I woke up from my bed with a smile, first time in these many years. The last time I smiled was years ago. Today I am going to start a new life.The last few years is my past. A cruel, rough past that I want to forget but can't. When I met my first boyfriend and started to live with him. I thought he was perfect for me and that he is my soulmate until I walked into my room while he making out with my best friend. He betrayed me and broke my heart.

After he did that I tried to engage myself in my hobbies and learn many new works but nothing worked. So, I decided to find someone online. I visited a couple of websites and eventually found someone, we became friends and grew more closer and I eventually fell for him. He said he felt the same way so we decided to meet each other and move in together. We did meet and then we eventually moved in. Not year went by and he started to abuse me. He was so cruel that sometime I just wanted to finish my life but then it was my life and giving up was not worthy. My family did saved some amount of money for me. At that time I thanked god for giving me parents who are teachers.

And one fine day I said I am breaking up with but he pushed me to the bed but the kicked him and went out with the money. It was raining but  i hopefully I had my hometown best friend, Krish who helped me and helped me to stay in his house for 2 days. In the meantime, I booked my tickets to L.A contacting my another best friend, Stephen. I told him the whole story and I asked him if I could stay in his house of L.A for sometime. Luckily he agreed and I flew to L.A.

Today I am in his house feeling safe and not crying anymore but also Ido not believe in love anymore. I am joining a highschool even a very popular highschool, The Auxilium Convent High School.

This is the first time in my life that I am not regretting doing anything.My parents were in full support of me even when I made the wrong decisions. So, they are even with me for today.

I like my new life very much. I was born in India my father is an indian and my mother is an american. It was cheerful the way I grew up.

Now, its time for me to make right decisions and my name is Maria Khanna not Julie Khanna anymore 'cause I want to start a new life with a new identity.

I got ready with my boring glasses on a faded colour hoodie and a pair of leggins. I tucked in all the books in my bag. I went to the bus stop and waited for my school bus to come.

At that time I was thinking " Today is going to be a new day, I am going to be somewhere where nobody knows about my past because if they know maybe they will not be my friend." "I will make some new friends,and join a squad if I can" but one more thought starts to get tickling out of my head "Will I get bullied? Will people insult me cause I wearg lasses and they will tell me "chashmish(A way of criticizing people who were glasses in India)" like I have to face in my earlier schools".

My thoughts were interrupted by a sound of loud honking. And their was my school bus. I went inside it with great excitement and confidence but, all my confidence went down when because evrybody was looking at me as if, I have done some crime and then I came hereto hide. It felt like some hungry eyes were admiring me. Among them I found a very keen and charming eyes but, someone pushed me and went in front of me and sat. I understood that it was a sign that I should head back to my seat and sit down.

I found an empty seat at the end of the bus so, I sat there and started to observe the outer scenery. It was 7am a cold wind was blowing by, a ray of sunshine at some places which indicates that it was morning.Then I looked back to my bus. Everybody was sitting in their yellow with blue colour stripes seat with their friends but did not have any friends that I would talk to.

Their was a lonely girl who sat beside me looking at the window. I called her several tines but she was not answering as if she got lost in the scenery of nature. Finally I shook her. I called "Hey!"

She answered, "Hey" in a low moaning voice.I said, " I am Maria Khanna, a new student in your school. And you?"

" I am Minie Bejing, I am in this school for many years now."

"Good." I said. "Then, you can show me around the school as well as become my friend. So, Will you be my friend?"

"Yes" She said but not with much excitement.

I was happy to gain my first friend. We didn't talk that much in the bus.

The bus finally stopped. We all got down from our seats and I started to look at the big gate in front of my school. I entered through it. I saw many scenes together, their were people talking to each other. Their were people holding hands, and their were many couples, squads and many more. I was enjoying it but at the sametime I was overwhelmed to see so many scenes at once.

It was like a tsunami to me.

I was happy to be enrolled in this highschool and I started to walk the way to my class. At that time, the bell rang and I ran to my class and hopefully I found it in time. I entered my class and found a seat besideMinie. The class started but before that Mrs. Salvatore called out myname. I went in front of my class. I looked at everyone and among them once again I found those charming eyes that I found in the school bus.

Mrs. Salvatore started to introduce me, " She is Maria Khanna, she is from-

Someone interrupted, and said that I was from India. The person was not wrong that I was from India. But, what shocked me most was that the charming eyes I was talking about with whom I did not even talk, knew that I was from India. It shocked me. But,

Mrs. Salvatore said no, she is not indeed she is from Australia.

He was shocked and irritated by it. As if, this was the first time hisintitution has gone wrong.

The class started, I went back to my seat. The whole class I was thinking that how did he know that I was from India. Cause I don't know him or neither did I had a talk with him. I was amused by knowing it. It was too much for me to understand.

By, that time I wanted to talk to Minnie but, she was as quite as she was in the bus. I thought that she is a very mysterious girl and there's something that bothering her and there's a deep dark secret that she has and I love people like that because I have a secret like that too.

I said finally, "So, how are you?"

She with a very low deep sound as always replied " Nice"

I was very sure that she is not good and she is living like she just have a body and she is dead from inside. I wanted to know what is the problem. So, I asked " Is something, bothering you?"

"No," she said.

But I knew that there is something wrong. She would never smile even when I tell a hilarious joke that everybody would laugh on. I started to worry about it because I would not want my friend to be always sad and unhappy.

During the lunch time, a group of girls walked near my table. By, their looks and style of walking I understood that these were the popular girls of the highschool.

They came to me and said, "Hey little nerdy, you are new here. I see let me tell you the rules of the class. You respect me. You respect me and you respect me. These are the major rules that you need to following order to be in this class.

Though having a broken life, I have always fought against bullying evening my earlier schools. So, I boldly said " Hey I am not a worker of yours that I have to follow your rules. And why should I even respect me because you are the most popular girls in school. So, lemme tell you, you have got gross fashion and the makeup is even worse. You are notable to hide your hairy lip. So, I am sorry but I have got no reason to follow your rules. Now go back to your seat."

When I sat after saying those words the whole class looked at me and for the first time in these many days Minnie started a conversation with me.

She said " You are savage! You have given correct reply to her."

I said thank you and thank you for starting a conversation. I asked "Why are you always so upset?"

She turned around and left away without even speaking a word. I understood I asked a wrong question. It was not the correct time to ask this question.

I felt guilty about it but before I could even say a word the class started and thus time it was about history. We studied history a lot and aftert hat the school was over and I need to go home. I called Stephen and asked him if he could pick me up. He said yes and picked me up from school. I shared with him everything that happened in school. It was overwhelming for me to keep it to myself and not share with anybody.

I have been friends with Stephen for more than 12 years. He was a very good friend of mine who helped me in many crisis. He dropped out ofhighschool and started to work with his father. He started to work butin 2 years only his father passed away and he had to settle everything alone but luckily, it worked very well.

My squad of highschool had warned me many times to not do a relationship online. But, I did not listen to them at all as I really liked the guy. But, after an year I understood that I should have listened to them and not start a relationship.

We reached home by the time I was thinking everything. I was so tried after the exhausting day that I came into my room, quickly changed my dress and slept.

When I woke up it was already the time for dinner. I walked to the dining room and saw Stephen talking to someone, it's a girl. I thought who can it be? I did not knew that Stephen has a girlfriend. The voice was also known to me and probably it was Minnie.

I went to the table and I saw a curly hair girl sitting there. It was not Minie. So, I asked, " Who is this?"

Stephen replied, " My friend Richa. Come meet her."

"Hi, Richa" I said but she gave me a attitude look and did not even answer.

I got dissapointed and left the table right away.

I went to my room and started studying while I was hearing loud noises from outside. It was distracting so I went outside and told them. "Guys Pls keep quiet. Somebody has to study unlike you."

Their was silence for seconds and then Stephen spoke "We were just having fun. Sorry if it disturbs you."

I said "It's OK Stephen, I am sorry for crushing your fun I will go to the library and study it's OK."

And I left and went to the library it was soothing and relaxing. I found someone else there as well. It was Minnie who as always with a sad face sat there thinking about something deep and dark.

I went and sat beside her and asked what she is doing here at this time.

She said, "What are you doing here, studying right for that only I am here."

"Good" I said then maybe we can help each other if you have any problem.

I went back home and went to my room straight cause I heard noises from Stephen's room and those sounds made me think that they were making out.

I went back to sleep. The next day, I woke up and went to my school thinking about why is Minie like this? What had happened in her life that she is always this sad.

While I was thinking all these I bumped into someone. It was a tall longfigure with a leather jacket on it. I said sorry as soon as possible but the voice didn't said anything. When I looked up to see who it was then I saw those charming eyes I spotted in the bus and also in the class.

He said, " It's OK beautiful if I have to bump into someone as beautiful as you I would love to get bumped everyday."

I left without even speaking a word because I know he was trying to flir twith me and as I have said I did not believe in love anymore. The two time I have love someone both the times I got betrayed.

While I was leaving he said, " Take care of those bruises on your neck."
I was so shocked how did he notices the bruises on my neck. Those bruises were given by my abusive boyfriend. I did not wanted to think about those anymore but this boy has forced me to do so.
When I turned to give a last look at him due to curiousty. I noticed that the was covered by a number of girls which told me that he was The Playboy Of Our Highschool.
I asked somebody who was passing by"What is his name?" looking towards him.
He replied, " His name is Damon Smith"

I said thank you and then he left.

I was thinking that how did he observe the bruises as they were very fate and only very keen and good eyes could notice them. On top of that, they were covered by my hair. So, they cannot be noticed. The whole day I thought of it.