I woke up, as the sun shone in my eyes. I had had a dream where I was flying, and felt on top of cloud nine. But I sunk right back down to the hard ground when I remembered what day it was. Literally. The ground was hard.

I lifted myself off the floor as my mother ran in, asking what was wrong. “Why did I hear a bump?” she asked, as I explained what had happened.

“Are you alright? We don’t want you bruised, today of all days”, she asked, and for a second I thought she may have actually cared. But then I heard the second part of her sentence, and I felt my smile leave my face.

“I’m fine, mother, just shaken up”, I responded, rolling my eyes at my hopefulness. As if my mother would ever care about me. She just cared that I achieved greatness, so that I could pay for her retirement.

“Then un-shake yourself”, she instructed simply. If only I could, I thought. “Today’s a big day”.

“If only I could forget”, I muttered, as I marched past her into the kitchen. The family was sitting at the table, just as every other day. Dad was watching the news, Adelaide was heaping jam onto her toast, Bobby was playing with some toys on the floor, Teddy was snuffling up Adelaide’s crusts, and Mother was humming as she cooked, filling the kitchen with sweet music. Except for me, all I heard was the annoyance in my head.

I walked over and sat down next to Adelaide, ruffling Teddy’s head. “Hey boy, did ya sleep well? I bet you did, out in that comfy kennel”, I said, an icy tone in my voice as I glared at my mother’s turned back. Teddy used to sleep inside, either in my bed or Adelaide’s, but last month Mother decided he was too big to sleep inside, so she made him sleep outside in the cold.

“Eat up everyone, its December’s big day today!” Mother said, placing a steaming plate of scrambled eggs in front on me. I grabbed a plate, piled some toast on it, added some eggs and bacon, and shoves some in my mouth.

“Thank you Mother”, I tried to say, but as my mouth was full, it sounded more like “Shanks Motor”.

“Finish your mouthful before you speak, how many time do I have to say it”, she responded, tutting under her breath. I rolled my eyes and shoved more food in my mouth.

“So, when do we have to go?” I asked, desperately trying to change the subject from how much of a failed daughter I am.

“Nine, in order to get there by 10”, Mother said simply, taking a seat next to Dad.

“I’m gonna miss you, December”, Adelaide said, hugging my arm. I smiled warmly at my younger sister, knowing I would miss her too. I glared in my mother’s direction as I finished my mouthful, before responding to Adelaide.

“I’ll miss you too, Addie”. My mother checked her watch, before picking Bobby up from the floor, and placing a hand on Dad’s shoulder.

“Time to go”, she said, as my father grunted, getting up from his seat. Adelaide leapt out of her seat, smoothing down her dress and pushing in her chair. Mother smiled at her, the proudness showing in her face. Adelaide is exactly what my Mother always wanted me to be, but I just didn’t turn out that way.

I got out of my chair, and walked out, smirking as I walked into my bedroom. I felt my mother’s glare on my back, but I just smiled, knowing after today I wouldn’t see her for at least three months. I grabbed my suitcase, jacket and earphones, plugging them in and turning the music up. I grabbed a few photos that I had up on my wall, and stuffed them in my backpack, along with my drink, sandwich and book.

On my way out of the house, Teddy stopped at my feet. I glanced down at him, feeling the tears prick my eyes. “I’m sorry to leave you with her, but I don’t really have a choice”, I said, hugging the Bearded Collie. “I’ll miss you, maybe the most out of all of you guys”, I whispered in his ear, sniffling. I felt his head nudging my leg and I laughed through the tears. “Yes, I’ll bring you food when I get back”, I said, smiling. I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Adelaide.

She held her arms out for a hug, like she knew I needed one. “Thanks Addie”, I said, wiping away a tear off my cheek.

“You’ll be awesome”, she promised, taking my hand as I walked towards the door. I picked up Bobby from the floor, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

“You probably won’t even remember me when I get back”, I said, scrunching my face in sadness. Bobby was only 1 ½, there is no way he’d remember me when I get back, even if I’m only gone for 3 months. Adelaide squeezed my hand, reminding me that we had to leave. I shifted Bobby so he was resting on my hip, chewing on his teething ring.

As we walked past Dad, he took Bobby off me so that I could give him a hug. “We’ll be watching you every night”, he promised, his gruff voice tickling my ear. I gave him a kiss on the cheek, his beard scratching my lips, just as it should. I took Bobby back off him, as he rolled my bag along the wooden floor I’d lived on all my life.

I finally reached the end of the corridor, turning around to see the family photos lining the walls. The one closest to me was one of Adelaide, Bobby and I when Bobby was born. Then there was one of Adelaide and I with Teddy on his first day in our family. There was one of Dad, Mother and I holding baby Adelaide on her 1st birthday. I looked along the wall as it got to a picture of Mother, Dad and I when I was born. Then finally there was a picture of Mother looking beautiful on her wedding day to Dad. I smiled through the tears, hoping nothing would have changed in the time I’m away.

I finally got to the front door, and stepped outside as Dad hauled my bag into the boot of the car. Mother was standing on the pathway, holding my door open for me. I threw my things into the passenger seat, and gave my mother a hug. We’d always had our differences, but I knew that I did love her, no matter how much she annoyed me.

I gave Adelaide one last hug, and Teddy, and Dad, before giving Bobby a kiss on the cheek and getting into my car. I rolled the window down, and started the engine, turning out from the curb, the tears blocking my eyesight. I drove half a street away, before I had to bring the car to a stop, as the tears overcame me. I couldn’t hold them back any longer.

I wondered how the others were doing, leaving their families for so long. I wiped my tears, reapplied some mascara and blush, realizing I would have to stop on the way into the city to reapply my makeup, because the tears had made too big of a mess of it to fix in a car mirror on the side of the road.

I turned on the radio, cranking it up loud, and singing away my sorrows and doubts.

As I pulled up at the City Hall, the first thing I saw was people. Everywhere. The crowd was huge, I didn’t think I had ever seen one as big in real life. Of course, I’d seen crowds like this on TV, whenever my family and I watched The Score. The same thing happened every year. A bunch of 18-21 year olds are chosen to go into the house, and they have to complete a series of challenges.

Everyone wants to get chosen to go on it. If you aren’t chosen, you don’t get a job. Then you live homeless for the rest of your life. You get four years to get chosen. And only 20 people get chosen each year. So over the four years, you have an 80/3, 000 chance at having a job. Needless to say, Lightport has too many homeless people.

I walked past hundreds of them on my way to the stage. I glanced down at each one of them, wishing I had a spare coin on me I could hand to them, only to see them smile. I felt so sad, watching them moan in hunger and thirst. The way the score happened was dreadful, but there was nothing I could do about it. Not me, the small girl on her way to get a job.

As I reached the crowds of people, I pushed through the bodies, trying to find my way to the stage. I passed multiple people, all different shapes, sizes and colors. Some had blonde hair and green eyes. Different people still had brown hair and blue eyes. But there were none that I could see with blue hair and brown eyes.

I felt people’s eyes following me, as I was slightly out of the normal. The blue hair had never really been accepted, and although that’s exactly why I did it, I still felt excluded in crowds of people.

I walked up to the stage, where the housemates were supposed to wait. I felt a sharp nudge in my back, and fell forwards. Luckily, a girl with straight brown hair and a nice smile caught me. “Whoa, you okay?” she asked, after helping me get back to my feet.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine”, I responded, even though I could already feel a bump appearing in my lower back. I would regret that later, but who cares for now.

“Are you a housemate?” she asked, as the wind whipped her hair. She brushed her hair out of her brown eyes.

“Um, yeah. I was told this is where we wait”, I explained, biting my lip. It was something I’ve always done, whenever I’m nervous.

“Oh cool, me too!” she exclaimed, offering a hand for a high five. I hit her hand weakly, as I felt my back crack in pain. I faked a smile, hoping she wouldn’t see how much I was hurting.

“I’m Celeste, but most people call me Leste”, she explained, as we took a seat on the stage. There were about a dozen people there so far, most of them rather normal looking. There was a girl nearby who looked almost exactly like Celeste, but slightly older.

“Oh, that’s my sister, Ruby”, Leste explained, catching me looking. Lest shrugged, before turning away from her sister like she was a bad virus that she was afraid to catch.

“Oh, I’m December, by the way, but most people call me either Dec or Ember”, I said, remembering I still hadn’t introduced myself. In my mind, I slapped myself in the face. I was always so forgetful!

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Dec”, Leste said, smiling. I noticed a red headed guy walking towards the stage, and I couldn’t help but hope he was coming in the house too. He sat down on the stage, and started talking in hushes to a blonde guy. I silently cheered.

I heard footsteps behind me, and for a second I was confused. We were sitting on a stage, there can’t be anyone behind us. Then I realized that meant that someone was on the stage. After having years of practice watching the Score, I knew instantly that this was Elena Daniels, the host.

Elena ran the whole show. She kept score, and hosted the eliminations when the three months were over. She also counted all of the votes from the public, as well as living in the house, always available to talk to when the housemates needed to.

I was always in awe of Elena, as she always looked absolutely beautiful on TV. I wanted to turn around, but fear of falling off of the stage kept me in one place. “Welcome to the 50th anniversary of the Score everyone!” Elena announced, as I blocked my ears to keep my eardrums from popping with all of the cheering from the crowd. It always amazed me how much noise people can make when they want to.

“We have a very interesting house this year!” Elena called, and I cringed. What did that mean? Interesting as in entertaining? Or interesting as is something else…

“I would like to introduce you all to our first housemate, Brice de Centerella!” Elena called out, and we all waited for Brice to take to the stage. But he didn’t. Elena laughed awkwardly.

“Brice? Are you out there?” she called, looking around awkwardly.

“Yep”, a voice came from the back of the crowd. Everyone parted into two halves, creating room for Brice to walk through. He was wearing a leather jacket and denim jeans. I rolled my eyes. You could tell he was trying way too hard to be a bad boy.

“Ah, Brice, come up on stage”, Elena said, breathing a sigh of relief.

“Kay”, Brice said, jumping up onto the stage. The girls in the audience swooned. I just rolled my eyes, again. It was going to be a pain living with this guy for 3 months.

“So, Brice, welcome!” Elena said, smiling. I could never be her. She managed to smile and be nice to everyone, no matter how pissed off she got. If I had to interview people like Brice every day, I swear I would snap after the second day.

“Thanks”, Brice replied in a monotone voice. He lifted his sunglasses off his eyes, putting them on his head instead. The camera zoomed in on his face, trying to make the girls swoon again. And it worked. I looked out at the crowd, just in time to see someone faint.

“You’re going to be the first into the house this year, congratulations!” Elena said, clapping for him. The audience joined in, drowning out every other noise in the entire town. If someone didn’t already know what was going on, they did now.

“Cool”, was all Brice said in reply. I plugged in my earphones, drowning out his annoying voice with the drum beat. I was oblivious to the surrounding world, until I felt Leste elbow me.

“Ow!” I cried out in pain. She rolled her eyes, as I noticed there were only 3 housemates left to go in. Leste, Ruby and I.

“Next up are sisters, Celeste and Ruby Zani!” Elena called. I grinned at Leste, miming “Break a leg” at her. She grinned back and gave me a wink, before climbing up the stairs to the stage.