1 Chapter 1

"Rose have you had your breakfast?" I looked at my stepmother from above the novel I was reading, "Yes I have. I am waiting for dad to finish so he can take me to school"

She smiled at me, "Isn't time you got your driver's license?" I winked at her, "Mr. Rawlings has booked my test for next week."

She smiled, "You are gonna have a blast! Just remember that you have a ten thirty curfew."

Then came the frown, I braced myself for the dangers of going out on my own. I have heard it since I was nine.

When dad finished his breakfast he had another topic in mind. The left side of his temple started to pulse when he began to talk, "Rose, stay away from Cheryl. Her parents caught her doing drugs. They are accusing all her friends. I want you to promise me that you will stay as far away from her as you can. Change your subjects or the time you have to go to class but stay away from her. Understood."

I pursed my lips and gave him a new and improved proposal. "Let's move to Grandpa's Cabin, it's the farthest I can get away from her."

This made dad smile and mom frown. They agreed to discuss this in the evening. I walked out towards the car when I felt the temperature change so I called out, "Dad get the umbrella it is gonna rain." Dad laughed, "The weatherman said it won't rain." I counted to five and it started to pour. Mom laughed as dad flailed towards the house to find an umbrella.

I walked towards the guidance counselor's office. I was not the only one there. Emily was there with her mom, Jenine was there with her dad, Regina was there with her uncle, and also Patrice was there with her dad. I walked in with my stepmother and everybody just beamed at us. We managed to get our schedule changed after an hour and a half of haggling.

I took my timetable and walked to class. Mr. Andrews smiled as we walked into his class single file. We gave him the note which excused us, he mumbled, "Spoiled brats get everything." I looked at him offended. He winked at me and resumed class.

At lunch, we grouped to figure out what Nancy should get for her grandfather for his birthday. I heard stilettos tapped on the linoleum. I looked up to see Cheryl walking towards us with an evil grin. "Cheryl Alert" was the only thing that Bob said and we dispersed before she reached us. Regina was slow to leave so Cheryl chased her till the vice-principal told her to go back to detention.

I called Regina's mom and explained everything. So before class was finished for the day she came with a camera and court order so she can prove the bad apple is Cheryl. Cheryl's mom came to take her therapy when Mrs. Potts showed her the video and she was pissed. She still screamed that we were the bad influence.

Until the police arrived and checked her bag. They found Oxycodone. She was arrested and her mom chased after the police asking them to search us. We allowed them to search and they came up empty. We even did a drug test. We were clean but she tested positive for cocaine. Her mom was livid as she came to realize we were telling the truth.

I came home and explained the events of the day to mom and dad. Dad told me to pack my things. He is sending me to stay with Grandpa immediately.

I got on a train to go to Hope-spring. It is a sleepy little town not far from New Orleans, Louisiana. I only go there during the summer months. Now I was going to be a permanent resident. Grandpa was there to receive me but I felt like someone else was there as well.

This individual was a mystery I have to solve. Whenever I come here I can feel his presence. I can hear his heart beating fast and his breath hitch as I got off the platform. I hugged Grandpa as I looked around to see my protector was still there or not. I saw his signature fur coat. His face was well hidden but I saw his eyes. I have seen them in my dreams every night for as long as I can remember. It was the most unusual shade of violet that seemed to glow. I smiled and waved at him and just like that he vanished from sight. I secretly told myself that I am going to find him. This is a promise I make to myself every time I come here but so far for the past fifteen years I have had no luck. But unlike the previous times, I am here for good. This means I can devote my free time just to find him. I sat in the car and watched as the scene changed from city to forest and swamp in no time at all.

I saw Mr. Sleet deep-frying gator meat. I wrinkled my nose at the disgust of having to eat it once when I house-sat for him. I saw Mrs. Gould carry her groceries to her little cottage. I watched as Benji zipped past us on his Ducati. He has grown handsome over the months. He has traded his chubby looks for a toned-down body and extra inches in height. We stopped in front of grandpa's cabin. Which was next to a two-story house. The people who live in this house rarely live there. They prefer the luxury lifestyle that exists in New York City.

I walked out of the car to see someone else walk out of the house. Grandpa chuckled, "The Yangs sold their house to someone else. You are not the only new permanent resident in the neighborhood. Over the last few months, we have a lot of new families who have decided to ditch city life for a quiet life here"

I ran towards my favorite tree and started climbing it. I got to the third branch it broke. I screamed as I fell to the ground. I didn't hit the ground but to the arms of the most handsome man, I had ever seen. He had one eye blue and the other was green.

My mind froze as he gently placed me on the swing. He spoke in a southern accent. "Arnold you need to cut down this tree before it kills someone." I found my voice and replied, "I am sorry for acting so childish it won't happen again." He gave me a wink before he left.

My watch started to buzz reminding me that I needed to take insulin. During the accident five years ago I discovered that I was diabetic. I had to keep myself under check or I could end up in the hospital. I hate waking up with tubes in the most embarrassing places.

I asked if Grandpa got me my meds and he announced it was in the fridge. I administered my meds and began cooking dinner. I got a phone call from Bess and Marcy telling me that Cheryl was arrested today and her parents decided to throw me under the bus. But I had been absent from school so the principal called my dad and he explained to him that I left for my grandpa an hour after I return from school. So this proved that she is a rotten child. Her parents demanded that dad prove it so he showed the security footage of me boarding a train. Dad and the other parents were pressing charges against the Johns family. They didn't ask me where I was but they said they were going to do the same. Their parents and guardian were sending them away too. This means that finally, her parents will acknowledge that their daughter is not a friend to anyone. I spend the next few moments setting up Skype so we can chat where ever we are.

Esmeralda's dad showed up as always to have free meals and Grandpa send him away as always. He started blaring about vampires and werewolves living in this town. How he was going to hunt them. He wanted to know if we were interested. I politely explained the illness of vampire syndrome. I also explained that he needs to stop reading comic books as though they are facts we are supposed to follow. I heard a chuckle from across the forest. I looked to see the fur coat. I smiled at Mr. Brown and told him that he needed a good therapist. He is suffered from paranoid delusions. He stomped his feet as we walked inside and shut the door in his face. He stayed for another hour yelling before he decided to try his luck elsewhere. From what I can hear no one gave him free food. And all of them practically gave him the same answer as me. He had to pay for his food in the tiny diner down the road. I watched from the roof as he was thrown out of the diner. Grandpa came with his telescope and watched with me. He is surprised that I have such sharp senses. I winked at him and walked into town looking for the library.

I saw it was demolished. I was gobsmacked. I looked at the librarian and she gave me a long look that spoke volumes. It was Mickey who did this. He drove his Grandpa's Rabbit like a tank and decided the town needed a facelift. He is the town's official troublemaker. He possesses the uncanny ability of demolition and the record of Breaking and Entering.

I sat on the only bench that was undamaged as the culprit was dragged to the sheriff's office. He repeated the rehearsed sentence. 'It came out of nowhere'. He hits the survivor tree once a year and says the same thing. Yes, it came out of nowhere about 200 years ago.

I sat feeling dejected when Mr. Ford came and sat next to me. "Rose, why are you so sad? Did something happen to your father?" I looked at him solemnly, "He smashed the library. It was my only escape from boredom and he smashed it."

He laughed, "I thought you would prefer Ebooks. But I guess I was wrong. You like to interact with people as you enjoy good reading. There is a cafe' that also doubles as a library just around the corner. Maybe you would enjoy that. You will make some new friends too."

He winked at me and walked away. I wondered why he was always nice to me. It was explained to me that he is the person who gets angry effortlessly. But never has he ever shown me the incredible Hulk that he is. He has always been Mr. Nice when he sees me.