The Valiant Sea

First Day

I wake up to the sound of the birds tweeting merrily to each other out my bedroom window. I don't want to open my eyes but I know I have to. It's the first day of school today. Start of the new year, yay. Not. I hate school, for many reasons. Which I'm guessing you'll find out today.

My room feels small and dim, compared to Cam's, (which is where I've slept for the past week,) because I had little room to walk from my bed to my cupboard against my wall opposite. Only two big steps. But I'm not going to complain. Because at least I have a bed, or even a room to myself. Which is better than what many people have in third world countries. But I'm not going to get into that now.

For the past two days (after we bought all the things for the Winston's house)I spent all my time over at their amazing house. We started on the front garden and made great progress actually. Creating two garden beds along the two side fences and planting the colourful flowers and bushes in them. Then we also laid out the large pavements to create a zig-zag path to the steps up to the verandah. Also we planted a tree to the right of the path (closer side to the carport). But we still need to plant some grass, create another garden bed planting flowers in that. Also then planting the same flowers from the other garden bed around the base of the tree. And last of all make a white picket fence and gate out the front of the house.

I slept over at the Winston's one more night, and then came home so I slept in my own bed before we go to school today. I had, surprisingly, little trouble sleeping in my own bed last night. Didn't think about Michael once. But I've got a gut feeling that was because I was so tired from working at the Winston's that I was barely awake when I got home last night.

Now, I'm dressing into my school uniform, the dreaded things material is scratchy and uncomfortable, and doesn't fit me properly because mum couldn't afford a new one and got a "hand me down" from an op shop. The dress was the white and blue and yellow stripes crossing over each other so they formed squares all across the dress. The jumper was dark blue and woollen which nearly went down to my knees, so I had to roll it up a lot of times causing me to look like I have a weird shaped pot belly.

After getting dressed and ready I start packing my bag with my new books. Once I'm done the bag looks like it was nearly going to explode. I try to pick it up and it barely moves an inch, so I try and haul it onto my shoulder and end up tumbling backwards because I was leaning to far backwards. When I somehow manage to stand up again, I look out my window into Cameron's. His large notepad is leaning against his window and saying, "I'm going to your house now, hurry up, slow poak." I roll my eyes. Does he really take every chance he has to dis me? I suppose he does.

I walk out of my room and start to head for my door, when I hear two hushed voices in the kitchen, I walk in and see Cameron and my mum having a 'little chat'. They stop talking when I walk into the room and both give me innocent smiles. I just raise an eyebrow.

"You ready to go then?" I ask Cam. Not even bothering to say 'Good morning,' or 'hi,' to either of them. I suppose I was just too worried about school to bother.

"Yup," Cam says with a smile.

"Well, see you later dears," my mother says, turning back to the washing up she was doing.

"Ok, bye mum," I say casually.

"Seeyah Mrs Hawkins," Cam replies politely.

"Have a good first day and good luck."

"Thanks, we will."

We walk out of the house, down my front path and out of the gate along the dirt road. And start the long walk to school. Cam and I had organised to do this every morning, since he didn't really know where he was going and I was his best friend. I mean, of course we were going to be walking to school buddies. By halfway to school I was really starting to lag behind, my bag was starting to have an affect on me, so we swapped bags, Cam took my monstrous bag and I took his 'surprisingly light for a first day at a new school' bag. When I ask why his bag is so light, he replies nonchalantly: