News traveled fast around Castle Rock so it was only natural that all 1200 people knew of the new family that was coming from San Francisco. After a week of the news circling the family arrived. A man, woman and two children. The woman wore a white summer dress and a sun hat, the man dressed in casual clothes. There was a nine year old boy that dressed similar to the man and a fourteen year old girl. The girl looked miserable; she wore ripped jeans, a black shirt and work boots. Around her neck hung a shark tooth necklace; despite the way she dressed there was a skip in her step. It almost seemed unnatural like didn't know she was doing it. The small family went into the confines of the two story cottage.

The next day the fourteen year old girl awoke in her new room, she dressed herself in shorts and a yellow singlet. She brushed her hair and applied make-up to her bruises to cover her black eyes so no one would see her as different or ugly. She grabbed her books and started to walk to the bus stop where her little brother waited for her.
"Hey Sandy," he said in a small voice.
"Hey Davie, little buddy," Sandra said faking a smile.
Both of them knew what happened to Sandra when the door was closed, she put her hand on her half brothers shoulder and they shared a quick hug before stepping onto the yellow bus.

At school Sandra said goodbye to Davie and she walked to her next class. She looked down at her time table and saw the word she dreaded, the one class she hated. Science. She walked to the other side of the campus and entered the room, all eyes were on her.
"Ah miss Rodgers," the teacher said looking at her.
"It's Maher actually," Maher was her real fathers last name.
"It says Rodgers."
"Yeah Rodgers is my stepfather."
"Than I'll call you by that."
"No," she snapped accidentally.
"Miss Rodgers sit down."
"Yes ma'am," she said sitting beside a brunette, he wore a white shirt tucked into his blue jeans.

He looked at her and saw the sorrow in her blue eyes; they sat silently listening to the teacher give instructions of to conduct the experiment. After the instructions she left the room leaving them to their work. The boy turned to Sandra and stuck out his hand.
"Hi I'm Chris, Chris Chambers," he said.
"Hey, Sandra Maher," she replied shaking his hand.
She told him she didn't want to be called by her stepfathers name because she hated him. She didn't tell him why she hated him she just decided that he could figure it out on his own.
"Hey wanna come with me after school and I'll show ya around," he offered.
"Yeah but can you pick me up at home?"
"Yeah course."
After school she went back home and locked herself in her room so she could get dressed. Suddenly a knock rang out on her door; she opened it to reveal her mother.

"What do you want?" she grunted.
"I'm just getting the washing sweet heart."
"No, you don't get to sweet heart me, Marie."
"I am your mother do not disrespect me," she hissed.
"Why not after what you let him do to me your just a brainwashed bitch from hell and I hate you!" she screamed running out of the house.

Half way down the road she smacked into Chris and three other guys. A scrawny skinny one, a short chubby one and one with glasses and a psychotic laugh. After the moment she stopped running she began to cry, she cried uncontrollably for about an hour. They ended up in the tree house and she had her head on Chris' shoulder. He rubbed her back and told her it was going to be ok.
"I'm real sorry guys," she sobbed.
"No, no you're in pain and we're here for ya," Chris said hugging her.
"Yeah but I'm all better now."
"Let's go to the lake!" Gordie (the skinny one) practically yelled. His idea was met by 'too cool' or 'very cool', the five of them ran to the lake. Sandra who had one metals in diving competition ran to the deepest end of the lake and stood on a rock that stood at least three meters above the water. She braced herself by stretching her arms above her head so they formed a triangle.
Then without warning she threw her body in the air doing a perfect flip then dove into the water making a slight splash. It wasn't until she resurfaced that she realized the boys had watched her perfect swan dive. She wiped the hair out of her eyes and laughed uneasily at the face of the boys.

"Where did you learn that?"
"I attended an academy in San Francisco that taught stuff like diving, dancing and artistic talents to children. We would dive into lakes all the time."
"You're very good," Chris said patting her arm.
After they swam they sat around and talked about stuff, suddenly a song came on the radio that Sandra used to dance to so instinct took over and she started grinding, shaking and shimmying to the song. To her surprise the guys joined her. They were laughing so hard that they lost track of time.
"Shit, cya guys," Gordie said grabbing his stuff and leaving the group.
"Yeah I gotta go to, sincerely," Vern (the fat one said.) running off.
"Yeah I should probably go to, you know before my mom really starts to worry," Teddy (the one with the glasses) said bolting through the trees.

Eventually it was just Chris and Sandra, neither wanted to go home. Chris's home life was rough; his dad would beat him senseless while he was drunk. But it was nowhere near as Sandra's home life, her stepfather would abuse her physically, mentally and in other ways that chilled Sandra to the bone when it passed through her mind.
"Hey Sandy what's going on at your house?" Chris asked obvious concern in his facial features and body language.
"I'd rather not say," Sandra said looking down at the small fire that the group lit.
"Listened, Sandy everyone here has a bad home life. I get hided all the time, Gordy's dad still ignores him, Teddy's dad's insane and his mother is struggling to support him and Vern's brothers horrible to him," Chris said. "Hell you ask anyone in this old town and half the damn popularity would have domestic problems, so I ask you again Sandy what is going on in your house."

Sandra looked down at the fire pit in silence for awhile before speaking, her voice shaking from the tears coming down her face that resembled Niagara Falls. Chris placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and pulled her into a side hug.
"My stepfather Derek hits me all the time while my mother watches, my little brother cries for me at night because he hears my screams but no one helps me, Derek is horrible and relentless he is a monster and I wish I could leave and be a hundred miles from him," Sandra cried.
"Shit, I didn't know it was that bad."
"Yeah my mother says to deal with it because it's the only way he knows how to show his love."
"Bullshit, now I don't want you going home."
"Yeah I know but we should," Sandra said standing up and brushing the sand off her pants.

Chris put out the fire and they walked home together, he watched Sandra climb the veins up to her bedroom so she wouldn't wake her parents. He waited till she disappeared into the dark room when he turned next door and entered his house. Chris bolted upstairs before his father could yell or do anything; he ran into his small bedroom and slammed the door placing his desk chair against the handle. He flicked on his light revealing his wooden bed, the blankets unchanged since he was seven. They didn't have patterns, his family couldn't afford fancy patterns instead it was a dark blue with a white pillow. He looked at his old oak desk that he never used; it was piled with old books and papers that he just didn't care about any more.

His attention moved from the old desk to the wardrobe beside it, the doors had broken off two years ago so he could see the little amount of clothing he had. He closed his eye to think when suddenly a scream that could've woken the dead rang out.
"Stop it please, I'm sorry!" the familiar voice called.
Chris sat bold up in his bed and yelled out Sandra's name, his mother raced to his room and knocked on the door.
"Chrissie are you ok hun?"
"Yeah mom I'll be back," he said opening the door and running past his confused mother.
Chris didn't much like his mothers nickname for him, his brother and his brother's friends teased him for it so it wasn't long before it went around school. Chris ran to Sandra's front door to find it open, he entered the house and bolted upstairs.

Derek saw Chris and locked him out; Chris hit the door with anger and walked back to his house. He didn't sleep that night. A few sleepless weeks later he got out of bed and bolted to Sandra's house. He opened the door that was unlocked again and walked into the empty house. His heavy footsteps like thunder in the silence of the house, it didn't feel right to call it a home there was nothing homey about it. He opened Sandra's bedroom door and found her whimpering in the corner, Chris stopped for a second to breath. He didn't know what to do; his friend was helpless in the corner. He eventually snapped out of it and rushed to her side embracing her.

"Ouch."
"Oh I am so, so sorry," he said pulling back.
"I'm can you turn so I can get dressed?"
"Sure," he said standing up and staring at the door.
Sandra grabbed a red t-shirt and tight jeans, she pulled them on and told him to turn around, and Chris saw a long scratch across her cheek. He placed his hand on her cheek cupping it gently. She winced but he continued he moved his other hand to her other cheek until he held her face gently in his hands.
"Hey Sandy wanna go camping?" he asked.
"Sure, yeah I'd love it," she said removing his hands from her face.

They bolted to the tree house and told the guys.
"Wanna go for another walk?" Chris asked.
Immediately they went home and packed their camping gear, Gordie stopped Chris for a second.
"Hey where are we gonna go?"
"Were going to go to where the train stops," he said smiling.
"What if it doesn't stop?"
"Then we'll go further than last time by like a day alright."
"Sure."

After they packed their belongings they met at the edge of town, the five of them started their long trek to Royal River. After a few long hours they decided to put up camp for the night, they set it up near a small isolated water body. The boys took their shirts off and dove straight in; Sandra caught herself looking at Chris admiring his muscles. She turned to look at the ground when he caught her.
"Hey wanna do your dive off the bridge?" he asked.
"Um, I didn't bring any bathers?" she said.
"Swim in you under clothes."
"Yeah you'd like to see that wouldn't ya Chris."
"Sure if you're offering," he laughed.
Sandra removed her top showing her undershirt, Chris smiled slightly but tried to hide it. She removed her and walked to the bridge, she braced herself the way she did on at the lake back home. She then flipped into the water; she resurfaced right in front of Chris. He splashed her playfully and grabbed her head and pushed her under the water playfully. They both looked at each other and he wiped the hair from Sandra's eyes.

He placed his hand on the back of her neck, Sandra found herself wanting this kiss. Suddenly Chris filled the space between them, the air was full of 'awe's' and 'ew' and 'cut it out.' Sandra pushed Chris back after thirty seconds, she smiled at him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Does this mean we're dating?"
"Yeah, I-I guess it does."
"Cool."
That night they laid around the campfire sharing things about themselves and Gordie shared one of his famous stories. After they talked, they all fell asleep around the crackling fire. That was the first night in a long time that she could sleep.

The next morning they were awoken by the train and packed their sleeping gear, as they were walking Chris put his arm around Sandra and pulled her close kissing the top of her head. He whispered something inaudible to the rest of the team, suddenly Sandra burst out laughing. The boys turned and saw Sandra red from laughing so hard.
"What's so funny?" they asked in unison.
"Nothing, nothing at all."
In truth Chris had told her about something he had in his pocket that would protect her and him when the time came.
"Oh c'mon Quag tell us," Gordie said.
"Fine," Chris told them and they all went white.
"Ew, you better not do it while were here," Teddy said.
"It was for precaution."
"For what if you slip and fall?"
"Ok bye guys," Sandra said smiling.

She walked ahead of them and Chris tapped Gordie on the shoulder and smiled, he gestured to Sandra's back and stuck his thumb in the air and winked. The boys started laughing so Sandra turned around in time to see the gestures Chris was making with his hips and hands, Sandra glared at him.
"Sorry hun," he said walking to stand beside her.
Sandra and Chris held hands as they walked the same path the boys did two years ago, Sandra rested her head on his shoulder as they walked. After walking for what seemed like days but had only been five hours they got to the same river where they got covered in leaches. Gordie and the boys decided to swim fast through the water and not muck about, Chris informed Sandra about the incident and so she followed the guys through the murky water. After reaching the other side they looked for leaches quickly then continued on their way.

After walking for days they eventually got back home, Sandra said goodbye to Chris and entered her house. Seconds after entering Derek smacked her across the face, she tried to run but he threw her into the wall. Marie watched and laughed while telling Sandra that her father just died, a helpless Sandra cried out for help. Suddenly Chris burst through the door with his brother eyeball, eyeball tackled Derek who was holding a hot stick. Chris ran to Sandra who was bleeding in the corner, he wrapped his jacket around Sandra and picked her up carrying her outside. The ambulance was soon there and took her to the nearest hospital.

After a week of being in hospital Sandra woke from her a comma, she was told by child services that if she couldn't find an appropriate family by herself she would be sent to foster care. So she went back to Castle Rock and eventually started living with Vern. One night in the tree house they boys noticed the shark tooth necklace around Sandra's neck, Chris who had his arm around her kissed the leather string on her neck and pulled out the sharp white tooth.
"What's this?" he asked observing it.
"It's ah from my dad."
"Oh, what is it?"
"It's a shark tooth, dad gave it to me before I left San Francisco," she said pulling the string over her head and laying the tooth in her hand.
"It's neat," Gordie said.
"Where did he get it?" Teddy asked.
"Australia he went there a month before mom asked for a divorce."

Chris noticed her face cringe creasing her beautiful face, he kissed her delicate cheek and rubbed her arm as he kissed the back of her ear and down her neck.
"Ah Chris," Gordie said faking a cough.
"Screw you Gordie," he joked.
"You first."
Sandra rolled her eyes as the guys carried out their usual quarreling; she just sat there admiring her necklace. Suddenly it slipped through her fingers and fell to the ground below the tree.
"Shit," she muttered moving towards the door.
She climbed down the ladder and saw it wasn't there; she fell to her hands and knees and started searching through the dirt for her necklace. She heard laughter and turned to tell the boys to shut up but she saw Ace and his gang leaning against a nearby tree laughing at the helpless girl on the ground.

"What you looking for Sandpit?"
"My necklace Ace do you know where it is?"
"Maybe I do, maybe I don't that's for me to know."
"Screw you, give me my damn necklace."
"Why, what's so special about it? It's a tooth," Billy said laughing.
"It was a gift from my father."
"I thought he beat the shit out of ya," Ace joked.
"Wrong dad douche bag."
"Ah ok so you want it right?"
"Yes," she grunted.
"How bad?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you want it bad enough that you'd kiss Eyeball for it?"
Chris, Gordie, Vern and Teddy came down from the tree after hearing Ace's question.

"C'mon man, don't do this," Chris said to Ace.
"It's just one kiss, no harm."
"Fine," Sandra said.
"Sandy?" Chris said. "You don't have to."
"I want my necklace Chris, don't worry I'll wash my lips."
"Ok, as long as I kiss you first."
"Oh ok."
Chris locked lips with Sandra and it lasted until Ace broke it up, Sandra asked for her necklace first. Once it was securely in Chris's hand Eyeball grabbed his brother's girlfriend and crashed his lips against hers, he held her there and began to move his hand towards her butt. She tried to push him away but his strong right hand on her back kept her from doing so, Chris tried to intervene but Ace pushed to the ground with a thud.

Eventually Sandra was able to bring her knees up between his legs causing Eyeball to grunt causing him to release the kiss. She brought her fist to his face drawing blood from the inside of his cheek, she pushed him to the ground and ran to Chris and she helped him up off the ground. Sandra hugged his torso; Chris rested his chin on her head and rubbed her back soothingly. He then shot a look at his brother that said "You ass hole touch her again your dead." Chris then grabbed her around her waist and pulled her along beside him, he put her necklace around her neck and kissed her lips.
"I'm sorry darling," she said.
"Nah don't sweat it, it was mainly my dick head brother."

Four years later they were all preparing to go to college, Sandra who was still living at Vern's house pulled on her sweat pants and t-shirt before pulling on her converse and tying her hair into a ponytail that sat on her back and almost reached the middle of her back. She jogged to the letter box and pulled out a pile of letters, one was addressed to her. She ripped open the seal of the envelope and pulled out a letter from Virginia State University, she read the letter which said:

Dear Sandra Maher,
We are pleased to announce that you have been accepted into VSU. We have read and reread your application and will be delighted to have you on our campus.
Kind regards,
Dean William Winters.

Sandra threw the remains of the envelope in the bin and folded the acceptance letter placing it in her pocket; she jumped up and squealed before bolting towards the tree house not breaking a stride from her house to the hill where the tree house sat. She climbed the ladder and jumped into Chris's arm, it was only Chris and Gordie in the tree house, in fact it was really only Sandra, Chris and Gordie left in the gang everyone else just became a blur in the chaotic environment called High School. Chris held his girlfriend and both he and Gordie were wondering what she was squawking about.
"What's up?"
"I got in, I got in!"
"Got in where baby?"
"VSU!"
"Oh that's awesome," he said.
"But that means I'm gonna have to leave Castle Rock."
"And me?"
"Yeah oh god I can't believe I'm saying this but I think we need to break up, long distance relationships never work out hun."

A week later Sandra caught the train to Virginia, she kissed Chris for the last time and he watched in subtle tears as she disappeared into the fog. Gordie placed his arm on Chris's shoulder and pulled him backwards, the two friends walked home, Chris kicking away a miscellaneous can in front of him as he walked home…