AURORA'S POV:
     The bus is already in sight when Jon and I finally round the corner, out of breath, our shoes slapping against the pavement like war drums. The early morning air is cold, biting at our cheeks, but adrenaline keeps us warm.
Believe me, I want my bed so bad.
     "We’re so late," I pant, clutching my duffel tighter.
    Jon chuckles, his hand brushing against mine for a second longer than necessary. "Not my fault you turned off your alarm in your sleep."
    "You literally sleep like the dead. I had to throw a pillow at your head!"
    We skid to a stop as we reach the cluster of students gathered near the bus. Mr. Granger, one of our chaperones, gives us a narrowed glare but doesn’t say anything. We made it...barely. But still. A win is a win.
    As we board the bus, Jon flashes me a crooked smile. "Well, we’re officially on our way to Australia."
    My stomach tightens. The idea of being away from everything familiar makes my nerves dance. I should be used to this already though. I've been moving around most of my childhood...
    The flight is long, uncomfortably so. Between crying babies, stale airplane food, and Jon passing out with his head resting on my shoulder for most of the trip, I barely get any sleep.
   I couldn't reach Cali all through the flight.
Well, no shit Sherlock.
   Shut it.
    When we land in Sydney, it’s already late afternoon. The sun blazes bright and golden, casting long shadows across the airport tarmac. There’s a buzz of excitement in the air, everyone buzzing like they just drank three cups of coffee.
    Jon inhales deeply as we walk out into the humid air. "God, it smells like home."
    His face softens in a way I rarely see. It makes my chest ache a little. A part of me wishes I could say the same... at least once.
    A coach bus takes us from the airport to our hotel, a towering white building that practically gleams under the sun. 
    The lobby is a burst of gold and cream tones, all sleek marble floors, potted plants, and a chandelier that looks like it could pay off student loans for a decade. It's so beautiful, I could live here. No kidding.
    Other students start walking around, gawking and taking selfies while teachers begin distributing us into groups.
    Mrs. Temple clears her throat and holds up a clipboard. "Everyone, please gather around. We’ll be giving you your itinerary for the trip and assigning your rooms. No switching once you’re placed, understood?"
There’s a collective groan.
I spot a blondie a few steps away from me wearing suspenders. My face immediately lights up. I creep behind her and place my hand over her eyes.
  "Rory?" My name comes out as more like a statement than a question. Aww.
   I drop my hands to my sides and she spins around to face me. 
   "Babyyy!!!" She squeals and wraps me up in a hug. Just what I needed even though I would never admit it to her. I return the hug and we finally pull apart.
   "I got here with the second bus so we were on another plane." I told her sulking. She laughs at me.
   "I knew you would wake up late." She laughs. 
   "So why didn't you call me?" I raise a brow at her.
   "I thought Jon would do the needful. Looks like he is just like you. A match made in heaven." She waves her hand in the air while looking upwards. I smack her upside down. 
   "Fool." I mutter under my breath while she's cradling her head.
    We stand properly remembering that Mrs. Temple was calling out names when we started our banter. "I hope we get to share," she whispers.
    When Mrs. Temple finally gets to us, she reads, "Aurora, Cali, Celeste, and Abigail."
Shit!
    I glance over and catch Celeste’s eye. She sneers.
   "Perfect," she says, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
   "Just peachy," I mutter.
The room is on the fourth floor. We take the elevator in silence, the tension thick as soup.
When we walk in, the place is surprisingly nice; two queen-sized beds, a small balcony with a view of the beach, and a mini fridge. But the air shifts the second Celeste steps inside.
   She drops her suitcase on one of the beds and throws herself down like she owns it. "This side is mine. Obviously."
"Obviously, who wants to sleep on somewhere you have already infected with STDs" I say under my breath. Cali who is right beside me and heard what I said laughs.
   "Excuse me?" she snaps, sitting up.
"Nothing."
"You sure? Because it sounded like you had a problem."
   I shoot her a look. "Why don’t you just chill for once? You sound like you are looking for an actual problem."
Celeste crosses her arms. "Why don’t you stop pretending like you belong here?"
Huh?
My breath catches.
"What’s that supposed to mean?"
    She smirks. "Oh, come on, Aurora. You’re the poor little foster girl who somehow ended up in our school. You think Jon hangs out with you because he actually likes you?"
   "Shut up," I whisper, the edges of my vision starting to blur.
Cali steps forward. "Hey, back off, Celeste." Her voice is heavy with anger.
But Celeste is on a roll. "I mean, what even are you? You don’t have parents. No real family. Just bouncing around like some charity case. It’s pathetic."
    I don’t hear the rest. My ears ring. My chest tightens, my vision narrows.
The room spins.
   I back up into the bathroom and lock the door behind me just before the sob hits. My breathing turns ragged, the walls closing in. Panic crawls up my throat and I sink to the floor, curling into myself. I try to remember Jon’s breathing exercises, but nothing works.
   This shouldn't be happening to me at all. I'm not weak. This is not the first time I've been teased about being an orphan. I'm used to it. This is not me! I should be yelling at Celeste right now or ignoring the fuck out of her. Not this!
   All I can hear is Celeste’s voice on repeat.
No parents. No family. Charity case.
A knock comes at the door. "Aurora?" It’s Cali. "Are you okay?"
I can’t answer.
Because no, I’m not.
    I’m not okay. I’m not okay. I curl in on myself, arms wrapping tight around my body like I can hold all the broken pieces together. Tears burn down my cheeks.
   I can hear Cali screaming at Celeste and Celeste's whiny voice. The loud banging on the door also increases. Somewhere above, Celeste finally goes silent.
   The last thing I hear before everything goes dim is Cali’s voice, steady and strong despite the panic in it. "Someone get help!"