to find someplace interesting to explore. The mall didn't interest me much, and there were a few unfamiliar restaurants. Other than that, there wasn't much in the town. It was a little bit disappointing. So I just decided to sit in the shade of a tree with my headphones in, scrolling through social media. That became boring after a while though, so I walked home.

Moments after walking into my house, there was a knock on the front door.

"Hello! I couldn't help but notice a new face in the neighborhood. So I thought I'd stop by and introduce myself. My name is Liz, and this is my son Luke. We live right next door." A woman said as soon as I opened the door.

"Hi," I said back. "I'm Alyx. My mom isn't here right now...she won't be here for another three months." I told the strangers.

"You're just staying here all by yourself? How old are you, sweetie?" Liz questioned.

I knew that I probably shouldn't be telling a stranger all this information, but I do it anyways. "I'm 16," I said.

"Oh! You're the same age as Luke! If you need anything, anything at all, just let me know!"

I looked up at the boy known as Luke. He was tall and blonde- and slightly attractive. He was also looking at the floor. So he's shy. I thought to myself. Cute. I thought again.

"Would you like to join us for dinner?" Liz interrupted my thoughts.

I always hates these kind of questions. If I decline, I sound rude. But I didn't know if she was just asking to be nice.

"Um, sure." I answered and then added quickly, "as long as it's not any trouble."

"Of course not! Why don't you come over right now." She smiled and lead me next to door to her home.