HEY GUYZ!!! this is my new story...hehehe....the one that was supposed to only be called 'Memories'...
well, go ahead and read :D
I SAID READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I've always lived in my town. MY town. I know all the streets, people, schools, all my friends that I've grown up with.
BUT now that I'm finished with middle school and have to go to high school, I have to leave.
LEAVE.
Leave my home, leave my friends, and leave the familiar streets that I've remembered since I was practically born.
Now I'm going to a small city in California , called 'Memories'. It's called Memories because it 'supposedly' has had a past that only the residents knew. But because generations have gone by, only a few know and no one really cares enough in the town to write down the past and actually know why the town is called what it's called.
My mother told me that. It was the random subject she decided to bring up when she saw the face I made when she told me that she wouldn't be coming with me. It must've been a bad face, because after starting with what she said she went on rambling about other random facts, boring me out of my mind.
I'm going to be living with my grandfather. My grandmother died before I was born, but my grandfather stayed in Memories because that was where they first met. My mother told me their love was strong, and they never left each others sights for a long while. I always thought that was the sweetest thing ever, but now that I'm going to be living with him I…don't really know what I think.
My mother told me that he was very strict. My grandmother, her name was Rose, was the women who calmed him down whenever he got worked up. She told me that once she even gave him a certain look that made him stop talking all at once! I thought that was pretty cool, and silently praised my dead grandmother.
Anyway, she told me to be careful. After Rose died, she told me he had become a little…serious, and he hid his sweet nature deep down within him until the need for it called him to show it. She said that I had to be patient with him, and because I had gotten most of my traits from him that it would be a little harder than it usually would be; to always look on the bright side because, she said, that I would need that in the town of Memories .
And that was basically our whole conversation during our ride home. She was trying to take me away from the fact I would be going there on my own, with no one to help me just in case.
I know I'm fifteen, but seriously! It's my first time traveling. Shouldn't I have a little help?
I told my mother that and she just laughed and shook her head.
What a GREAT mom I have.
SUNDAY- day I arrived at Memories
The plane landed and I grabbed my bag as the rest of the passengers began to stand up. I looked out the little window once more before standing on my feet and following the group of people out.
I walked slowly to the baggage pick-up, not really excited that I was here. I looked through the tall windows showing the outside and saw how everything glowed with the shining of the sun. It looked beautiful, and I stopped walking just to stare.
And then someone crashed into me, and the moment was ruined.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" I took a few 'just in case' steps forward to make sure I wouldn't topple over. I put my hand to my heart and took a deep breathe.
What a great first day.
I turned and smiled. "It's…no problem.." The boy who had crashed into me smiled.
"Thank god." He made the sign of the cross and I couldn't help but laugh a little. You don't really see people do that lately.
"Are you okay?" he asked, placing a hand on my shoulder. I nodded and fixed my bag on my other shoulder. "Yes, of course. Thank you." He nodded and took his hand from my shoulder. "That's good. If you would please excuse me now, I have to leave."
He did a courtly bow which made his dirty blonde hair fall over his grey eyes. Once he stood straight he smiled and walked past me, seeming to be in a hurry.
Well, that was weird.
As he quickly walked away, I noticed he was wearing short sweats that went about to his knees. The shirt he was wearing was slightly big for him, but part of his arms that showed was toned and muscular. He was holding a medium sized black leather bag in one hand. What an odd boy.
I shrugged off the weird encounter and walked fast toward the baggage pick-up, thinking that I have already wasted enough time as it is.
I saw all the bags go around in a circle at least twice until I finally found my bag hidden under a huge red plaid bag. I pushed the red one off and grabbed my plain blue one.
I walked around the airport for a while, trying to figure out what to do next, until I heard my name being called.
"Bella!!" I turned and saw a little boy waving his arms high above his head, pedestrians trying to dodge his flailing arms. He noticed I saw him and finally stopped, running toward me and skidding to a stop once he was right in front of me.
"Hello, Bella!" he said loudly. He seemed very excited. He started jumping up and down, grabbing my hand and pulling me forward.
"Come on!" he said, "Elknight is waiting for us!" he pulled me along through the groups of people, to the outside where hundreds of cars were parked, waiting to pick up or drop off different people. Totally confused, I followed the little boy to a black limo waiting at the curb.
"Sam!" a man with a deep husky voice yelled. I looked to the front of the car and saw the window turned down, a man sticking his head out and looking at us.
"Sam, stop pulling her around and help her with her bags!" the man yelled. Sam stopped mid step and slammed his foot down, saluting the man. "Yes, sir!" he said loudly. I couldn't help but smile.
The man in the limo opened his door and stepped out. "Hello young Bella, my name is Elknight. I am your grandfathers' driver, butler, housekeeper, or……baby-sitter." He looked over at Sam as Sam put my bag into the limo. Sam just smiled innocently and closed the car door.
"Hello, it's nice to meet you." I smiled and he smiled warmly back.
"What do you mean by baby-sitter?" I asked him. He glanced at Sam and fixed his eyes on me.
"I take care of Sam whenever your grandfather can't. Because your grandfather was busy today, I had to take care of him. And also because today was the day you were supposed to come, I had to take him with me. He was very excited to go, he even asked me if he could come before I knew he had to!" he gave a big hearty laugh while shaking his head. Sam just stuck out his tongue and grabbed my hand.
"Come on Bella, let's go! I want to show you the town!" he started pulling me toward the door of the limo and opened it for me, motioning for me to go in first. I smiled meekly and thanked him as I got in.
"No problem!" he said happily, his smile looking as if it was making him glow.
He jumped in after me and sat next to me.
I looked all around me and observed everything as he shut the door. I heard Elknight shut his door and the limo start its engine.
"Uh…" I began, with my usual brilliant sentence starters, "why are we in a limo?" Sam smiled at me and put on his seatbelt. I did the same. "Our grandfather has been working for a very long time, and even though he's retired, he still gets some money. He's also saved a lot, and he wanted you to feel welcome here, so he asked Elknight to get you a limo." He shrugged and looked at me.
"Our grandfather?" I asked. He nodded.
"Our grandfather adopted me when I was about five years old. At first I was set on calling him dad or something like that, but after a few weeks he started talking about…you." He smiled contently and looked forward. "He used to tell me stories of when you were very little and when he and his wife would come to visit you. He said you would always call him grandfather instead of his real name. he always showed me pictures and the stories that went with them, and after I began learning more and more, I became attune to calling him grandfather because I've always wanted to meet you, and I thought that if I did that you would find me or something because we called him the same thing." He laughed lightly and smiled sweetly.
"When I heard you would be coming, I was very excited. I begged and pleaded Elknight to let me come. You have no idea how happy I was when he said I could go." He turned to me then and said, "I've wanted to meet you for a very long time now. I've looked at your picture over and over again, trying to remember your face. That's why I knew who you were when I first saw you!" he smiled brightly and wrapped his arms around me. "You know what this makes us?" he said, almost whispering.
"This makes us cousins of some sort, right? But I don't like being cousins. I told grandfather that and he just laughed. He barely laughs, so I was surprised. Then he looked straight at me, an amused expression on his face, and said: 'then why don't you be her brother?' I actually agreed, and he said it was settled. That now I was your brother and I take on all the roles of brotherly duties and such." He hugged me tighter and rest his head on my shoulder..
"So, now I have a sister…" he yawned. "Ha-ha. Sorry; I stayed up all night because I was too excited. "He unwrapped his arms from me and tried to stretch.
I didn't know whether to cry or laugh or just smile from joy. I think he was one of the sweetest boys' I have ever met, and I get to have him as a…well, a brother! For some reason, it seemed too good to be true.
I was in a limo with my new brother and a very nice driver/butler/housekeeper/baby-sitter, on my way to see my grandfather whom I haven't seen since I was a baby.
Yep. Too good to be true.
I turned to him and smiled, holding back a joyous tear. He really did look tired..
"I have an idea," I said to him. He listened closely. "Are you really tired?" he was quiet for a moment then quickly shook his head and stood straight.
I sighed and shook my head, lightly grabbing his shoulders and leading his head unto my lap so he could lay down on it. He didn't say anything; just let me guide him down onto my lap. He squirmed a little, until his face was facing my stomach, and snuggled into my jacket that was zipped up on me. He smiled and sighed, saying, "See? Having a sister is great." I smiled and tried to keep from laughing.
"Having a very random brother is even greater." I saw his smile grow and felt as he laughed lightly.
He soon fell asleep and I took a chance to look at him. His face looked so young, at least ten years old he could be. He had jet-black hair and light freckles on his face. I closed my eyes and imagined his big light brown eyes looking at me with joy. I smiled contently and opened my eyes to look out the window, looking at the plains and the random trees that were grown here and there.
The dark window separating the driver seat from the backseat rolled down, and I could see the back of Elknight's head.
"Is he finally asleep?" he whispered.
"Yes," I answered shortly. He nodded and chuckled softly.
"That was very sweet of you, Bella. He hasn't been getting very much sleep lately, ever since he's known you were coming. It was quite hilarious, actually."
"How?" I asked.
"Well," he began, "whenever he would come down the stairs for breakfast, he would always looked beaten and bushed. When he would sit down I would say, 'well, my lord! You look so tired! Maybe you shouldn't see Bella when she comes! You should stay here and rest…'" he chuckled again and kept his smile as he continued.
"He would look at me with horror and stand, rub his eyes and practically yell, 'no! I'm perfectly fine! I'm still going there's nothing you could do about it!' then he would sit back down and practically fall asleep on his breakfast." He shook his head and I smiled.
"What does he do at night if he doesn't sleep?" Elknight thought for a moment, then went, "oh yes," and lightly cleared his throat.
"If I remember correctly, he stole some of the photo albums form you grandfathers' room to look at your pictures. Of course your grandfather knows, but he acts oblivious so that Sam can look at them." Elknight smiled thoughtfully.
"My grandfather sounds more…nice than I thought he would be." Elknight nodded.
"Yes, well, your grandfather isn't very 'nice' to people outside his family. Everyone in, though, he tries to act his usual self. He is actually very thoughtful. It's just that side of him is hard to see clearly. He rarely laughs now, but whenever he does it's like he's been laughing forever. It's sort of…complicated."
"Is it because of Rose?" I asked softly. He sat motionless for a moment, only his hands moving the steering wheel to and fro. He took a deep breathe and slowly let it out.
"Yes, I suppose. Well, I don't suppose. I know. It is about Rose, but…also about little things. Your mother, for instance. She moved away and left him. She barely comes to see him, actually, she never does, and she never makes appointments for him to come see you. I guess you could say, now that you're coming, a new light is being lit in his life and he'll have more…encouragement to be himself rather than be locked away." He stopped there and I yearned to learn more, but began to feel tired. I closed my eyes and sighed.
"I can't wait to meet him," I said truthfully.
"He can't wait to meet you, either," Elknight whispered, and it was the last thing I heard before I drifted to sleep.
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I felt the limo stop and Sam started shaking me.
"Bella," he whispered, "Bella, wake up! We're here!"
I let out a yawn and sat up, opening my eyes. I looked at Sam and laughed when I noticed his hair, all disheveled and pointing in all directions. I ruffled his hair more, looked into his eyes and said, "I love your hair."
He stuck his tongue out at me and unbuckled my seatbelt, taking my hand as he led me out of the car. I heard him shut it and walk up beside me.
"This is it," he said as he extended his hand to the building in front of us.
I gasped as I took in everything.
The whole building looked old and rusted, with the paint chipping and looking faded. The windows looked dusty and the steps leading up to the house looked like ones to a horror movie, but fit well with it. It was two stories, but not very tall. The grass outside was brown, but there were living flowers all along the edges of the houses, from Roses to Sunflowers. On the porch there was an old swing that could fit at least two.
"Do you like it?" Sam hesitantly asked.
I looked over the house once more and answered truthfully, "I love it. A lot." He smiled hugely and grabbed my hand, starting to pull me forward.
"Good! I love it too."
"Sam!" Elknight came out of the limo and stopped Sam. "Get her bags.. Let her walk in herself. I'll park the car." Sam pouted but nodded and let go of my hand, half running to the limo.
Elknight walked away before I could say anything so I looked back at the house and began walking forward. When I reached the gate the led to the steps, I slowly opened it, trying to ride it out. I wanted to remember this.
I took one step at a time toward the steps, and slowly walked up them. When I got to the top step I laid my hand on one of the pillars holding up the porch roof. The wind picked up and blew my hair out of my face, and I closed my eyes, trying to print this image in my mind.
I finally dropped my hand and opened my eyes, walking faster into the house. I grabbed the handle, turned it, and walked in.
And froze.
Directly in front of me was a staircase. It looked even dustier then the rest, but I could see footsteps from it being used recently. To my left there was a sitting room, and to my right there was a kitchen. In the sitting room I eyed a door that led to another room, and as I peaked behind the stairs I saw a hallway leading to even more rooms.
How mysterious.
How gloomy.
But it felt like home.
I found myself smiling as I walked further in. there was no noise, no sign of inhabitants, or life. But it felt more at home that any other. More than where I was born.
I heard Sam running up the steps and he dropped my bag at the door, stopping in front of me and gasping.
"Bella? Are you okay?"
I raised my hand to my cheek and realized I was crying. I curiously looked at my now wet finger and smiled, chuckling a bit.
"I'm great. I'm fantastic. I just…I love it here." I smiled genuinely and he jumped up and hugged me tightly.
"That's so great!" he said into my ear. "I was worried for a second." He chuckled lightly then took a step back. "Want me to show you your room?" I nodded vigorously and he smiled and picked up my bag, motioning me to follow him.
"Great. Follow me."
He immediately walked up the stairs and I followed him.
"Nobody's allowed to come up here," he explained, "that's why the steps are so dusty. I was the only one permitted to walk up these steps."
"Why?"
"Because when our grandmother was still alive, she was the only one that went up here. She used to look out one of the windows and stare at the stars. It's one of the things Elknight told me. You see, our grandfather doesn't like talking about grandmother, so at times I like to ask Elknight about her. She seemed like such a nice woman…" we reached the top of the stairs and pointed to his right. "This is where my room is. For some reason, grandfather only let me stay up here. Elknight sleeps in one of the back rooms while grandfather sleeps in the front room. I'll show you theirs when we're finished up here."
He pointed to the left. "This is where your room is." He walked in that direction and opened a door with detailed engravings of flowers and plants carved into it.
He stayed next to it and let me walk in first. As I entered the room he went on talking.
"This is the room grandmother used to look at the stars. I wasn't allowed in this room. Whenever I would try to sneak in, grandfather would somehow know and call me downstairs. It's like he has eyes in the back of his head or something." He laughed at himself and walked into the room, setting my bag down by the door.
"What do you think?"
I looked at the walls and smiled. This room seemed more bright that the others. On the walls was a painted picture of a beautiful sunset with a field of grass near the bottom. All throughout the walls were random butterflies, each different from the other.
The window directly across from the door was long and wide. You could almost see the whole sky. The corner of the window was next to the bed. The bed's frame was silver and curved in delicate ways. Clean blankets were on the bed.
The rest of the room was bare.
"I think it's wonderful," I said as I turned to face Sam. He smiled at me and nodded.
"Good. I'll tell grandfather when he comes home."
"When will that be?" I asked him. He though for a moment.
"Today's Sunday? Right?" I nodded. "Then he'll be home at…I'd say at two o'clock." I nodded and he motioned me forward. "Come on. I'll show you his room, then Elknight's."
We walked back down the stairs and saw Elknight closing the front door.
"Hello kids," he said. "Sam, did you show her her room?" Sam nodded.
"Yep! She said she liked it." Elknight smiled and nodded. He walked into the kitchen and left us alone.
Sam followed Elknight into the kitchen and I followed Sam.
The kitchen looked white and clean.. There was a dining table right in the middle of the room with four chairs around it. Behind the table, next to the refrigerator, there was a door.
"That door," Sam explained, "is the door leading to grandfather's room. We can't go in right now because he's gone, but you'll be able to when he gets back." We left the kitchen and Elknight and walked past the stairs, went around them and walked into a hallway. "The second door to the right is Elknight's room. He never lets me in because he says I'll mess t up or something." Sam punted but shrugged. "I'll sneak in somehow," Sam said, winking. I laughed and he walked into the sitting room, jumping onto one of the couches. I sat on a chair across from him and smiled as he tried to set himself straight.
"So," he said, "how's your mom? I haven't heard a lot about her, but I've seen a couple pictures." I smiled.
"She's doing well." Before I could say anything else he asked, "What's her name?"
"Her name is Renee." He nodded in understanding.
"Where did you go to school?"
"I went to school at Omar High. There are a lot of kids there."
"Well, you won't get that here. There are only about one hundred kids who go to MHS."
"MHS?"
" Memories High School . You'll be starting there tomorrow. I still go to the middle school, so you're going to have to rough it out yourself." He smiled as I gulped.
Oh no. I hated new schools.
"What do you want to be when you're older?" he randomly asked.
"A song writer," I said while smiling meekly. His face perked up and he jumped up and down on the couch. "That's awesome! Not a lot of people in this town like music, and we don't get a lot of good music either. You might say that this town is a little slow. Not a lot of things are in working condition, either."
"Like what?" I leaned forward, genuinely curious as to what he was talking about.
"Like…like some of the stores. We barely get anything shipped here because there are not enough people to buy. The residents end up having to drive all the way to another town."
"Oh," was all I could say.
"Oh yea, and the church." I immediately perked up.
"Church?"
He smiled at my sudden interest and leaned forward. "Yea. Not s lot of people here are very religious. Just the older folk. They say that it's about to shut down because of the lack of people attending. But you know what I think?"
"What?"
"I think that no one attends because it's so boring! I mean, all you do is sit there and listen to a priest drone on and on. At least have some music!"
"They have no music?" I found this odd. The church I always went to couldn't get through one mass without at least four songs sang by the choir.
"Nope. No choir, no nuns, nobody to sing. They have a piano though, which is what I found weird. Why have a piano if there's no music?" he scoffed and shook his head.
"How do you know they have a piano?"
"Well, for fun some of the kids break into the church. We-I mean they, don't do anything bad, we just hang around in it. Because the boy who cleans the church has been gone for the week, we-they've been able to break in more often. It's very fun." He smiled at me and I just rolled my eyes.
"I went to church where I lived. I was actually in the choir."
Sam jumped ten feet in the air and landed on his feet. "Seriously!?"
I nodded.
"You have to sing for me sometime! Nobody here likes to sing, so I've never actually heard someone really sing before in real life. I have on CD, but to actually have a singer in my house! It's awesome!" he twirled around and landed on my lap as I laughed at him.
"Please? Please sing for me sometime?" I laughed at his pouting face and nodded.
"Sure. When I get the courage, I'll come straight to you." His eyes went alight and he kissed me cheek then dramatically let his head fall back.
"I love having a sister," he sighed. "It's awesome."
"You say awesome a lot," I noticed. He nodded, keeping his head down. "It's a habit I got from one of the boys that I hang out with after school. I told him about you. He really wanted to meet you, saying that he wanted you to be his sister also." He smiled and put his head back up. "Then he told his friends, who told their friends, who told the whole population of this town, and now everyone knows you're here." He smiled proudly while I groaned and hit my head, almost making Sam fall.
"I don't like being the center of attention." He laughed at me and got off my lap.
"Well, I guess that sucks, because you're going to be all the attention tomorrow." He grabbed my hand and made me stand up.
"Come on! Let's ask Elknight what's for lunch."
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OMG THAT WAS THE FIRST CHAPTER!!!! please review or else...i'll be...very sad... :( and i HATE BEING SAD DARN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
anywayzz, thank you for reading and I LUV YOU ALLS!!!
eat cookies or else you'll die :3
REVIEW!!!!
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pls??
-Micsel