The Start of it All (Transcript)

The series starts off with a 14-year-old girl and her 16-year-old brother walking to school happily chatting with each other. The 14-year-old girl started narrating.

Zoe: (narrating) So, you probably know who we are, right? You haven't have you? Well, let me introduce ourselves. My name is Zoe and I'm 14 almost 15. I'm a top student in Year 9 and I'm adopted from the Philippines. Which explains why I look different from my family. Are you wondering who was the older boy talking to me? Is he my boyfriend? You're wrong. This is my brother, Josh. He's 16 almost 17 and he's in Year 11. Although he wasn't the best in his studies, he is the best big brother you could ever ask for and we're pretty close. We get along really well. Not like our older sister, Addison, who is in Sydney to pursue her education. Josh is dyslexic, he would often misread, have spelling mistakes and sometimes, he can't even read. He often gets in trouble because of that. Anyways, we're both heading to our classes to start off the day.

Zoe headed to her classroom and sat next to her best friend, Kan.

Zoe: Hey Kandace.

Kandace: Hi Zoe. You alright?

Zoe: I'm good. (narrating) This is my best friend, Kandace. She is half Chinese and she is an exchange student originally from England. We've been getting along since we were little girls. We are both top students, that's the main reason why we get along quite well.

Kandace: So, are you signing up to any clubs?

Zoe: Not at the moment. But I'll look for some clubs to join cuz I need to make new friends. Mum and dad are concerned about Josh and I's social status because we don't have much friends. Ever since Ad left for uni.

Kandace: You guys will find some friends someday.

As time went by, the day is just a regular day with not much events happening. After class, Zoe went to the bulletin board to sign up for some extra-curricular clubs. She was confused when she saw her brother's name on the news board.

Zoe: That's weird, what s Josh's name doing there?

That's when Josh called her from a classroom.

Josh: Zoe.

Zoe: What's up?

Josh: I need to tell you something.

Zoe: Hold up, I need to sign up for some clubs.

Josh: Can you please join the programming club? You could learn how to hack, program or even make some games.

Zoe: Cool! I'm in.

Zoe signed herself up for the programming club and entered the programming club with her brother. Both of them started to talk to each other because Zoe was confused with Josh's behaviour.

Zoe: So, what's the catch?

Josh: Do you know this girl?

Zoe looked at her brother's iPod which shows an Instagram account. An account of a teenage girl, most likely in Josh's class.

Zoe: No.

Josh: Cuz I have to tell you about her.

Zoe: What is it?

Josh: So basically she faked a heart attack on me, 'died' and her 'mum' was messaging me when I thought she was dead. I wanted to make a post for her but then I never did cause I found out she faked it cause she posted on her private account and then went live. She also said to other kids in this school that I got her pregnant when I didn't know her.

Zoe: No way.

Josh: She also said that she has a huge crush on me and we’ve only talked like 3 times.

Zoe: How would you get her pregnant when we obviously live in Western Australia just not communicating with others like the fact we're both introverts while she lives in some other side of the place just making drama.

Josh: She's from the other side of the country.

Zoe: Like we live in Western Australia and she is from either Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria or Tasmania.

Josh: She's from Queensland, she recently moved here.

Zoe: Okay.

Josh: And like I woke up one day to a message from someone saying congrats for the baby and stuff. Like what?

Zoe: Bruh, how can she say she got pregnant with you guys barely even met. This isn't true, she's creating fake news.

Josh: I so want to message the class group chat where she is and be like 'congrats for the baby.' Who's that dad?

Zoe: Maybe someone who probably raped her since it can’t be possibly you. Plus, teen pregnancy shouldn't be a joke.

Josh: I know.

That's when an Armenian-Australian girl from Year 10 came to the programming room. She must've signed up for the programming club as well.

Syuz: Look who's here.

Josh: Hey Syuz.

Syuz: Josh, who's this? You said you're not dating anyone ever since the Kayla incident.

Zoe: What?

Josh: Oh, this isn't my girlfriend. This is my little sister, Zoe.

Zoe: Hi.

Syuz: Hi. She's you're little sister? But she doesn't look like you, she just has the same hair and eye colour. Also the same hair texture. But your faces look different, Zoe has a tan and wears glasses while you have freckles.

Josh: She's adopted from the Philippines.

Syuz: Oh, I see.

Zoe: I'm also the top student in Year 9 but my parents are concerned about my social status so that's why I have to sign up to an extra-curricular.

Josh: Same.

Syuz: Well, I joined for the same reason.

Josh: Welcome to the club.

After a talk between Syuz and the siblings, it is already time to go home. Zoe and Josh happily walked home from school, grateful for making a new friend in the programming club. Bit the 2 still thought about Kayla.

Zoe: Josh, about Kayla.

Josh: I know. I wonder who was the father of Kayla's baby.

Zoe: Probably not you, maybe a rapist.

Josh: Maybe like that.

The siblings finally reached home in the outer suburbs of Perth. Their school is just nearby so they could just walk from home to school. They both entered their house where they are greeted by their mum.

Mrs. Besson: Hi Zoe, hi Josh.

Zoe and Josh: Hi mum.

Mrs. Besson: How's your day?

Zoe: We both finally got an extra-curricular.

Mrs. Besson: Really? That's good.

Josh: You don't have to be concerned about our social status anymore. Zoe, let's head to our room.

Zoe followed her brother upstairs to their shared room to grab her clothes. She then went to the bathroom to shower and get changed and met up with her brother who also just finished showering and getting changed.

Zoe: Josh, did you shower in Addison's room again?

Josh: What? Addison is in Sydney and she has a bathroom in her room so I can use it.

Zoe: Oh. She wouldn't have a clue once she comes back.

Josh: She probably won't come back from Sydney anyways.

Zoe: So what are we going to do before mum and dad calls us for dinner?

Josh: I dunno.

Zoe: I'll just finish my homework and maybe we could play some games.

Josh: That'll be great.

Zoe started working on her homework while Josh plays Minecraft on the computer. When she was halfway done, she got a text message from her best friend, Kandace who needs help with her homework.

Josh: Zoe, who's that?

Zoe: Kandace, she needs help with our homework today.

Josh: Oh. Shoot I forgot I also have homework.

Zoe: I'll try to help you out since I have to work on my homework. Let me finish this first and then I'll help you. More like I have to do work for you.

Josh: I think my teachers are okay with you doing it for me because I'm dyslexic.

Zoe: Alright then.

Zoe finished her work and started working on her brother's homework. When she was halfway done, their mum came to their room to call them down for dinner.

Mrs. Besson: Josh, Zoe, come down for dinner. Josh, shouldn't you be doing your own work rather than have any of your sisters do it for you?

Zoe: Mum, Josh is dyslexic.

Josh: What she said.

Mrs. Besson: No, I never raised a dyslexic teenager. Neither Addison or Zoe have dyslexic, not even your father is dyslexic.

Zoe: Mum, dyslexia is genetics. You can't help it.

Mrs. Besson: I don't care. Both of you go down for dinner. And Josh, no more dyslexia excuses. I feel like your secondary school is spoiling you too much.

Zoe and Josh followed their mum downstairs and started eating their food. It was just the 3 of them since their dad is in China for a business trip while their sister, Addison, is in Sydney to pursue her education.

Zoe: Mum, when will dad come back?

Mrs. Besson: It'll take a while. He still needs to finish off his trip in China.

Josh: And he's coming home, right?

Mrs. Besson: No, he has to go to New Zealand after that.

Zoe: And then he'll come home?

Mrs. Besson: No, he has to visit Addison in Sydney and then he'll come home.

Josh: Okay.

Zoe: So, we have to continue eating fish and chips for dinner while he's gone, right?

Mrs. Besson: Unfortunately, yes. Unless I have time, I could cook food for you but for now, it's just Chinese takeout and fish and chips.

Once Zoe and Josh are finished eating, they both went back to their room doing their stuff. Josh is frustrated by the fact that his own mum said that he is using dyslexia as an excuse just to play video games. Zoe didn't like that knowing that people saying that people are using dyslexia as an excuse hurts the person who is actually dyslexic.

Zoe: Ugh, why does mum have to tell you you're using dyslexia as an excuse?

Josh: I dunno. Maybe it's the fact that boys my age are always lazy these days.

Zoe: I don't get it. If girls used dyslexia as an excuse, people are fine with it while for boys, they'd get cancelled.

Josh: Yeah. Didn't mum take me to the doctors to see if I have dyslexia or not?

Zoe: She did because I was there. She probably forgot about it ever since dad went to China. I dunno.

Josh: That literally adds up to my depression and anxiety.

Zoe: I know.

When Zoe finished Josh's homework, both Zoe and Josh kept their books. Then, they both brushed their teeth and get ready for bed because they have to go to school the next day.

Zoe: Good night, Josh.

Josh: Night.

Zoe: Josh, can you sing me a lullaby you've been singing to me since I was 10?

Josh: Really? Cuz I haven't sang it to you for a long time.

Zoe: Pretty please.?

Josh: Okay.

Song: Memories by Shawn Mendes

Josh: #When I wake up to your footsteps #As you get up out of bed #They make a song that sounds so simple #But it dances in my head #A melody so perfect #That it gets me through the day #And the thought of us forever #Is one that won't ever go away #All I need to know is #Where to start #Take my hand and show me forever #So never will I ever let you go #So let's hold on together #To this paper and this pen #And write down every letter #To every word we've ever said #All I need to know is #Where to start #Take my hand and show me forever #So never will I ever let you go #Let's write our story #And let's sing our song #Let's hang our pictures on the wall #All these precious moments #That we carved in stone #Are only memories after all #Memories after all #Memories after all #You know #You gave me hope #But I've got to let go #I've got to let go, oh #It's taking its toll #Deep in my soul #Now I've got to let go #We wrote our story #And we sang our songs #We hung our pictures on the wall #Now those precious moments #That we carved in stone #Are only memories after all#

Josh stopped singing and Zoe is finally asleep. He tucked her in bed and then went to bed.

Josh: Good night, Zoe.