Chapter 1: New Beginnings

"OOOOOOH WE'RE HALFWAY THERE OOOOOH WE'RE LIVING ON A PRAYERRR!"

"Seriously, Sky, turn it down."
"Come on, Colt! You know you can't deny Mr. Bon Jovi! Remember when you stripped naked and tried to run on stage?" She giggled as she recalled his birthday ten years ago.
"Yeah, but I was also drunk and I never truly realized how awful your singing voice is."
"Okay, okay, Mr. Grumpy Gills. All I'm saying is that you have to lighten up! We're moving to Wyoming to get away from you're sadness aka the bitch."
"That bitch's name was Nessa."
"Yeah, well, Nessa has moved onto the next Gray brother so don't waste your time."
"You're right, new beginnings." I said as a turned up the radio and sang along to the music, driving passed the sign saying "You have now entered Lost Springs Township".

I hadn't had any fun since I found the so-called love of my life, Vanessa Fletcher in bed with my brother, Caleb. After everything we'd been through, she ripped my heart out, the heart that was no longer beating. And with my own brother. The only person I can rely on is Skylar Grace, my best friend since 1864, the day I was reborn.

Dear Diary,

Tomorrow is the 4 month anniversary of the crash. It's also the first day of junior year. I will no longer be that girl who lost her parents. I will start fresh, be someone new. It's the only way I'll make it through.

"DING DONG!"

"Violet! Can you get the door?" Aunt Kate yelled from her bathroom.

I gently closed my diary and placed it under my window seat's mattress. I quickly ran downstairs to get the door.

"Blake! Dawn! I totally forgot you guys were coming over."

"Come on, Vi. You know that we always hang out the night before our first day to pick out our outfits!" Blake was always obsessed with what we were wearing to every major event in our lives. Why would I think this year would be any different?

"We both brought a bag of acceptable options," Dawn said.

"And I brought my old pal, Mr. Jack Daniels," Blake said, waving a small bottle of liquor in my face.

Instinctively, I grabbed the bottle and looked at her with surprise.

"Let's just go up to my room before Aunt Kate sees this."

By the end of the night, we'd all decided our outfits. Blake was going to wear a cream, lace top with a short, pink skirt matched with obscene pink heels. The outfit screamed Blake Sinclair. Dawn, on the other hand, was way more laid back than Blake. She chose a dark wash skinny jean and a simple, red and white baseball tee paired with red converse. Four months ago, I would have gone with something like Blake, but things have changed so I went with a red, cut off band tee with dark skinny jeans and black Doc Martens. The old me was far gone, but I had a feeling that I was meant to be the person I am today. I've never been more comfortable in my own skin.

"Hey, girls, I wanted to know if this looked okay for my date?" Aunt Kate asked as she made her way into my room with a sexy, black wrap dress and a pair of red pumps.

"Ooh, sexy. Is this all for Daniel?" Blake teased.
"Yep, it's our six month anniversary." Kate gushed as she looked at herself in my full length mirror.

We all smiled in unison and I walked Kate downstairs, just as Daniel beeped his horn.

"Have fun!" I said as she slipped into Daniel's black car.

I made my way back into my room to find Blake pouring liquor into three shot glasses. I sighed and decided that arguing against it would be useless. Blake had obviously seen my disapproving look.

"Come on, Vi. It's the last day of summer and it's just one drink." She mused.

"Fine," I said, grabbing a glass from Dawn's hand.

"To new beginnings!" Dawn said as our glasses clinked together.