AWKWARD HONESTY (TGD BOOK ONE)

Prologue

The knocking continued. "Are you awake in there?" calls Jade Mouncey, her lilted accent more prominent the louder her voice rises.

"Coming," I yell as I grab the rest of my clothes, hastily closing my cupboard door. I fumble with the security chain and Jade laughs from the other side of the heavy stained-glass feature door as I curse my own ineptitude. I open the door to reveal my favourite study buddy, or more accurately, my only study buddy, in all her five-foot five glory.

She smiles down her straight, lightly freckled nose at me, her brown hair is loose today, nearly reaching her waist. It is almost as long as my own, but quite a few shades darker.

In her hands is a box. A box that has been skilfully decorated with hand drawn flowers. "Welcome to teenagedom," she says, holding it out for me.

I jut out my chin and point to the pimple that is there. "I got that memo thanks. Does mother nature have a refund policy do you think?"

She grins broadly, perfect teeth shining out between her pink lips. She nudges me with the box. "Doubtful. I left the receipt in here though. If you want, you can return what I got you."

I shook my head and took the offered present, running my fingertips over the detailed petals of the large hibiscus flower on the lid. She must have spent hours decorating this. "I'm sure it's awesome, you didn't have to get me anything you know."

"I know, but I overheard you telling Alistair you didn't want to have a party for your birthday, and I figured I would give it to you anyway, seeing as I had already bought it." Wow. Someone not related to me remembered my birthday. Two someone's if you count Alistair Tam, though he likely only remembers my birthday because it is two days before his own.

I step outside, painfully aware that I am wearing a pair of unicorn print pyjamas and anyone can see me. "How did you know where I lived?" I ask as I lift the lid. I'd never had anyone over since starting high school this year. Exactly why I didn't want a party, asides family, who would I invite?

"Nate told me."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, he said his parents helped your mum move." That's right, the Brady family lent us their trailer. His mother and mine worked together for a few years before she married my dad and had me. I always forget they know each other because she never invites them around. She never invites anyone around except for my aunts and uncles.

I lift the lid and inside is a sequined make-up case. Rainbows dance against the sides of the box in the sun. "Look inside," Jade prompts me, her tone unusually eager.

I do my best impression of genuine excitement and unzip the case. Mineral makeup, gold cream eyeshadow and an assortment of lip-gloss. I smile. This is easily the best present I'd been given yet. The only thing that could top this would be a mobile phone, but those hopes have already been crushed.

"If the foundation is the wrong colour you can swap it. That's why I kept the docket. You do like rainbows, don't you?"

"Huh?"

"Your bag tag, it's a rainbow."

I put the box down and hug her. Impressed she had noticed and remembered such a thing. "Thank you, yes I totally do."

"Okay, you're welcome. Stop strangling me." I relaxed my grip minutely. Jade laughs and extricates herself. "Happy Birthday Clairissa."

"I actually prefer Riss," I tell her before sitting down on the bench beside her to inspect my new beauty products.

"Riss it is," Jade says peering over my shoulder. "That one," she points to an already opened tube of lipstick. "Is one I was given but the colour is wrong on me. You have green eyes so you would suit that orangey red much better." Jade's encyclopaedic knowledge of art extends to even the facial kind apparently.

"You know, the only makeup I have is stuff you've given me. My mum won't buy it for me."

"My mum was like that when I was younger too," Jade said, her tone wistful. Like she's so old, she is only a year older than me at most. "Nearly all of the stuff I have comes from my older sister anyway, so I am used to sharing."

I nodded. I have an older sister as well, Natalie, my dad's daughter from his first marriage. I can't remember ever living with her though, she was nearly out of school while I was still in diapers, so we aren't exactly close enough to share cosmetics.

7:41 a.m.

After Jade left on her bike to let me finish getting ready for school all the bad feelings of the morning rushed over me again. The anxiety about what my life had become since I earned an advanced placement scholarship. The fear of expectations from the adults around me now that I was officially a teenager. The certainty that something terrible was about to happen today and I shouldn't lace up my shoes; I shouldn't pack my lunch; I shouldn't go to school at all.