Chapter 1 : Part 1

"Lizzy would you please give me the bottle of water," my lovely boyfriend, Jackson asked me on the airplane back home. We spend the Christmas at his house and will be starting our last schoolyear soon.

My name is Elizabeth Kennedy, but most people call me Lizzy. I just turned 18 in January.

I have straight brown hair that comes to just under my shoulders. With tanned olive skin and dark thick eyebrows. My face shape is between a square and an oval shape with a little nose and plump lips. But for me, my best feature is my green eyes. I'm not the most attractive but I'm definitely not ugly either.

Jackson has light brown hair and brown eyes, he's very attractive and also a fitness star at his school. He's also tanned and is very nicely built with big legs. He's really smart, very sporty and handsome, every girls dream guy. Where I on the other hand are a bit lazy, except for my dancing I don't really do sports. I could do good in school if I didn't hate studying.

My brother, James always pushes me to eat healthier and be more productive, says he doesn't want me to waste my potential.

But this year all my focus should go on my academics, I'm not dumb but I am lazy and therefore my marks could be better. This year's marks is the most important because this will determine if I get into university or not.

And like always I'm dozing off from reality into my daydreaming. I stare out the window to see the plane start to go below the clouds and I can immediately see Cape town, I see table mountain and the ocean and I feel instantly at home again.

As soon as I walk through the airport doors my mom greets me and pulls me in for a long hug and then goes over to greet Jackson. James smiles widely and squeezes the life out of me.

In the car on our way home James start telling us about his 21st birthday coming up.

"Me and a few friends are going to stay a weekend up in the mountain on the west side. I was hoping you would come with, Lizzy, mom already said it's fine."

I thought it was weird that he wouldn't invite Jackson but then again they've never been best friends I guess. "Yeah, of course I would come, I wouldn't miss your 21st for the world!" I answered him honestly.

He nodded in excitement but then suddenly he's face got all cloudy and he stared into the distance. It was this really weird thing he's been doing for a while and this last month I felt like he's been doing it a lot more. I just ignored it as usual.

We dropped Jackson off at hostel and went home. When we got home I felt comfortable seeing our usual routine unfold. My mom instantly go make coffee, because she is an absolute coffee addict, and my brother makes tea for us. I didn't really drink coffee, I hated the caffeine.

"Lizzy, have you been noticing any changes lately?" James asked me. I looked him up and down wondering if he maybe got a new haircut but I couldn't see anything different. "No not really, why? Did you cut your hair?" I asked him raising my eyebrow.

"No silly! Not me" he started laughing. "Had you changed something in the house?" I asked looking around and giggling with him. But he turned very serious his face getting all weird again. "No I meant you! Have you been feeling different lately?" He asked me in a hurry.

It was such a random question, I mean didn't everyone always feel different but yet the same or did he mean something else? Maybe he noticed I picked up some holiday fat. "Mmmmhh I guess it depends on what you mean big brother, I feel the same as I had yesterday."

He then gave me a short nod took his tea and left the room mumbling something about having plans made for his 21st. I began walking upstairs looking at all my school books, then at my "higher maths" book, it was like taking university maths in highschool which was really sad but I had wanted to do it because it would help my future. Plus I quite liked maths anyway.

After packing my bags, for school the next morning, I took a long bath trying to relax and clear my mind. Only I couldn't, my mind was busy and all night I felt like I couldn't sleep.

~

Morning came and I was so excited to see all of my friends again! Hana, my best friend greeted me first and started babbling about her holiday and this guy she was madly in love with, but to be honest every second week she has a new guy she's madly in love with. Still I love her like my own sister and wouldn't exchange her for anyone in the world!

So I listened to every detail of her story anyway, knowing she'd probably find someone else again soon. I stared at her while she was telling her story so enthusiastically. I could understand why guys were so easily won over by her, she was beautiful and even though she's my best friend, I found myself jealous sometimes.. She also had tanned skin but hazel eyes and long Caramel brown hair that hung under her bum.

I mean yeah I was quite curvy with a small-ish waist but still I wasn't athletically built or nice and toned like she was.