I'd like to think that I'm pretty normal. Well, in comparison to my sister, who's arguing with mom about wanting to buy a life-sized cutout of Ian Somerhalder for her bedroom.

"Euphoria, we are not getting you a cutout of some famous actor. That is just strange" Mom puts a hand on her hip, eyes dangerously narrowed at Euphoria.

She stands up from the couch and walks over to mom with the exact same expression on her face. She resembles mom so much that people frequently ask if they're twins.

"Mom, it's literally just a cutout! I wanna keep it near my bed! Why do you care if it's strange? You never visit my room!" She whines, stomping her feet like a toddler. It's easy to get disturbed by her because of the constant whines, screams and horrifying screeches that leave her mouth each time she doesn't get what she wants. Brat.

I almost get up to go buy some popcorn.

"Ria, you're almost seventeen! When are you going to start acting like an adult!" I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut as mom scolds her. God knows she deserves it.

"Astraea always gets what she wants! Why not me?" My head lifts at the mention of my name. Ah, right. I forgot that somehow I always have to get involved in these stupid arguments. Just older sibling things.

"That's because Astraea never asks for stupid, irrational things!" I have the sudden urge to shout 'go best friend' and cheer but I keep quiet, focusing on the assignment that I have to submit before midnight.

After a few more minutes of shouting, mom finally lets her buy the cutout. I don't miss the pained expression on her face as she clicks 'buy'.

"Trea, can you go and buy the groceries, dear? I'm a little busy" Mom

"I'm also gonna buy a pair of headphones on the way. I broke my old ones" I say and walk out the door. Before long, I hear Ria say something like 'why doesn't she have to ask permission before buying something' to which mom replies 'because she's an adult, you idiot.'

I mentally shout another 'go best friend' before walking along the sidewalk towards the grocery store. The sun seems a little brighter than usual today. I don't know if it's just in my head or if I feel this way because Ria got lectured. Either way, I'm happy.

As I pass my favourite boba shop, not before buying a taro boba, that is, my phone rings in my pocket. I pick it up and happily grin at the caller ID.

"Hey, stranger." I chuckle, walking into the store and almost bumping into a couple. That would've been embarrassing.

"Hey. You free tonight?" Cal's voice echoes from the other side. Cal is one of my closest friends. At one point, I even had a crush on him. Now, however, I just see him as a brother, more than anything else.

I pick out the freshest apple I can find. "That depends on what you're gonna say next. If it's a movie night then I'll pass, but if you're planning on taking me to a children's park then you're more than welcome".

My nose unintentionally scrunches at the price tag of a pair of trousers I thought were cute. Guess they're not so cute anymore.

I hear him laugh before calmly stating "I'll take you wherever you wanna go. Okay?"
I automatically levitate towards a pair of black and white headphones with bunny ears. I'm so lost in the spell that I forget I'm on a call and that I have to get back home in ten minutes.

When I check the time on my watch, I internally shriek. "I'll talk to you later. If I stay in this place for ten more minutes, I just might pass out! And hey, pick me up at seven"

Without waiting for his response, I cut the call and run out of the store, double-checking if I bought everything that was on the list.

At the zebra crossing, I look both ways and then at the sky just to be sure. The ground stomps under my feet as I run across the street.

How I wish I had checked again because just when I think that I'm safely on the other side, a sound disturbs my eardrums.

The sound of a car racing my way.

I don't even have the time to think before I realise that I'm on the ground, stinging pain on my palms and elbows.

Raising my head, I notice a pitch black car stopped inches away from my feet. The sun makes it hard to see anything other than the hood of the car.

I notice a gold symbol. Is that a bull?

I slowly stand up, wincing as I take a look at my scraped palms. Then, I look up to see the car.

I know I should've moved away. I know I should've just stepped off the road and let go. But I wasn't going to.

Instead, I stand straight, arms crossed over my chest with a raised brow.

"Are you freaking blind? It's a red light! You can't do that!"
I don't move even when the car horns go off, and even though I want to cover my ears badly, I don't. I don't move out of the way until the windows roll down and I spot a green pair of eyes.

They're more of a greenish-blue colour than a bold green. They're pretty, but having pretty eyes doesn't excuse this unacceptable behaviour.

I hold up my middle finger.

The window is rolled down just enough to see his eyes, but before I can take a better look at the driver, my heart jumps out of my throat when the car whizzes past me in a flash.

I stumble back as I almost have a cardiac arrest. If I was any closer to the car, I would've become a piece of paper.

All my organs squeeze together just thinking about what could have happened. Ill-mannered, arrogant piece of rancid chicken. I internally throw a few curses his way.

My heart still beating wildly in my chest, I make my way home. Occasionally checking my surroundings to see if any more absurd cars try to hit me.

I storm in through the door and place the groceries on the kitchen counter. Mom isn't home, it seems. Neither is Ria. I feel like an idiot for coming home so quickly.

Back in my room, I scream into my pillow like a dinosaur thinking about that preposterous car and its driver.

I spend the next few hours spread out on the bed and cursing that green-eyed goblin with as many curses as I can think of.

My phone dings in my pocket. I pick it up and notice a text.

Callum: Hey. I'm outside. Are you ready yet?

Oh, shit.

I quickly scurry around my room, picking out the outfit for the night and pulling a handbag from my closet while also replying to his text. Yes. I'm a multitasker.

Me: I'll be ready in 5!

In reality, I was pulling at my hair and trying to decide on a hairstyle. In the end, I give up and just let it open. It reaches just below my waist.

As soon as I put on my dress and some light makeup, I run out of the door but then turn back around to get the bag that I had forgotten on the bed. When I run back out, my dress gets caught on the door handle and I spend the next two minutes trying to free myself.

My dress has a hole.

But I don't have time to change. I just scurry out the door and somehow manage to reach his car. I facepalm when I realise that I left my room in a mess.

Cal walks out of the car in his royal blue tux and takes my hand, smiling.

"You look absolutely ravishing tonight" I smile and nod awkwardly, trying to hide the hole in my dress.

Stupid door handle.

"Ah, thanks. I get that a lot" I pant and pat myself on the back for being so quick. He doesn't even care. I've known this man for so long that I could be having a full heart to heart conversation with myself and he wouldn't mind.

We get into his car and drive to the nearest restaurant. During the drive, I notice him constantly staring at me but I'm a little too distracted to pay attention or tease him about it.

I make a mental note to taunt him later.

As he parks the car, I almost immediately spot the same black car that had almost killed me earlier, parked under some special roof thingy. I shudder. I never got to see his face but those eyes had me wanting to scoop them out with a spoon and put them in my drink instead of boba.

Ew.

I lightly smack myself on the head for even thinking of something so gore and disgusting. Cal and I make our way to a table near the corner of the place. It has a window which is great because you can wave at random strangers and then pretend like nothing happened. No confrontation.

"What do you wanna have?" He relaxes his head on his hand, tossing the menu towards me.

"Anything. I could eat a freaking Hollister cow!" I mimic the voice he has when he wakes up.

We both place our orders and wait for them to arrive. The place itself is pretty big, with golden lamps hanging that give everything an evening glow. There are tables lined along the large tinted panes and chairs that are so pretty it's illegal.

I stare at Callum as he tells me about his studies. Cal is a pretty decent guy. He's a family friend of ours and our moms have always shipped us together ever since we first met. He's pretty, too. Don't get me wrong, he's a great person. He makes me laugh and buys me Icees, which in itself is god-tier but I'm not really interested in him in a romantic way.

He runs a hand through his curly brown hair when our order arrives.

I don't even have time to thank the waitress before I attack whatever I ordered. I can't help it. Food drives me mad.

A laugh escapes his lips when he sees me eating like a caveman.

"Slow down, Trea. You're gonna choke".

I wave my hand dismissively as I continue devouring my dinner. As I'm stuffing my face with pasta, I notice a figure walking out of one of the fancy doors that I have always wanted to enter.

In a swift motion, our eyes meet and all the blood in my body rushes to my face. I almost choke when I realise.

I know those eyes.

A/N

So, the first chapter is finally here and let me tell you that Astraea is me in a nutshell. Technically, I based her character off of all the fictional characters I love combined together.

If you didn't know, this book is dual perspective. However, most chapters will be told from Astraea's POV.

Thank you for reading! Be sure to Vote, comment and tell me what you think!

-Author.