I gather my hair in a ponytail and scratch my cheek.

It's just the second week of school, and my skin is already betraying me. I sigh and looked at myself in the mirror.

Light brown hair.

Blue eyes.

Fair skin with a few pimples.

Slim body.

5'3 height.

"Shorty!"

I close my eyes.

"You're okay. No one's going to hurt you here." I whisper like I always do.

I open my eyes.

"You're okay," I tell myself.

"Stella! Breakfast!" I hear my mother call.

"Coming!"

I pull a baby pink T-shirt over my head and unlock my bedroom door.

White sneakers, blue jeans, an oversized T-shirt, and glasses.

Together they form:

Me.

Stella Jane Walker.

"Good morning!" I greet my parents as I enter the kitchen.

"Here." Mom hands me a glass of orange juice.

"Stell. What are you wearing?" She asks.

I shrug.

"I feel comfortable in these clothes, Mom."

Mom wraps her arms around me.

"Baby, we've got you. There's nothing to be afraid of anymore."

I pull away and look around.

"Where's Dad?" I ask.

"He woke up early and went for a walk."

"Okay, tell him I love him one thousand," I kiss her on the cheek.

"Bye, honey."

I closed the main door behind me and start walking towards the bus stop.

It was a short walk from my house to the bus stop.

From where I have to take the bus to hell.

Well, not exactly.

It's my senior year. In this new school.

This was a new start for me.

I loved it that everyone calls me the 'new girl', It's way better than what the others used to call me in my last school.

I close my eyes and wrap my arms around myself.

I am safe now.

Nobody can touch me.

Nobody can call me names.

I am safe.

The bus arrived and I was off to school. Exactly fifteen minutes later I was standing in front of my locker.

I look around and readjust my glasses. No one seems to be paying any attention to me. I take a deep breath and open my locker.

The first period was Biology. I took out my textbook and shut the locker door.

"Hey, new girl!" I turn at the voice and come face to face with a girl.

The girl extends her hand towards me.

"I'm Sofie. Sofie Miller. I noticed you didn't really have any friends, And I love making friends. What's your name?"

I look down at her hand and rather hesitantly shake it.

"St-stella. Stella Walker." I reply. God, Why am I shaking?

"Nice to meet you, Stella. Let me tell you, we're going to be best friends. Do you have any objections?"

I look at her and raise my eyebrows.

Sofie laughs.

"I'm kidding. I'm not forcing you to be my friend. But, I do hope we become besties." Sofie says with a smile.

I smile back.

Sofie had long brown hair and grey eyes. She was stunning.

"We have Biology and English together. And we have the same lunch. Nice." Sofie tells me while looking at my timetable.

She looks up at me and narrows her eyes.

"You don't speak much, do you?"

"Oh, No. I do."

Sofie starts to say something when suddenly she sees someone and waves.

"Wyatt!" She calls.

I look at where Sofie was looking and my eyes land on a guy.

Holy shit.

He is handsome.

The guy starts walking towards us.

"What?" He stops in front of us and demands.

"I need a ride back too, so make sure you're on time," Sofie says.

The guy rolls his eyes.

"Okay. But, I'll not be able to give you a ride tomorrow because I have plans with Cole."

Sofie shrugs.

I look at him. He had brown hair and grey eyes too.

"Oh, sorry. Stella, this is my twin, Wyatt. And Wyatt, this is Stella. My new friend." Sofie introduces us. To each other.

"Hey." Wyatt raises his hand and smiles.

I give him a nod.

"Hi," I say but force my lips to stop curving into a smile.

"Well, Okay. Bye." Wyatt nods at me and leaves.

"If you want to survive high school, you'll need to learn," Sofie whispers to me, her eyebrows raised.

I look down at my shoes and take a deep breath.

They don't know how I used to survive high school and where that took me.

Nobody can know.

"Come on, let's go to class. We'll get to know each other after school. Okay?"

Sofie links her arm with mine and together we walk to our class.

Have I made a friend now? I hope everything turns out alright.

I hope they don't get to see my other side. After all, nothing happened to me, but then why do I go crazy at times?

Then why do I hate being around other people?

Because nobody can be trusted.

I take my seat in the middle of the classroom and Sofie takes her, next to mine.

"I am really hungry." She whispers.

I look at her.

"Already?"I ask, surprised that I still have the confidence to speak.

"I eat too much. I live to eat." Sofie grins.

"But you don't look like you eat much." I retort.

"What can I say? My body loves me too much."

I laugh.

But, freeze mid-laugh.

I just laughed.

I laughed.

When was the last time I had laughed?

Kindergarten?

Last year?

I shake my head and look at Sofie.

I am so glad to have her now.