Summary:
Ashley always knew she was different. But on one stormy night and a mysterious man falls out of the sky, she realizes why.
Intro:
I am not the same. My parents don't love me as much as they love my sister.
I don't look the same-
All of my family has tan skin, blonde hair, and piercing blue eyes. All of those I lack. I have fair skin, dark raven-like hair with a blue tone to it. And my eyes are forest green with specks of gold tossed around in them- as if someone took a saltshaker full of gold flakes and dusted them over my eyes at birth.
They are all atheletes-
I'm a band geek, a singer, and a theatre kid.
They are skeptics.
I jump right into things and believe the impossible. I am gullible and some consider me n ave, and all those are true. But I do hyperanylyze things at times. Like when it comes to love.
My sister, Kelly, dives right into relationships. I have to anylyze. For being seventeen and her nineteen, you'd think it would be the other way around. I must be certain that I want to be in a relationship with the guy before I fall head over heels.
In my non-exsisting love life, I've dated only a few guys. They were pretty gutsy to ask me out. I've been told by many that I am intimidating.
I guess I must put down that scary shell I've created and not be so serious. But I've been scarred to much in my life that I really don't want to take that big of a chance.
As for what I think of myself, I believe I was born for a special purpose. That may sound a bit obnoxious, but I clearly wasn't born for any purpose here. People are so small minded and that drives me up the wall. Perhaps maybe someday my life will change. I can only hope for the better.
Chapter One:
It was a beautiful clear day in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The day was hot, but greatfully, not humid. My family and I had just moved from El Paso, Texas and I was used to the humid heat.
I was excited.
It was summer- no more Texan snobs telling me that I an such a freak or anything! No more school- or perhaps what I was most excited about is where I was.
There have been reports all over the news about strange lightning storms and tornados and what they leave behind when they meet the Earth's crust. And being the Astronomy geek I am, I was estaticMy family decided to go on a camping trip in the desert. I was currently in the back of our RV headed to a small town about an hour from civilazation. I'd brought my telescope and notepad full of notes on stars I'd studied in the night sky for years. I'd been studying stars from as far as I could remember.
I have this memory or thought or dream. I don't know if it's real or not, but it warms me on my darkest of nights.
I remember seeing this woman who looked like me and another dark haired girl who resembled me. I remember the lady holding me up on her hip and pointing to the various stars.
"Artemis- look at all of these beautiful stars! There's Simion and Cronitios! And there is the moon which revolves around the planet of Earth," she said, pointing to a small light. I smiled.
"That is what you were named after," she smiled.
"What was I named after Mommy?" the other girl asked.
"You, Apolla, were named after that-" she said, pointing to the sun. After a few more minutes of just relishing in the moment of stars and suns and moons, the lady decided to take me back inside for bed-time. Apolla was content, but I began to cry. I loved the stars.
"Shh... Little one. Oh little girl of the Moon you shall be powerful one day," she said, whispering in my ear. Then she began to sing a beautiful song. And I fell asleep.
I relish in that memory or dream. I've googled Cronitios and Simion, but nothing turned up. The sky in my dream was always so clear- nothing like the sky here on Earth. I wish I could find where that sky is and go there. I'd stay there forever.
So anyways, we came to a stop (finally) and set up camp. They towed my car along with the RV. The sun was low in the sky. I was surprised. Nothing had gone wrong as normal...yet. I was awaiting for something to fall out of the sky and knock me in the head.
As the sun sunk lower into the hills of sand, Kelly complained about her nail breaking on the handle of her suitcase. I sighed and pulled it out with me bare hands. She thanked me, then laughed. I rolled my eyes and walked to my parents.
"Can I please go to star-seeing after dinner?" I begged. They nodded. I was an easy kid to please. Put me in a bed to sleep in, food on the table, my telescope, binoculars, and notepad and I was a happy camper. I had a blackberry, but I didn't need one. I knew how to work it, but most of the time, I left it at home, charging. I had an iPod, and that came with me everywhere. I loved listening to my music. But perhaps my favorite "toy" was my brand new jeep. It was white and didn't have a roof. There was really no need for one when you live in the desert. It was great for star-seeing. I put all my "nerd junk" as my sister calls it into my jeep. I skipped inside. I was elated to get started. Mom and Dad were serving dinner. My sister was on the phone with her boyfriend of three weeks. She claimed he was the one. When I told her that she should re-evaluate how she thought of him, she just spat at me saying, "You're just jealous you don't have one." I rolled my eyes and continued writing notes down. My elder sister was a highschool graduate. She had just graduated this year and that automatically made her as smart as Einstien. I tried to offer her advice, but she never took it. And seven times out of seven my advice would have worked. But it was her life- what was I to judge.
After this year, I was outta here and on to USC.
I finished my dinner with thoughts of my upcoming future and sped out to my Jeep. It was star-watching time.