Page 1

1

“We lie beneath the stars at night.”

The naked and famous, Young Blood

Sawyer

MY ENTIRE LIFE CHANGED IN A FEW WEEKS. The happiness I once knew had crumbled beneath my feet, sending me plummeting down the abyss of darkness. My previous life no longer existed. I had to leave it all behind. To start my junior year away from the only home I’ve ever known - a month into the school year.

Marshtown Creek, Ontario. My new home.

It was so small that I could barely find any articles on Google. It was a huge contrast to the big city life I’m accustomed to.

I looked out the window and watched raindrops race down the glass. The dark clouds made it seem like night instead of midday. I glanced to my left to find my older brother, Noah, passed out with his headphones. The music was so loud I could hear every word. His mouth was open, emitting subtle snores. I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to the mundane view. The car hummed as we drove past the never-ending forest. The trees were like skyscrapers towering over the battered roads and branches extended like claws, reaching out to grab us.

“How much longer until we’re there?” I asked my mother.

It felt like we’d been driving forever.

“Not much longer.” She glanced at me through the mirror. “You’re going to love it.”

I slouched in the seat and folded my arms.

“I doubt it.”

It’s not as if I had many friends when I was leaving back home, anyway. Noah was the one. Mr. Popular. I was a wallflower. He was the coveted rose. My recognition was due to him—Noah Whitlock’s little sister.

He wasn’t too bitter about the move. He was the star hockey player in our old school, and he was going to move to Ontario for college. It all just started earlier than planned. I reached for my copy of Pride and Prejudice, hoping to get sucked into the fantasy world where I could only hope of finding my own Mr. Darcy, but I could never relate to Elizabeth Bennet. I always felt more like The Hunchback of Notre Dame or The Grinch - undesirable. Love is a foreign concept for me. The closest I’d ever been to it was in the pages of books.

“We’re here.” My mom said just as I was about to start another chapter.

I closed my book and punched Noah in the arm. His eyes shot open, and his headphones fell off from his sudden movements.

“Was that necessary?” he asked, rubbing his arm.

“A little.”

The sullen clouds dried out, leaving everything foggy and damp. I scrunched my nose as my Converse hit the wet driveway. I clutched my book to my chest like a shield as I looked at the idyllic neighborhood. It thrived as people were everywhere. A group of kids bustled out of their home to greet their father with a hug.

“Heather!”

I turned at the sound of my mother’s name. A middle-aged woman with moppy brunette hair embraced my mother. She was a few inches shorter than my mom.

“Grace, it’s been too long.”

Grace Hart. My mother’s best friend from college. I met her once when I was four but hadn’t seen her since. Despite staying in contact, they rarely had the chance to meet up.

The woman turned to me with a glint in her eyes, embracing me.

“I cannot believe how much you’ve grown up.”

She turned to my brother and embraced him with equal enthusiasm. The corner of my lip rose.

“Where’s the boys?” My mother asked. “And Gracie?”

Mrs. Hart gasped as if she’d just remembered she had children.

“Boys!” she yelled. “Come and say hello.”