text: (I know Im really bad at writing but Im annoyed because my sister couldn't be bothered to read it and I just want someone to read my story. Also Im not an adult or anything so my grammer is probably bad and so is the story itself sooo yeah) **The higher up, the bigger fall** **Chapter one - Something new, Something different** Gia's eyes are locked on the plain white roof of her room, just about as plain as her life is--her body sweating from the heat of the sun glistening through the small window of her apartment room. It's only affordable because the bathroom and kitchen are shared with the other residents. The hollow silence is filled with all the philosophical questions swaying freely in her head. The stale air coming in from the slightly opened window breathes her back to consciousness. She realizes she needs to get up. Though it's hard to find a reason why. Still half asleep she reaches for her phone, her eyes snap wide open when she sees that school started twenty minutes ago. “Again?” she whispers to herself with a low sigh, while grabbing her towel and heading to the bathroom. The second the hot water caresses her skin she regrets getting in. Her body feels lighter as if she can let go of all her worries. Her eyes close and she starts to slowly drift away. “EEK!!” her whole body flinches at the sudden attack of cold water stabbing at every part of her body. Like a reflex, her hands dart for the shower handle. Gia concludes that the world is telling her to stop wasting time and actually go to school. She puts on her clothes and looks in the mirror before leaving. The bags under her eyes have gotten way more apparent after the little sleep she got over the weekend. Her short black hair looks messier after being exposed to the water, and her choppy bangs covering her face are making it harder to see but she doesn't have the time or motive to fix it. Instead she covers it with the same hood she's been wearing for the last week. When Gia catches sight of the school her heart freezes and she completely forgets to breathe. *I don't know why I'm even hesitating, It's not like I care. I just have to get through today, It's fine. I'll be okay.* She thinks to herself, swallowing the anxiety down her throat and into her stomach before entering the school gates. She walks into the classroom during the middle of the session and doesn't even bother knocking. The teacher sighs loudly and is about to open his mouth to give another one of his never-ending speeches about how much she's disrespecting him. And of course, he's also going to give her detention, well that's what she thought but he stops himself mid-sentence, readjusts his tie, and says with a calm voice “You're late, again. I understand it's the first day of the week but I would appreciate it if you showed some respect and came to class on time so that you don't disturb the rest of the students.” Gia tries to avoid looking at him but she just has to check if he's being serious. Her brows dart upwards when she sees him forcing a smile at her, for the first time in... well... a long time she feels the urge to laugh. The urge is even bigger than her confusion right now, so much that she rebelliously cracks a smile. All eyes are on her but she is so distracted trying to contain her laughter that she forgets to move until the teacher clears his throat and says: “Gia, would you please sit down”, there's slight aggression in his tone but he's still adamant about keeping calm. She hurries to her seat but only when she sits down does it strike her. The unfamiliar scent. The person sitting in front of her, this entire time she hadn't noticed. Gia freezes in time, her own soundproof box with only her thoughts entering and nothing else. A refreshing scent of roses. Her wavy auburn hair flows gracefully down her back, her white clear skin, so smooth and shiny it's reflecting the sun. A transfer student? There's something off, something magical about her presence, like a blossomed flower in the midst of a dead forest. If only Gia could see her face, if only she could hear her voice, or just know her name. The curiosity is killing her, she can't think of anything throughout the whole class, thoughts like *If I had just come on time* and *Why isn't she turning around even once?* Never has she felt this much interest in someone or something. Every day is surrounded by loneliness and emptiness, frozen, stuck in the same never-ending loop. But today is different, she can feel it, the heat melting into her life. And the source is the girl sitting in front of her.