The Human Luna novel Chapter 1

My body slumped deeper against the car seat as I stared out the window of my father's old truck. The music blasted in my ears from my iPod as I took in a deep breath, awaiting the new life that was ahead of me.

My name is Rochelle James and I am currently 16 and a senior in high school. I know what you're thinking, how can a young girl like me be a senior this year? Well, if some of you have not guessed it already, I am a total nerd; and no, I do not have dorky glasses and a face infested with horrible acne (thank goodness). I am simply your typical teenage girl with long, wavy, dark brown hair up to my mid-back and hazel green eyes. My body isn't too skinny nor too fat, it's just right in my eyes.

Anyway, I know what you guys are still thinking. A 16 year old senior? Well, it's a long story, which pretty much ties into the situation I am currently in.

My mom had passed away when I was fairly young and my dad pretty much had a total melt down. Luckily for me, it wasn't one of those 'get drunk every single night and beat up his 10 year old daughter every morning when he came home from who knows where' thing. It was practically an isolation type of thing where he would work extra shifts and if he had a day off, he would either spend it out at the lake nearby or locked up in his bedroom. Seeing as I had so much time on my hands, I had no other choice but to learn how to do things on my own. I learned how to cook, clean, and dress myself with no needed assistance from a parent. I learned how to take the bus to go to school since my dad would leave in the early hours of the morning and wouldn't be back until later that night.

After learning how to be more independent for my better being, I had decided to take higher level classes since I wasn't much of a social person nor was I athletic in any way, shape or form. I would always do my homework on time (no procrastinator here) and work my butt off in order to receive A's with almost every single assignment I would turn in. Which is why I am 16 and almost graduating this year from high school.

Oh wait! I almost forgot to mention the fact as to why I'm in the car with my dad and a whole mess of luggage in the back of the truck. Well, as I have already mentioned, my mom had passed away when I was only 10 years old and my dad went into depression mode. After hating the fact of coming home to a house that held too many memories of a person that would never again walk through the front door, my dad had decided to move from our cozy, country home in Texas to a busy, city neighborhood in Chicago. I can't really say that I hated the place, but I was never too fond of city environments, especially not the people there. I mean, I loved the fact that my classes were always filled with such diverse people and I was able to learn more about different cultures (and sports, definitely sports), but the people there were just plain rude! Luckily for me, my dad didn't like that place much either.

So...here I am, traveling to my new home in Black Forest, Colorado. It wasn't exactly the country lifestyle that I have grown to love ever since the day I was brought into this world, but at least it wasn't the city.

As my dad swerved the car through the narrow road that was surrounded by trees, I couldn't help but look at him from the passenger seat. He had the same shade of hair as I did but with light brown eyes instead of my hazel green ones. His face had aged a bit, not because of the years that have gone by but due to the stress he had to endure from losing his beloved; and yet, here he was with a bright smile on his face as he looked down at me.

He rolled his eyes dramatically, letting out a playful sigh as he gently nudged me on the shoulder. "Haha, very funny. But I'm serious Rocky, are you nervous about going to another new school?"

As he spoke those words, I couldn't help but look at him with sadness. He knew very well how much I hated going to new places, but I knew he never did it on purpose. We had moved a few times within the state after we had left our original home; and after doing so countless of times, I had grown accustomed to him randomly saying that we were moving to a new home or apartment. He never really did quite realize how much I dreaded the whole moving thing, until now I guess.

I let out a distressed sigh as I gave him the most reassuring smile I could muster. "I am nervous. But that's what makes it an adventure, right?"

He smiled weakly, obviously catching the fact that I was trying to lighten up the mood, with little to no success.