LOOKOUT

Brontë POV

Another lousy night of sleep because of the racket downstairs, which lasts until 3 in the morning almost every day.

"For once, I wanted to sleep. Especially because I'm starting my new school today," I shout at the top of my lungs. I immediately regret it as I hear her running up the stairs, before I could think twice I feel a sharp pain shoot across my face as her hand slaps against my cheek.

"Don't raise your voice at me, kid," she hissed and spat at me. "I'll make as much noise as I want to, you understand me!" "You don't own this house I do, so either deal with it or get the hell out" she sneered smirking down at me. She thinks just because she's my step mum; she can treat me this way and act as if she's some guardian towards me.

Trust me, she's not.

Ever since my dad died, all she did was treat me like shit. My dad was blinded by love, he never knew how she would treat me when he wasn't home, how she would beat me until I threw up, she was smart in the fact she would never leave a mark of evidence on my body. She was always jealous that I would come before her, envious that there were still photos of my Mum in the house.

Let's just say she was a jealous bitch.

She walked out of my room, slamming the door shut on her way. I despise that woman with a passion.

I eventually got myself up and made my way to the bathroom. I turned my music on, checking the time as I did, seven-thirty, okay. I'm on time, school starts at nine, so I have plenty of time to get ready. I jumped in the shower thinking of how I'll like my new school. Once I was out, I brushed my teeth, fixed my hair, and then applied a minimal amount of makeup to my rather nasty-looking morning face.

Scanning my eyes across the rails in my wardrobe, I opt for a pair of black ripped jeans with an oversized hoodie, along with my timberlands and my school bag. I made my way down to the kitchen, minding all the bottles of alcohol left on the stairs from the party Talia threw. There were people scattered in our living room who had not bothered going or got too drunk they couldn't drive home. I decided to skip breakfast, not wanting to be home any longer. I made my way out the door heading in the direction of Tatern High.

I didn't realise the walk would take so long, it was about a twenty-five-minute walk from my house. I left at eight-thirty, meaning it's eight-fifty-five, shit, I'm taking the car next time. I headed quickly towards reception, telling the lady my name. I inform her that it's my first day. She gave me a smile and handed me my timetable, asking if I needed any help finding my way around, I kindly rejected her offer saying I could manage.

I headed towards my first class, eventually finding it with only a few minutes to spare. I knocked on the door, and I heard a male voice say to come in, doing so I walked in and smiled. I'm quite a bubbly person, so meeting new people doesn't faze me.

"Hello, you must be Brontë, I'm Mr Tanner. Would you like to introduce yourself?" he smiled. I went ahead. "Hi everyone, I'm Brontë, as you heard! I've not long moved into the area so I'm looking forward to getting familiar with the town and hopefully you all too" I smiled over at everyone getting a few smiles back. I looked over to Mr. Tanner, who pointed towards any free seat.

My eyes scanned the room. I walked towards the back, stopping beside a girl with long, wavy, violet hair with silver highlights that reached just below her waist. She turned and smiled. "Hey, I'm Jayda," I smiled back, and we started chatting a little getting to know each other, stopping from time to time to take notes.

After class, I waved bye to Jayda as she calls out for me to meet her at lunch, I replied quickly back before heading towards maths.

As I made my way to lunch, I thought about how quickly my last two lessons went by. I headed towards the cafeteria to grab some food.

Scanning the hall, I spotted Jayda waving from a table, where she was sitting with another girl. As I got close to their table, the girl opposite Jayda looked up and smiled, she had mid-length black wavy hair with dark blue highlights and piercing blue eyes. "You must be Brontë, I'm Saskia" I returned the smile, saying a quick hi back before sitting down to join them.

We chatted for a little while, talking about random things, when a group of guys caught my eye in the corner of the hall. One of them wore a black, thick-looking hoodie. I couldn't quite make out his features, his hood was up, covering his face. He was looking down at his phone, typing away to whoever was on the other end. He briefly looked up, joining in with his friends' conversation before looking back down at his phone. I could see him frowning slightly at whatever he had just read.

"Brontë!" Jayda and Saskia both said, pulling me out of my thoughts. My gaze returned to the two confused faces before me. Saskie turned around, looking in the direction I was previously looking in. As she turns back around she couldn't help but smirk. Jayda soon caught on to what she was thinking. They both looked at me with the same expressions.

"They're hot but they tend to keep to themselves," Saskia replies, looking back in their direction.

"That one on the end, he's called Hunter, he never speaks to anyone but his friends, he's very hidden. That hood never leaves his head," Jayda continued.

Curious about what Jayda had just said, my gaze fixated back on Hunter.

After lunch, I had the rest of the day to study, so no lessons, but I guess you can call them free periods.

I made my way outside, wanting to explore more of the school, when I heard a few voices coming from a courtyard area hidden amongst a few trees near the school grounds.

I followed the voices being my curious self until I could see who they were; it was the guys from lunch. I thought of going in and introducing myself, but then I thought back to what Jayda and Saskia previously said about them not being social, so I thought not.

As I was about to walk out, I heard the guys behind me about to leave their hideout. I quickly hid behind the hedge so they wouldn't see me.

I watched them leave, so of course, I went to check out the spot they were just in.

As I turn the corner a small cabin appears with the word 'Lookout' written above. I just stood staring at it, trying to peek in through the windows, but I had no luck as they were covered up.

"Who are you?" A deep voice behind me spoke out. I turned quickly to find the guy with the hoodie staring at me.

"Ah, hi, sorry I wasn't snooping or anything. I happened to stumble across it. I'm Brontë. "He just looked at me, not saying anything; I began to feel slightly awkward as his eyes trailed over every inch of my body, as if surveilling me.

"You'd better go. The Lookout is no place for a girl like you" his deep voice was calm but warning. I nodded, walking past him and back out into the school car park, wondering what the hell had just happened.

The words 'A girl like' playing through my mind. Ha, he doesn't even know me.