Beep beep. Beep beep. Beep beep. The sound of my alarm clock filled the room. I mumbled something under my breath. Why in the world did it have to be the first day of school? Why couldn't it be the first day of summer instead? I laid under the covers for a few more seconds before climbing out of bed and walking toward the bathroom. I quickly got ready and ate breakfast, a bowl of cereal and milk. "Honey, what's the matter with you?" Mom said. "Nothing, just a bit scared for school..." I said. I could tell that my mom didn't believe me, but I shrugged off her worried look. I stared at the picture of me and dad together that was sitting in it's frame on the mantelpiece. My dad disappeared two years ago. No one knows what happened. I remembered the police scouring the house for clues. All they had found was a tiny gold chain with a key on it, which my mom wore on her neck all the time.
I jumped up and glanced at my phone, realizing I had to go or I'd be late. I got ready to go out the door, but my mom stopped me, "Alia, take the key please." She pressed the necklace into my hands, "You'll need it more than I do," I blinked, confused, but there was no time to ask why. I hung it around my neck under my shirt and ran out to the bus stop, waiting for the bus.
I see this boy eyeing me like a hawk. Weird, I thought. Who is he? I had no time to wonder about it, because the bus came. I took a seat in the very back of the bus, and a girl walked up to me, asking if someone was sitting here. She had a sweet voice with a slight accent from somewhere I didn't know. When I gestured to the seat next to me, she sat down. "Hi I'm Sarah, nice to meet you!" I smiled slightly, "I'm Alia." I murmured. "What was that?" She asked. I had spoken really quietly. "Oh, I'm Alia." Great, had that been too loud? She smiled reassuringly, "Nice to meet you, Alia."