Chapter 1
Looks Can Be Deceiving
It felt like the same day over and over again as Richelle walked to school. She walked everyday, her father would never let her drive a car, didn't trust her. She had her permit, but he never let her drive. Once she was allowed to get her license after some driving experience of course she would be able to get a job so that she could get a job like she had always planned on doing.
As she walked a familiar voice called out to her, "Richelle!"
Richelle stopped walking and turned around. She smiled at her friend and exclaimed, "Grace! How are you today?"
"Great. I'm just happy it's the last day of school. No more of this crap once we enter college. No sir."
Richelle laughed a little. She couldn't wait to go to college. She had applied to many, but didn't get a reply back yet. She was hoping to get away from her little town in Mane. Rockwell…it was a nice place, right next to the shore of the ocean…always a nice breeze and always had lobster. Lobster was her favorite. The two talked about graduating the next day. They couldn't wait. After thirteen years of school they were finally going to be able to move out of the house.
Richelle personally couldn't wait to get out of the house. She couldn't wait for her freedom. As they neared the school Grace looked at Richelle seeing something different about her, but didn't know. She always looked different everyday. She decided to ignore it and asked, "So what school are you going to be going to?"
"Don't know, I haven't gotten any replies from any of them." Richelle replied sadly.
Grace looked at her and said, "Well I'm sure they'll let you know soon."
"Grace I sent in the letters months ago."
Grace looked at her friend and said, "Ask your dad about them. He may know…of course if he got a letter addressed to you wouldn't he give them to you?"
Richelle looked at her friend and said, "Yeah….maybe, but you never know. I'm the one who has to take care of him since you know……..since my mom and my unborn baby brother died. He hasn't been the same. I'm the one who checks the mail."
Grace looked at her friend, but her head shot up when she heard her name called then Richelle smiled and exclaimed, "Daniel!" The two girls ran to their friend and hugged their best guy friend ever.
Daniel looked at Richelle up and down and said, "Girl, you look so cute in that outfit today!"
Richelle blushed and said, "Thanks Danny."
Daniel looked at Grace and told her the same thing. Daniel was gay….but they loved him because he wasn't afraid to admit it. Yeah, he had threats when he first came out, but Richelle and Grace stood by him at all times and yelled at anyone who would say something mean to him or about him. As years past people got used to Daniel and came to accept that he was gay and that he couldn't help it. He was born differently.
"So you two girls ready to graduate?" Daniel asked.
"Hell yes." spoke Grace, "I didn't go to school this long to not graduate. No work today. So exciting."
Richelle laughed a little and said, "I'm ready to get away from this place."
"What about your dad?" asked Grace.
Richelle looked at her friend and said, "He's getting better everyday, but he just needs me around a little bit longer. You know…." Richelle cut herself off. Grace shook her head knowing what her friend was saying.
The bell rang signifying everyone they needed to get to class right away. Richelle, Grace, and Daniel all ran to the same classroom. They had the same classes all year round and today was the day for practice. Everyone settled down in their seats as the bell rang and the teacher walked in. It was math class and the teacher said, "Okay…this is your very last, last day of your school career…and I actually have a quiz for you before you leave this room."
The whole class nearly had a panic attack. All their books had been taken up way before anyone else's and they were all complaining. Finally the teacher got everyone to calm down and he asked, "What is the graduating class this year?"
The whole class yelled out at once, "2008!"
The teacher chuckled and exclaimed, "Go to your rehearsal!"
The whole class jumped from their seats and ran out into the hallway with all the other seniors. It felt so good to get out of the school. Daniel, Grace and Richelle ran with the crowd. They got to the Auditorium and it was packed. Their Auditorium was huge. It had two levels inside and the bottom was filled with all the seniors. The principal walked on stage and walked to the microphone and exclaimed, "Congratulations 2008!"
The whole Auditorium roared to life with the screamings and yelling from all the seniors in the room. When everyone calmed down the principal started making her speech. She started talking how hard they had worked to get to this point, but Richelle, Grace and Daniel were not paying attention. They were quietly talking the background. When everyone got up they got up knowing they had to get in order. Grace was near the front since her last name was Black, then Daniel Lovely. Then lastly Richelle Slate.
The whole rehearsal took a couple of hours explaining what they were going to do and how they were going to do it. Of course after they were done they got to leave school early. Earlier than usual. When Richelle exited the school her friends were right behind her asking her what she wanted to do. She didn't really know what to do. She just wanted to hang out, not do anything fancy.
"So, Richelle wanna go out to eat to the park?" asked Daniel.
"The park sounds nice actually." she replied.
Daniel and Grace agreed and walked to the park. It had been forever since they had been to the park. The three sat under a tree and looked up at the clouds…it was the last day of school and they were already out. Tomorrow was graduation…Richelle looked at her friends knowing she would have to go home soon because of her father. Her father had gone into a depression after he lost his wife and unborn son…they were going to name him…Michael.
Hours past and the rest of the school let out, students running to the park throwing Frisbees. Richelle stood up from her place and said, "Well guys I think I better head on home."
"Yeah, I'm right there with you Richelle." spoke Grace. She got up and started walking home.
Richelle started walking home, but stopped when a hand settled on her shoulder. She looked behind her and saw Daniel. "Hey Daniel…what are you doing?"
Daniel looked at her and said, "Richelle, I can't help but look at you and you look as if you're in pain."
"It's nothing Daniel. Nothing you have to worry about." she whispered.
"Okay, but if you need to tell someone anything, don't hesitate to tell me. I'm always here for you."
"Okay." smiled Richelle and then Daniel walked in his direction to his home. She got home before the sun had set and walked in the house. She saw her dad sleeping in his rocking chair and a wrestling game on. It was always best during this time, she didn't have to worry about her father yelling at her or throwing her against the wall.
She quietly walked up to her room and closed the door. She didn't want to stay here any longer. She pulled her suit case from under her bed and opened it up. She started running to her closet getting her close out and all her undergarments. She opened the door and when she did she encountered her father standing there. "What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm packing." she simply said and walked past him.
"I don't think so missy! You are to live in this house!"
"You have no control over me dad! I am eighteen! I should have left when I turned eighteen! I'm tired of you drinking all the time!"
Without a second thought her father slapped her across the face. Richelle looked at him a red mark forming where she was hit. She glared at her father and said, "Nothing you do will ever change my mind dad. As of now you'll be living all by yourself without me to hit on all the time!"
He went to hit her again, but she was on alert and kicked him where it hurt. He fell to his knees in pain. She jumped over him and ran to her room. Toiletries were not important right now, plus she could always buy new ones. She closed her suitcase and started to exit the room when her father stood in the doorway. His eyes seemed to have a red tint in them.
He entered the room and started walking towards her. His hands balled up into fists. He made sure his form blocked the door. He didn't want her getting away. Richelle looked at her father and then her suitcase. Her suitcase wasn't all that important. With all her strength she threw her heavy suitcase at her dad which knocked him over and all her close fell out on him. She ran to the window and climbed out on the roof. She carefully ran to the end of the roof and got in a tree.
She climbed all the way down to the ground and started running fast trying to get away from the house. She heard her father yelling at the top of his lungs and heard a door slam. She needed to get to some cover, like a forest of some kind. An engine roared to life back at her house and lights turned on. She ran into a field and ran for her life. She heard the truck getting closer. She had to get away from her father, and then she heard a sound of the truck pulling off the road.
Richelle turned around and saw the truck was right behind her. She let out a terrified scream and ran faster. She was close to the forest. Her father couldn't fit his truck in between the trees. When she entered them she heard the door open and her father yelling, "YOU GET BACK HERE YOU BITCH!"
Richelle looked behind her and kept running. She didn't like this one little bit. She could barely see in the dark. Everything was only shadows, but there were yellow eyes gazing at them from a distance. She didn't like that. Her father ran at he and tackled her to the ground. Richelle screamed and then her father slapped her.
Ironhide was on his trip around the United States. The Decepticons had been destroyed and he wanted to see the sites, plus he had to get away from everyone. He was driving past a forest and saw a truck parked at the entrance of the forest. That's when he heard a scream. He stopped which made his tires squeal. He transformed and went to see what was going on.
Richelle kicked her father off of her and started running as fast as she could go. She didn't want to stay another minute. She needed to get out of here. Suddenly the ground started shaking which made her fall over a couple of times. She heard some trees crack a little and she whirled around. She confronted two black giant metal legs. She looked up and there stood a tall being. "My God…Bigfoot does exist." she whispered.
Ironhide grunted and didn't like being referred to as mythological creature. He looked down at her and asked, "Are you okay?"
Richelle took in a deep breath, her heart pounding so fast and so hard in her chest she thought it was going to pop out of her chest. She then fainted at the spot. Before she could hit the ground Ironhide caught her in his hand. He let out a sigh. Whatever she was afraid of the thing was gone. He stood up with the small living cargo in his hands. He hoped Optimus didn't mind a new human on the team.
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