Note: I don't own anything but my own characters! :) On with the story!
Chapter One:
Seventeen-year-old Charlotte Willis was having a bad day. She and her drunken uncle had just moved into a decrepit, rundown apartment on the outskirts of Haddonfield, Illinois, and it was her first day at her new school, Haddonfield High.
"Charlotte Willis?" her aging, grey-haired math teacher called, his wire-framed glasses sliding down his vulture-like nose as he called role.
"Charlie," the girl corrected, raising her hand halfheartedly before running her slim, tanned fingers through her waist-length brown-blond hair. Her dark, forest-colored eyes glinted dully from beneath weighted lids as she waited for class to be over. It wasn't like she had any friends to hang out with after the final bell or to walk home with. The only person she knew that lived in her apartments and went to school with her was some spaced-out, junky pot-head named Allen.
The teacher, Mr. Smith, continued on down the roll until he had called everyone, and then moved on to the day's lesson, not even acknowledging the fact that Charlie was new and had no idea what was going on. So with a sigh the brunette rested her chin in the palm of her hand and let her mind wander until the bell rang for her fourth and final period.
"Good afternoon class!" Charlie's Psychology teacher Ms. Cooper exclaimed, sweeping into the classroom in a flurry of brightly colored skirts and tinkling gold bangles. "Today marks the beginning of our yearly class project! And this year is going to be extra special!"
As she spoke she fluttered about the room, gesturing grandly with her arms and sending her numerous bracelets into another fit of light, chime-like jingling.
"This year," she continued with a broad smile, "We are going to be taking bi-monthly trips to Smith's Grove, and all of you will pick and interview one person! At the end of the year, we will be presenting our own case files based on who you have selected!"
A murmur raced through the students at her words, and even Charlie perked up a little while Ms. Cooper proceeded to hand out permission forms. It gave a detailed list of all their scheduled visits, and it came with another sheet listing the project guidelines.
"Our first trip will be to pick your pen-pal partners!" the woman rambled on as she swept back to the front of the class, "So be sure to get your forms signed!"
Charlie grinned widely and tucked the sheet into her bag, actually looking forward to the final bell.
"I'm home!" Charlie called as she shoved the door shut behind her with her foot and dropped her keys into her bag for tomorrow.
"You're late!" came her Uncle Brant's reply from the small, cramped living room. "Go get me a beer!"
Charlie opened her mouth to say something nasty to inebriated guardian, but then remembered her permission slip and promptly snapped it shut before depositing her bag in her room and digging around in the fridge until she found an unopened can. After tossing it to him and stifling a laugh as he missed horribly, she waited for him to figure out the complexity of a pop top and take several long swigs, belching loudly before giving her a bleary glare.
"What do you want?" he slurred.
"I need you to sign something for me," she replied. "School stuff, ya know?"
He considered her for a moment before giving a huge sigh and gesturing slightly. "Bring me the damned sheet and somethin' to write with then," he finally answered.
Suppressing a cheer, Charlie spun on her heel and sprinted to her room, digging out the form and a pencil before dashing back to the bald, pot-bellied man. It took several excruciating seconds before he could focus enough to scrawl his name at the bottom, but once he did Charlie stowed it safely in her book bag and headed into the kitchen to cook dinner, a bounce in her step even when the older man got angry because his food wasn't cooked just right and gave her a sound beating. That night she fell into bed sore but happy.