Chapter 1. Nicole

My name is Nicole McCoy. I'm 17 and I have a twin brother, Jackson. I've moved all around the US all my life due to my parent's job... they're flight attendants. This is supposedly 'the last move' but we'll see; we never last more than three months in one place. My hometown is Hoboken, New Jersey and we have frequently moved back and forth from there and other places. New Jersey was our last home until we moved here to Los Angeles, California. I have no idea why my parents chose LA. After all, it's hot, crowded, expensive, snobby, and not to mention the drought.

You see my parents' job doesn't require them to move, they just require many trips. I'm unsure why we move all the time, I think it's just because my parents aren't the type to stay in one place. They like adventure I guess.

Anyway, the reason they chose LA is supposedly because of their business trips within the next year. Apparently they will be a lot longer if they get their promotion and they will all be along the western shore. They're confident in the fact that they will get their promotion, so that's why I'm being told for certain that this move is the last.

Each move is really hard on me and my family realizes that; yet we still always do it anyway. Due to my.... past..... experiences... I've had some mental issues such as severe anxiety that causes anxiety attacks and depression. The attacks are triggered by just about anything that is remotely similar to my past, such as a word or action. When I first experienced them, they were mild and short but over time they gradually worsened as things around me did. For this reason I've had to take anxiety meds for the past year. The meds don't guarantee I'll be anxiety free, that's not how it works... They just lessen my attacks and I haven't had one for about two months.

My brother, Jackson and I have always had a close bond because we're twins. As I started to go through some tough times, our relationship strengthened. What I was going through was something nobody should ever have to.

During that time, Jackson became my rock and I don't know what I would've done or what I would do without him. I've had so many great memories with him. When we were toddlers, he'd somehow climb out of his crib and come to me so I could get out of mine. We'd bring our blankets down and sleep on the big comfy recliner in our nursery. We couldn't stand to be away from each other and we still can't be apart for more than a day.

It's Sunday- move in time! We just arrived to our new house in LA bit it's 8:47 pm so I make my way up the stairs to find my room. I walk into my room and it's oddly big for something that's not considered a master bedroom; though it's still very cozy. The walls are an eggshell color, while the carpet is fluffy and grey. Mom and Dad's room is downstairs and ours are upstairs, Jackson's room is right across the hallway from mine... luckily don't have to share a bathroom.

Before we moved, our parents told us there was another bedroom with a bathroom besides theirs. They said that we had to figure out which of us got it; and of course I wanted it but I didn't wanna get into an argument with my brother. He actually let me have it, saying "you're a girl and girls have too much beauty shit that they need room for, plus you love your privacy... so it's not a problem."

It was too late to start unpacking our stuff. The only things we have placed as we desired by the moving company is the furniture; so I grabbed my bathroom box and searched for what I needed for the night. In the bathroom, I began to wash my face and put my hair in a messy bun. Once I was done I went through the box with my clothes and searched for a crop top and my pajama shorts with avocados that said 'wanna avocuddle?' I looked in my travel bag for the book that I was reading on the plane and settled in for some peace after the move.

I sat in bed and read for a good 15 minutes before my brother came in and sat down next to me. I noticed he was looking at me concerned, "Do you think this move is actually gonna be one of the last like mom and dad say?"

I looked at him thinking a moment, "I don't know. I know that they're thinking it will. I hope it is, I can't handle much more of this. Being the new girl everywhere is getting hard."

"I know it's hard, but hey.... I'm with you every step of the way." He smiled a familiar comforting smile. " Don't forget that." He said, his voice held a hint of sympathy.

"Thanks Jackson, but I can't help but feel..... guilty I guess"

"Why's that's?" his eyes scrunched with the question.

"Because you're always with me," I tried to keep my voice from cracking admitting the truth, "whether I'm having an anxiety attack or I'm just lonely. You never get to have any fun or hang out with friends or even try to get a girlfriend and..." I felt the tears start building until Jackson interrupted me.

"Hey, hey, hey." Jackson said sternly, "I don't care about those things all that much. You're what I care about. I get that you have your tough times and I don't want you to go through them alone."

"Yeah but..."

"No buts, Nicole. I'm older so what I say goes" Jackson says with small laugh.

"Ok, you're older by 6 minutes doofus" I laughed, wiping the tears from my face.

"Let's watch a movie while we wait for dinner, my pick" Jackson smiled evilly.

"Ok, which one?" I asked, worried at what he was thinking.

"Brick Mansions!"

"Oh ok thought you were gonna pick something stupid" I replied laughing

Jackson started setting up the TV and hooked up my Xbox to it so we could watch the movie. After that, we watched the movie.