Chapter 1 - Asians Unite!

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Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.
~ Oscar Wilde
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"You're beautiful. I love you."

A great therapist once said, "When you love yourself, you don't ever feel alone."

I blow a kiss to the reflection in the mirror and then fixed my curly, chocolate brown hair. Even though I don't have shampoo commercial worthy hair, I'd still prefer it to seem presentable. Personal standards, okay?

Someone knocked on my door.

"Hello?" It was a guard.

"Hello from the other side!" I said loud enough for him to hear.

"Your mother says it's time," the guard replied.

"Time for Platform nine and three quarters, is it?" I started picking up my suitcase and handbag with a smile. There wasn't a reply. The Muggle probably didn't understand. "I'm coming."

I opened the door and gestured him to escort me.

He insisted on carrying my bags for me, even though I didn't want him to. Mom made sure I didn't get even a bit of exercise. As if unhealthiness would treat me well. I met Ms. President downstairs in the living room. She was conversing on her phone with someone with her back visible to us. I stopped short behind her and waited.

She spent a few minutes talking before turning around and meeting my blue eyes with his brown eyes. I obviously inherited my deceased father's beautiful eye color.

"Are you ready for this?" she asked.

"I was born ready."

"Stop it," she said seriously. I didn't even know what she wanted me to stop doing. "I still think you should go to that boarding school in London instead of some public school in Delaware."

"I'll be fine. I want to live an average life for once, and see how well that treats me," I said softly.

She nodded unwantingly.

"If you ever feel upset, you have to tell an adult. Am I clear?" she said sternly. I gave her a crooked smile and gave a thumbs up. "Stop with that behavior. I know you're not happy."

"Happy? I'm f--fudging ecstatic!"

Obedient children like me didn't swear in front of parents, especially not in front of my mother--the first female President.

By default.

A story for another time.

She ignored my little slip up and gave me a whole lecture on how to behave and respect to my peers. In her lack of presence, I better not become pregnant or a druggie.

So much faith.

I might just drown in it.

The time to leave came and I gave Mom a hug, surprising both her and myself. Neither one of us were emotional or touchy people. In fact, today was the first time I hugged someone in my family. The great therapist also said, "Share your hugs as often as you can. You don't know whose day might get brighter because of your gesture."

I pulled away and bid her adieu. The guard was already headed out to put my bags in the car.

"Please take care," Mom said, concern written in her glassy eyes.

"As you wish, milady," I assure smiling, a little teary-eyed myself.

She chuckled.

I was leaving her completely alone, but it was necessary for the both of us.

* *

"Was the flight okay?"

"Absolutely amazing. They had wifi," I grinned.

Uncle George, two years older than mom, held blonde-brown hair on his head and a pair of hazel-brown eyes. He picked up my luggage and loaded it in the trunk, before gesturing me to settle inside his Honda Civic.

The drive home from the airport was about an hour, so he suggested me taking a nap.

I couldn't.

Hello, I was in a completely unfamiliar location. No way Jose was I going to leave the opportunity of sightseeing, even if it was the plain old road and abundant trees. Not so much of a difference between where I lived and around here. Same old people. Same old life.

But not same old stories.

Every human being had a story of his/her own.

"Uncle George, how long have you lived in Delware?" I asked curiously. Mom's family was actually from Washington D. C. so Uncle moving was a little weird.

"Since I got my business degree from a reputable university here," he answered. "I found your aunt and settled down."

"Oh cool. Can you tell me a little about everyone? Just so I know how to behave with them," I said quickly. Now, as an only child, sheltered most of my life, I had no idea how to behave around a proper family. It was an incredibly worrisome situation.

Uncle George chortled.

"Be your normal self, Elinoor," he said, using my full name.

"If you say so. By the way, feel free to call me Noor," I said. A name dad gave to me before his premature death. "Elinoor sounds so ancient. And Mom also put Noor as my name in the school." He nodded and complied with my request. "Uncle, is the school hard? Homeschool was pretty easy, but how's actual school? Do teenagers really sell drugs? Is there a popularity thing? Like Mean Girls. Do they--"

"Noor," Uncle cut me off, half laughing, "you got off the plane about half an hour ago. Are you not tired? I've never seen anyone so energetic after a plane ride."

"I'm not just anyone," I said grinning. "And I drank five cans of Coca Cola on the plane."

"Sugar high?"

"You bet."

He looked a bit worried, but then seeing me make wacky faces at him earned me laughter. It was nice to make someone else smile. Much better than bringing them to tears.

My ranting and questioning continued the entire ride.

By the time we reached the decent-sized, two-story brick house, I knew Aunt Arisa was from Thailand. She was Uncle's second wife, helping him raise his twin children from his first wife. The twins were my age, so we were in the same grade, thankfully.

I helped gather my luggage and entered the house which was designed elegantly. Not too much furniture but whatever was there was classy as hell. In comparison to the White House, this one held a more homely feeling. The flat screen TV was on and I groaned, seeing the news about the Presidential re-elections.

Election day was in two and a half months.

That was one of the reasons I ended up moving in here. I couldn't deal with Mom's presidential campaigning mess.

"Elinoor!" A woman about my height with shoulder length black hair and beautiful brown eyes came down the stairway. She grinned, seeing me. Even though we were meeting for the first time in our life, she showed so much enthusiasm.

Asians unite!

I was half-Pakistani, but it counted, right?

"Aunt Arisa?" I asked to make sure.

Uncle George nodded.

"Welcome," Aunt Arisa said and I gave her a small hug. She was a little taken aback by the gesture, but then returned the hug. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Pleasure's all yours," I said and then realized that wasn't what I meant. "Oh sorry, I meant pleasure's all mine! Tongue of slip!"

"You mean slip of tongue," Uncle George corrected. I sheepishly smiled. "You're still hyper from the soda."

"Soda?" Disapproval came on her face. I pouted innocently. "I'll show you your room and then you can eat a proper meal. Soda's not healthy at all."

Oh shoot, I forgot Uncle George told me Aunt Arisa was a nutrition freak.

She showed me my blue and white designed room which had a queen sized bed and a desk. The walls had a mural of One Direction. Maybe mom informed aunt and uncle about my current favorite band. I was quite impressed. The highlight was the stairway to a mini second floor in the room.

The door behind us opened again and a brown haired girl came in, earphones plugged in and an iPhone in her hands. Seeing people already in here, made her halt in her tracks.

"Miley," Aunt Arisa said.

My cousin was named Miley?

I adored Hannah Montana aka Miley Cyrus!

My entire childhood.

"Hey!" I cheerfully greeted Miley. She raised an eyebrow, pulling out her headphones. "I'm Noor."

"Whatever," she said and took a seat on the bed. I was a bit disturbed by the uninterested attitude until I realized she probably felt awkward having a new member in her family.

Aunt Arisa also noticed the tension.

"You girls are going to share this room until the guest room's ready," she explained. "Sorry, our only guest room was Miley's art studio." That explained the One Direction mural. "It's still getting renowated, so until then, this is your temporary room. I hope it's okay--"

"I've always wanted a roommate!" I interrupted happily. "It's going to be fun. In fact, I'd rather you not mess up her art studio for me. I can stay in here."

"You take the top bunk," Miley said coldly.

So, the second floor bed and desk were for me. It was probably quarter the size of my previous room. Nevertheless, I had a roof over my head--pun intended--and almost a sibling nearby. Unless she wanted to continue such behavior, then the likelihood of us two being sisters or even best friends was slight to none.

"No, you'll take the top, Miley," Aunt Arisa said firmly. "Noor's our guest."

"We didn't invite her here," she shot back. "She may have lived like royalty in the White House, but this is my room."

"Miley--" Aunt Arisa began frustrated.

"I'm fine with the upper bunk," I said, making the peace settlement. "I've lived like royalty for the last three years. Let me have a change." I smiled and made my way towards the stairs. "Plus, she's right. You didn't invite me. I invited myself into the family."

My cousin kept her eyes on her iPhone and continued texting.

At least, she wasn't screaming or unhappy.

"But--"

"I'm starving," I said spontaneously.

Aunt Arisa sighed, knowing I won the argument. "I'll heat up the food. Come downstairs whenever you're ready."

"Thank you," I said, offering a smile. "You're amazing!"

Rolling her eyes, my aunt left the room.

"Kiss up," Miley muttered.

"It's called treating others the way I want to be treated. Try it some time."

She actually met my eyes and I batted my eyelashes innocently.

"Creep."

I scoffed and went upstairs.

I set my luggage on my bed and picked out a t-shirt and pajamas to wear for the rest of the evening. I might as well make myself comfortable. Actually, I'd rather fight a zombie apocalypse in pajamas than anything else.

Wait, what if there was a tsunami, not zombie apocalypse?

Like Noah's Ark scenario?

Well, in those cases, I don't think I'd need pajamas to repopulate the world.

Shaking my head free of irrational thoughts, I went to the bathroom and changed. Then, I met Aunt Arisa downstairs for dinner. She called Miley's name but the girl didn't come. Instead a rushed Uncle George came downstairs.

"I have to pick up Michael from his ice hockey practice," he said. Oh yes, Miley's fraternal twin. I hoped he wasn't like her or we'd have a shaky beginning. "I'll be back."

"Can I go with you?!" I asked. Both of them blinked at me. "I've never seen an ice skating rink in real life."

"Maybe another time--"

"Please uncle," I pleaded. "I'll love you till microorganisms devour my flesh in a coffin, six feet underground, if you take me with you."

He sighed heavily. "Go change quickly."

"What about dinner?" Aunt Arisa asked.

I put a hand on her shoulder and dramatically said, "Sorry dear, but we soldiers have to pick up a comrade we left behind. If we return, you can stuff us like turkeys on Thanksgiving."

"You mean when you return," she corrected.

"This is war, okay?" I said, narrowing my eyes. "Don't be sure of our return." Her eyes actually widened. "In case the nuclear weapons come out, these Homo sapiens --"

"Stop scaring her, Noor. Hurry up," Uncle George intervened.

And I was just getting to the good part!

I quickly inclined and bolted to my room.

* *

Even though I consider myself extremely intelligent and gorgeous, sometimes I worry for myself.

When Uncle George told me change, he meant out of my pajamas.

I only changed my top.

The jeans were hard to find in my mess of a suitcase in the limited time given. Therefore, yes, I, Noor Afrah Khan, ended up at a boys' ice hockey team practice in pink cupcake pj's and a half sleeved white blouse.

I deserved the award for the most comfortable style.

Great job, lunatic.

Uncle George hadn't noticed my outfit until we got out here. He chose not to make any remarks. Probably because it was my first day here. Though not my first day of existence in society.

We entered the building and met the cool atmosphere.

I was mesmerized by the ice land surrounded by waist high walls. Guys in uniforms were either getting off or already out of the rink. The practice was over, I guess.

Dang it, I missed it.

"Michael's always the last one," Uncle George said. I didn't blame my cousin for that. This spot must tire him out. "Just wait for him here. I need to talk to the coach for a minute."

"Sure."

I waited by the ice rink's entrance.

Two boys sat on the ice, stuffing their uniform gear in their sports bags. Both were brunette and I couldn't guess which one was my cousin from this distance.

To satisfy my inner curious cat, I decided to venture out on the ice in flip flops.

Not the best move.

Not even three steps in and my feet lost balance.

With a sudden slip, my body arched, and I was about to crash down on the ice, preparing to pain my delicate bum.

No! Not the butt!

In this frozen war zone, one of my comrades saw me, though. A strong hand caught mine midway through my fall.

It was all in slow motion.

No, it wasn't.

I wished it was.

Because the guy in front of me was the epitome of gorgeous. His disarrayed light brown hair was sticking in various directions, but in an attractive way. The cautious light brown eyes stared back at me. My eyes flickered to his soft pink tinted cheeks and down to his cupid's bow shaped lips. My heart struggled to win an unannounced marathon.

I was still standing on the back of my heels. Couldn't he have caught me around my waist? The copper brown eyed guy who saved me stared back at me as if he had never seen a girl before.

Oh hold on, did he recognize me?

No! For the country, my mother sent me to a boarding school in London.

Before I could grab his cold hand with my other one and help myself back to my feet, he let go.

No, don't take Elsa seriously. Don't let it go.

This time, I fell.

And hurt my sensitive gluteal muscles.

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A/N

What did you think of the first chapter?

Do you like Noor? How about dear Miley?

The main character and Aunt Arisa are both Asians. Technically, she's half, but it counts.
I'll be bringing in a hot Russian in the upcoming chapters. Lol keep reading.

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