Could Have Been Worse

Chapter One: The Quirky Quirk of a Bushy Eyebrow

By: PaleNinja

Hi, I've noticed some line breaks on some stories and if someone could teach me how to do that on Microsoft Word, that'd be great!

This is my first Middle-Earth based story so I do apologize if something is wrong. If someone would like to beta for me, that'd be great too (even though I have no idea how it works). Anyway, on with the show.

OFFICIAL DISCLAIMER! I OWN NOTHING EXCEPT FOR LESLEY (AND POSSIBLY SOME OTHER OCS BUT THOSE ARE MY MAIN PEEPS) EVERYTHING ELSE GOES TO THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS (AKA J.R.R. TOLKEIN.)

Guys, this movie and book versed. Mostly because I cannot remember everything in either. So they had a baby. Well, sort of. I don't know what I'm trying to say.

Just saying, I kind of add brackets because I have a lot to say and sometimes it doesn't have anything to do with sentence. Don't bug me on that or you'll get the internet middle finger. Just kidding.

"Do you have extra pairs of socks?"

"Mom! I'm seventeen I don't need you to help me pack my stuff." I angrily tightened the arm strap on my duffel bag.

"Well, do you?" my mom said impatiently. She looked at me with such sadness, the same sadness that she stared at when my older sister went away for college. But this wasn't college, it was summer camp. It was for those kids who are special. No, I'm sorry just kidding. It's not for the special; it's for those kids who like to play volleyball. That's it. Even though I felt like such an outcast on the team because all the girls had dark, long hair and tan skin, while I was stuck with ginger hair and translucent white skin.

"No," I mumbled sourly, turning on my heel to go get my bathing suit and more pairs of socks, both knee and ankle. I prefer knee socks in the winter because then your whole calf was covered, protected from the cold (even though you usually wear boots in the winter). But here in North Dakota (near Canada, so we get four seasons) we also get summer, so, that is where the ankle socks come in. Except for when you wear sandals, then that is just cruel to everybody around you.

My mom was dropping me off at camp because I couldn't drive to save my life, which is why I didn't even attempt to take my license. Just to save me from the embarrassment. I wouldn't want that because all my peers would look at me. I don't like being looked at. Well, I don't like being looked at in a judgemental way.

"LESLEY!" she howled, growing even more impatient (personally, I think its menopause, but, she likes to play the Blame Game so she suspects it's me). "Hurry up. How many more socks can you even pack in there?"

"You tell me!" I yelled back, while pulling my hair into an attempt to look sporty and fun, while really I was possibly the most boring person. Ever. Once I was satisfied with my hair results (doesn't take a lot to please me, probably I looked like a train wreck's love child) I ran down the stairs, then ran back up because I forgot my duffel bag and tampons.

… I need to learn how to make those line thingies ….

"Oh, Lesley, I'm going to miss you so much," Mom went on and on about how I was her baby and all that jazz. I was actually getting annoyed (she thought it was PMS, I suspected it was her).

"Mom, I'm only gone for a week. You have dad and Munchkin," I said in an attempt to console her. Munchkin was our giant Saint Bernard. He slobbered all over the place and trampled over small potted plants left in his rampage. Yep, Munchkin was definitely a keeper. I named him when we first got him when I was really little. He was also really little, so Munchkin grow up to become Crunchkin, well at least I think that's what plants refer to him as.

We finally (and thankfully) reached the camp and I was relieved to find that Mom got over her "little baby going away from her" emotional breakdown. I saw some of my friends from the last time I was at camp and waved at them.

After ten long minutes I finally got settled in my cabin. I was quite lucky to find out that one of my best friends from last year was sharing a cabin with me, so I wasn't surrounded by strangers with boobs. Sierra, a blonde bombshell, was going on and on about how good looking one of the new coaches was. I never got to take a peek but apparently he was running with his shirt off and he had amazing pecks (not that she was looking, or so she says).

Okay, so we got called out and we started doing drills (those coaches just want to get down to it) and we had to run over the creak. I, of course, was at the back with Sierra and another girl named Chloe. The track started getting thinner and we had to do a single line thing. I went to the back because chances are that I was going to trip (trust me, it's happened). I just so happened to stumble into a bush, kill a cat (ask me no questions, I shall tell you no more lies), and finally roll into the river. The only problem next to the embarrassment I felt, was that when I got up, I was looking into big, blue eyes. Not at the camp. And with that folks, is where my story begins. Hey! Hey you, it isn't intermission yet, sit your ass down!

… Seriously ….

"Who are you?" the owner of the eyes said, taking in my wet, gingery form. His eyes lingered on my red hair where a couple of leaves and some chunky bits of mud (someone should get a filter for that river) rested.

"Uh," I said. "Lesley. Do you mind telling me where I am?"

"Why! You are in the Shire, of course. Where else would hobbits be?" he looked at me as if it were the most obvious thing in the whole wide world. It kind of was (not that I knew in that moment).

"Uh, listen. I don't know where I am, or what the Hufflepuff a hobbit is, but you," I paused and looked at his adorable and confused face, "have the prettiest eyes ever! I wish my eyes were as blue as yours. My friend once complained that she had blue eyes but they weren't the shade of the ocean. I mean come on, who says that! But, I guess it's alright that I'm bitching about her because she is a part of the Rollercoaster clique. You know the ones that get high every single day of the week?"

He blushed at my compliment. "Why thank you. My name is Frodo. Please excuse my curiosity, but why are you wearing such strange clothing?"

"I'm not from around here." He rolled his big, blue eyes. I blinked. It seemed like we were having a competition on who could do the most things with their eyes. Frodo was winning, (well, what do you expect? He had such pretty eyes! He obviously got bonus points) and I was just trying to attempt to be as cool as he was. His head immediately shot up at the sound of a wagon approaching. He looked at the wagon, then looked at me, then looked back in the wagon. Sitting in the wagon was an old man (who I later found out was a wizard. I found the fact that I made a reference to Harry Potter just a little before he came along. Oh come on! You have to know who Harry Potter is. Only the most iconic wizard of all time!) and looked at me with guarded curiosity. It's not like I was offended, alright, I was a little offended. I'm not that strange. Well, I'm strange but in a special kind of strange. My mom said I was special, but that was just before I tore my room a part on sugar-high.

So, I was just standing there, and then all of the sudden he's all like, "Who the hell is she?" Okay, maybe not exactly like that, but, still. Alright, fine, here is how the rest of the day actually went.

Okay so Frodo and I were having a contest then this man pulled up dressed in all grey (strangely flattering to his beard) pulled up and started talking to Frodo, completely ignoring me (so rude, but, I was sort of hiding behind a tree, so, not that I can complain). Although he did look over at me once and quirk a bushy eyebrow of his.

Finally, I got the recognition I deserved and he finally took notice in me. He asked me the same questions Frodo asked me, in a little blunter, cryptic way. Frodo left with him, in a blinding, excited moment, completely forgetting about me. Well, not completely because he finally turned around and brought me with him (smart hobbit).

Bilbo Baggins is a nice hobbit. He has a lovely home. I told him that and he blushed, saying that it wasn't him who made it lovely, it was his family. He's a little bit sentimental don't you say, but I couldn't help but notice that he kept his hand in his pocket at all times. And my mom thought I had bad posture.

MY MOM! I cannot believe I got transported into a different place (don't give me that look, it's not like I teleport all the time) and completely forgot about my family. How will I get back? Where am I? I was so confused and lost in thought that I didn't even notice that Bilbo was talking. He asked me a question and I grinned sheepishly at him.

"I'm sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment. Can you repeat that?" I asked. Well, I wasn't going to blow him off and be rude like that. Bilbo was a very sweet person and I wasn't that mean.

"Of course, I understand. I asked where you were from." He looked gently at me and I thought he was adorable. Hobbits are adorable. I cannot believe that they are so old. They're like teddy-bears. I just want to put one on my shelf and just keep it there forever and ever.

"North Dakota," I said, completely forgetting that hobbits probably never heard of North Dakota. I faced palmed myself when I saw the obvious expression of confusion clearly written on Bilbo's face. "I don't think I am from this world, Bilbo. I don't think so at all."

"Well bless all of Middle-Earth and call it a biscuit. I knew that when you walked in. I also saw trouble. Well, mostly because I saw Merry and Pippin talking with mischievous glances to Farmer Maggot's field."

Another thing I loved about Bilbo. He was just so understanding, and adorable. Very adorable. "Middle-Earth? What's that?"

Bilbo looked at me as if I was weird (as if). "Middle-Earth is where you are now."

"I thought I was in the Shire, Bag End to be specific," it was my turn to be giving weird looks. This was getting even weirder by the minute.

Bilbo faced palmed. "No, Lesley, Middle-Earth is the land. The Shire is a place on Middle-Earth. Like Rivendell, or Mirkwood or whatever you will."

I let out along "oh", feeling very, very stupid. I blushed. "That's really weird," I started, "because where I'm from is called just Earth."

Bilbo nodded. "Ah, so what is it like in Just-Earth?"

I shook my head. "No, no, Bilbo, it's called Earth. Just Earth."

Bilbo looked confused. "That's what I said."

I had a feeling this was going to be a long while until I got back home.

Tadaa! There you have it folks this piece of crap. Anyway, R&R, favorite and follow. K bye.

~PaleNinja