Chapter Two: Fresh Start

The tenth grade student, Alice Hamilton, made her way out of her house and started to amble down the road, heading towards her school. 

When she'd walked out of the town, the cityscape filled her eyes. The school was at a walking distance, settling on the city. The town was near the borderline of the city, just separated by streets. When Alice strolled towards the intersection, there wasn't even any vehicles in sight. This was because it was still thirty minutes passed five when she'd left. And usually, the public transportation vehicles' schedule would start around the same time, transporting the commuters to their work places and etc.

Turning towards the street where the direction of the school settled, Alice noticed a senior high schooler also heading towards the street.

Her complexion was fair, her stature was quite tall. The sun shone on the horizon, complementing the lady's strawberry blonde locks. 

A gush of late winter wind passed through them, their skirts slightly swayed. The ends of Alice's mouth lifted as she called to the lady and ran towards her. The lady was her cousin, Anne. 

Anne didn't noticed Alice at all, nor had heard her greeted a perfunctory good morning. Her ear buds were on, the emo music blasting on her ears. She wasn't really on a good mood today. In fact, she was always not in a good mood. Yet seeing her jumpy wasn't the rarest thing about her, on the outsiders point of view. Seeing her sad was rather the uncommon one. Anne Hamilton didn't seemed to mind if others couldn't read her. But to her, it was best if they will stay out the way.

Alice's sudden enthusiasm had also disappeared in a sudden. A sour look was plastered on her face as she looked up to see Anne. Yet Anne didn't seemed to notice her. Annoyed, she gave a light slap on Anne's arm. Though it was actually all the strength she could muster, the impact was still light. 

The sudden slap made Anne halted on her steps and intuitively looked to her side. Anne had seen Alice who's stature was nearly around Anne's chest, her sky blue locks had hinted a mixture of orange and pink as the sun started making its way downtown. Alice's hair had been tied in a pigtail, seemingly looking as though the person in front of Anne came out from an animation podcast from Japan. 

"What strange food had you eaten today?" started Alice as a sour expression crossed Anne's face, her fingers reaching her wireless ear buds, placing them on her backpack. 

Anne gave her an indifferent look that would also look to others as though she was interested. But Alice could seen through her front. She was her cousin after all, pestering her big sister all her life when she got the chance to.

"What are you talking about? Have you forgotten?" Anne replied nonchalantly as the two of them continued to ambled down the street.

Bewildered, Alice gave her a shrug, "Forgotten what?"

Seemingly testing her patience, Anne breathed in as though she had just took a sarcastic remark.

But Alice hadn't actually remembered what was Anne talking about. Alice looked to her thoughts but she had found none. Luckily, Anne had saved her from thinking.

"It's the first day of the new sem, and you ought to know." replied Anne.

"But I actually know it is the first day." Alice refuted, her voice sharp. 

Anne replied, taken aback, "No, I didnt mean it like that, I meant the reason why I'm early today."

"Oh right, I'd actually forgot. Sounds like you've actually had your records." Alice admitted. It was as though she'd forgotten Anne's late-disease. She was known in the entire campus for being late everyday. But Anne actually have her exclusive days to arrive early. This was on every first day of school, just like the likes today. 

Anne Hamilton, if her late-disease isn't included, would be the perfect model student ever. But as it is being widely known, nobody is perfect.

The school's distance from her house would made her opt to ride on the school bus rather than walk. But if she actually persisted, the distance could be narrowed to a walking distance. But Alice's street was much closer. Anne would need to crossed three intersecting streets, walking a few kilometers more than Alice. 

But today was an exception for her bus riding schedule. To walk had become her routine every starting of school. This would gave her a brief reminiscence about her former days, refreshing her thoughts about the place.

But Anne didn't expected that her cousin would be late. Unlike Anne, Alice actually arrives at school early, around five thirty, or sharp. There was an implemented contest at school, whoever arrives early on the whole school year would be given a whole 50 points, which is equivalent to perfecting 10 exams, securing your place on the top 10. But to Alice's vocabulary, arriving late was arriving after 5:30, and 15 years old Alice was known for being punctual. 

Besides her 'on time' disease, she was also bright like her cousin. She was running for top one, but placing second on every grading periods because of the jerk Alex on her class. 

Alice had no shame. She didn't care announcing to everyone that Alex is a shameful bastard. But for a bastard, Alex was actually a brilliant one. The two were known as the aces in class 10A, the other is a well matched to the other. Though Alice was always on second, she always participate in class. Unlike the bastard Alex who knew nothing than being indifferent, sitting on class without even touching his notes as though he wasn't a student there.

While Alice fought her way to the top, Alex could get there without effort. Yet no matter how hard she tries, she's always on the second spot. But the thought of being second didn't seemed to affect Alice. What bothered her was that the bastard Alex  didn't seemed to acknowledge his enemy's existence. Howbeit, 'this enemy' had deemed him as a better half. 

On her younger years, Alice swore to herself to be a topnotcher in everything, especially in class. But the day she had laid her eyes on Alex, she'd professed her love for him, and change her ways. Because Alex was apathetic towards everyone and everything, Alice tried hard to win his attention. But they were in tenth grade already, and the guy didn't seemed to care.