Chapter 1
"Wynter, you ready to go?" Jasper asked from the front room.
I looked around my room one last time replaying a thousand different memories of me and Grandpa in my mind's eye. A few silent tears ran down my cheeks. Eight months. It's been eight months since his passing, yet it still feels like only yesterday we were sitting around the kitchen table playing cards, eating junk food, and cracking jokes. Now I get to travel to the other side of the country, leaving all my friends behind to go live with the Cullens. Just like Grandpa wanted.
"Wynter?" Jasper called again.
I snapped out of my reverie, "Coming," I said as I wiped the tears away. I reached down and grabbed my purse then turned around and walked out of my bedroom. This house feels so empty without you here I thought as I walked down the hall to the front room.
"You okay?" Jasper asked when he saw me.
"Yeah…no I'm fine, just missing him ya know?" I said as this peaceful feeling started to settle over me.
"Alice is out by the car directing the movers."
"Poor guys. She's probably got them runnin' in circles," I said with a small laugh, trying to lighten the mood. Jasper and I walked side by side out to the car. Alice was perched on top of a canary yellow Porsche chatting a mile a minute on her cell phone. She had the movers leave ahead of us so that way my things would be already at the house by the time we arrived. I stopped a few steps shy of the car while Jasper walked up to the hood and held out his hand to Alice. She quickly ran through a goodbye before hanging up and putting her hand in his. They looked at each other—exchanging words silently—before she climbed off of the Porsche and stood beside him.
"You ready sweetheart?" She asked me as she held out her hand to me.
I looked back at the house for a few moments before turning back to Alice and taking her hand in mine, "Yeah," I smiled half-heartedly.
After about fifteen minutes into the car ride, I put my headphones in and leaned my head against the window as the life I once knew disappeared right before my eyes.
*~Flashback~*
"Watch me Grandpa! Watch me!" I holler out from the monkey bars.
"I'm watching, Istas," he said from the edge of the playground. I smile and start my climb across the monkey bars. At the end of the climb I look over to see Grandfather talking to some people. I run over to him yelling, "Did you see me? Did you see what I did?"
"Yes little one. I saw," he said picking me up and holding me in his arms.
"I did it all by myself!"
"Well hello there little one. What's your name?" A woman with light brown hair and golden eyes asks me.
"I'm Istas! But you can call me Wynter. I like your eyes. They're pretty," I smile at her.
"Why thank-you Wynter, your eyes are pretty too." The lady replies.
"What's your name?"
"Esme."
"That's pretty I turn my head towards Grandpa, "Can we go swing now?"
I sit at the head of the table in a pair of shorts and an aqua blue tank top that has the Statue of Liberty on it. Some kids from school and the neighborhood were there. We were all waiting for Grandpa to get back with my birthday cake while the other kids' parents watched us. Us kids were goofing off and poking each other when one of the parents hollers out, "Okay kids, settle down! Katcv's back!" I start bouncing in my seat, ready to blow out the candles.
"Where's the birthday girl?" I hear Grandpa ask as he walks through the front door.
"Right here Grandpa!" I yell back as he walks toward the table—cake in hand. I gasp when I see the cake. The top half is circular; light blue icing, black trim with a winged heart that has the number ten written on the front of it. The bottom half is rectangular with pink icing, black trim, black and blue stars and my name written across the front. There were stars and a guitar topper on the top of the cake for candles.
"Now you be sure to thank Esme for making you the cake."
"Are they coming?" I ask.
"They'll be here any minute. Do you want to wait for them before doing the cake?"
"Yeah," I smile and nod.
"All right. You kids run along and play for a little while. We'll call you back in when it's time."
Several rounds of cops and robbers later Grandpa called us back in. I look over to see Edward, Esme, Carlisle, and Rosalie standing by the door.
"Eddy!" I yell out as I run across the yard to where they are standing.
"Hello Wynter," Edward smiles as he picks me up, "How is the birthday girl today?"
"Good. Did you see my cake?"
"I have."
"Nana made it for me," I stated proudly.
"She did? I'm sure you have thanked her already."
"Oh!" I say, turning to Esme, "Thank-you Nana." I lean my body over toward her to give her a hug while staying in Edward's arms.
"You are welcome Sweetheart," she says, hugging me back. I turn my face and kiss her cheek before letting go.
"Wynter," Edward started.
"What?" I ask innocently, He gave me a stern look. "How could I have told her thank you before now if she just got here?" I ask raising my hands in the air questioningly.
"Why Edward I do believe you have been outsmarted by a ten-year-old." Rosalie says. I laugh before climbing out of Edward's arms and drag Rosalie to the table with me.
"Out!" my team and I shout in unison. The line judge tosses me the ball as I walk to the service line. Once I reach my spot I start slamming the ball against the floor to gauge distance for my toss. After finding the sweet spot I hold the ball at eye level before scanning the crowd. In the middle section I see Emmett, Edward, Carlisle, Jasper, and Grandpa watching me. I nod my head once before turning my attention back to the court. I aim the ball in the center of the court then I take a deep breath and serve the ball. The other team looked ready to return the serve, but at the last moment the girl in the middle squeals and ducks out of the way. The ball strikes the center of the court. I smile as I hear my family cheer. My team and I chant 'Ace baby ace!' and they give me a high five before returning to our positions for another serve.
*~End Flashback~*
"Wynter? Wynter, sweetie we're home," I heard a voice say as my body shook. I moaned but could not open my eyes.
"It's all right Alice. I got her," another voice said. I felt my body being taken out of the car and carried through the air. I turned my body toward whoever was carrying me and started to fall back asleep, but not before catching a snippet of a conversation.
"…been asleep the entire way… it comes and goes… still so heartbroken… I wasn't going to!... was going to tomorrow… I agree…"
