Illasandria

It wasn’t common for good things to happen to Nova. It wasn’t common for her to go on adventures. She was a simple creature, a really lazy creature that prefers silence and relaxing nights in than actually moving from her cozy bed. Her natural habitat was her white comforter and blanket. Her room was a safe haven and the outside world was her predator. Every second she would spend in such a cold unwelcoming environment a piece of her soul would fade away into nothing.

A lot of things changed since she turned fourteen this fall. Her mind was changing, the way she thought about the world differs from how she thought about it beforehand. Her interests were changing as well. Nova was interested in an assortment of activities, from painting to dancing she was a creative soul that could blossom in any field. Change, in large amounts, can be a scary thing. Especially for people like herself. People who stick to the same agenda every day.

“Honey wake up. We are going to be behind schedule,” Her lovely mother called out to her while shaking the sleepy girl awake. Her voice was like a sweet song drifting through the wind on a relaxing and warm spring day. Her voice was something that would always bring a smile to anyone’s face. Even the most stubborn people couldn’t help but smile when in a conversation with her. You don’t find that trait too often in people nowadays.

‘Schedule? Oh...that’s right the family retreat to the beach….’ Nova dug through her memory for an answer to why she was being awoken at such an unreasonable time.

The girl groaned peeling herself from the bed, lazily tossing her long thick legs onto the floor. She had hoped the chill of the cold hardwood floor would wake her up more but she was sadly mistaken. With another sigh, she carried herself across her clean room until she passed a mirror.

‘When did I get so… ugly?’ Nova grimaced at her looks wishing she could look the slightest bit more attractive.

She never considered herself beautiful but she never thought she looked so unappealing. Nova had smooth chocolate brown skin with a few blemishes and freckles painting her cheeks and forehead here and there. Her eyes were a pitch black color, She was told by a classmate that she looked like she had no soul it’s a common comment she got at school. The rest of her face was fairly plain and Her hair. Oh her hair. It looked like a kindergartener took some cotton balls, dyed them black, stretched them, and then glued each individual piece onto her head.

On top of her looks, she believed she had zero fashion sense. When it came down to it she wore anything she found comfortable, She wasn’t going to try hard to make herself look appealing. If she was being honest she had to admit she was not appealing. Her personality was garbage and she had nothing going for her physically. She was what society would label as “Overweight.” realistically speaking she just had thicker thighs and a chubbier stomach than most of her classmates.

Stepping out of the house was weird to Nova. She usually didn’t step out unless she was going to get food or going to the place of required education.

“Nova, father said to get your fat ass down there and in the car before we leave without you.” She let out another loud sigh of exasperation once she heard her step sister’s shrill and annoying voice. Why did her mom have to get married to such a prick? Out of all the guys out there...she chose Roger Elmer. Roger was an extremely wealthy guy. A businessman with dashing good looks. Before marrying my mother he had divorced his wife and accused her of being a gold digger. But, there is something about him he hides pretty well, at least around Nova’s mom, he’s rude. And so are his stupid kids. Except for Eric though. He’s the only one that treats her nicely.

It’s confusing. Eric looks just like his father, but they could never be any more different in personality. Eric is really the father, he shaped Nova into a nicer person She used to hate everything and now She hates most things.

Once she finished hating herself, she made her way towards the family car. Her mother...she was such a kind and beautiful woman. How on earth did she push Nova out her womb? She had told her daughter once she looked like her father...but honestly she didn’t buy it. She remembered what her dad looked like. He was good looking. She wasn’t. Maybe two attractive people having a baby automatically equals ugly offspring.

“Hey No-No,” Eric motioned his step-sister over towards his car with a cheesy grin on his face. That was the brunettes natural facial expression. It was the boy was so popular at school, everyone loved him. Everyone loved the warmth his smile brought. “We get to take my car. There isn’t enough room in the minivan for us edgy kids.”

“It’s a seven-seater and there is six of us, what do you mean ‘not enough room’?” She tilted her head at her stepbrother, not buying a word that came out of his mouth. He was lying, for what reason though?

“Okay, look. I didn’t feel like sitting in the same car as dad for ten hours so I asked if I could drive up there. Mom said yes. So you, my dear sister, are going to come with me,” Eric grinned and wrapped an arm around his sister’s shoulders.

“Ten hours with you beats ten ours with Mom and the Demons.” She shrugged not really caring. Ten hours to do whatever the hell she wanted. It sounded too good to be true though...there had to be a catch.

“But,” There it is. “I’m bringing Aaron along. He wanted to hang with me for the weekend.”

She liked most of Eric’s friends... but Aaron is the one she couldn’t stand. He always wore a smirk on his face and he always seemed to be interested in her personal life. Which gets annoying after a while.

“Out of everyone in your friend group. You are bringing Addlepate Aaron...are you kidding?” Her teeth clenched at the thought of spending ten hours with Aaron in the car.

“Yeah... and Ali. I hope that it’s okay.” She froze at the mention of Ali. The car Aaron was taking was a four-seater. Five if you absolutely wanted to seat another person. Ali was Eric’s girlfriend so that means he’d want her in the front with him...which means…

“No...” A groan left Nova’s mouth as soon as she peered into the backseat of the car. Aaron. Blonde hair. Gray eyes. Pale skin with an assortment of freckles decorating his face. “Eric...I thought you loved me.”

A loud chuckle left Aaron and Eric’s lips in response to Nova’s statement... The thing is, She wasn’t trying to add humor to the situation at all.

“I hate everything,” She muttered entering the car and huffing seeing Aaron already comfortable in his spot. The very sight of Aaron pissed her off beyond anything. His shaggy golden locks of his that hung over his gray eyes. The way his freckles decorated his pale face. It just pissed her off and made her day oh so much worse.

“What’s up shorty?” He ruffled my already messy hair. I smacked his hand away giving him a nasty glare. “Look I know we don’t get along!” She only snorted in response. What an understatement, I nearly killed him last week for looking at me. “But I’m going to make things between us better and stronger! We’ll be best friends! Partners in crime!”

“Oh, Joy! And while we are at it why don’t we become lovers!” She spoke in my most sarcastic voice, letting the words hit him like a ton of bricks.

“I mean if that’s what you desire shorty.” Her eyes snapped towards him at that remark. Desire. She wasn’t sure what she desired in life but she is sure it was not him of all people.

“Don’t flirt with Nova, you weirdo,” Ali said finally speaking up from the passenger seat. “Eric is going to wreck you if he hears you.”

“I was only playing with her. If I was actually flirting with her she’d be all over me.” Aaron spoke like an overconfident fool.

“You sound overly confident in yourself Aaron.” Ali rolled her eyes and smiled as Eric entered the car. They gave each other a quick kiss before Eric started up the car.

“You guys ready for the best ten-hour drive of your lives?” Eric spoke moving his brown hair out of his eyes.

“Hell yeah!” Ali cheered in the front along with Aaron. She only sighed and rested her head on the window... this was going to be a long ten hours...but who knows. Maybe it’ll be worth it.