Okay, so, I said in the "summary" that I would put a full summary inside, but ah... (-_-') I totally forgot. So here it is, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thanks!
Summary- Nicole Kelly is a seventeen year old girl, the daughter of a drunk, gambling thief... and she is a victim of child abuse... For fourteen years of her life. When something comes up and they have to move again, will Nicole finally find friends? Is there still hope?
"Wake up! We need to get moving!" I opened my bleary eyes. 'Wake up... I haven't slept at all!' I thought, frustrated. I looked outside the window and was
temporarily blinded by the sun shining brightly off the snow. I unbuckled my seatbelt and grabbed my bag before opening the car door and stepping outside. I
stared at the small house. It was tiny, grayish brown, and dingy. It had a dismal feel to it, but I didn't complain. I walked up the steps behind my father, who
unlocked the door and stepped inside before I did. I didn't even bother to look around. We'd been in too many to be fascinated by our houses. He pointed
down a hall to a small, dark room. "That's yours. Go unpack." Not wanting trouble, I trudged down the hall and into my new room. It wasn't too bad. It had
multiple, wide windows that let in a lot of sun, and a dusty set of drawers sat in a far corner next to a mirror. I dropped my bag on the floor and sat down on
the old bed. A cloud of dust flew into the air and caught the sunlight. I squinted out the window. Where were we? Somewhere far from New York? Maybe, if it
had taken all night to get here we must be... Unless he took the long way to dissuade anyone following us. I never paid attention on car rides anymore. I
heard my father shouting for me and I ran out into the main room. He stood there, waiting for me. "Go to the store and get some rags and cleaning liquid. The
cheapest kind they've got." He handed me a plastic bag full of bills and pointed to the door. I went to the door but stopped before exiting to ask, "Where's the
store?" He rubbed his temples. "Just fuckin' ASK someone! Are you a toddler?! Go! Or you WILL regret it..." He glared at me and I darted outside. I shuffled
down the street, kicking up the fluffy, thin layer of snow as I went. I heard kids playing, but I didn't turn to look. I didn't bother trying to make friends anymore,
my closed off personality pushed them away. I stopped at a newspaper box and looked at the title. "Burgess Times..." I murmured. Pennsylvania? I shrugged.
'It's inconspicuous... Great job dad, you've yet again crushed my hopes of you getting caught.' I wandered around for a little bit, shivering slightly, before
asking someone where the nearest store was. The young man kindly told me the directions and I thanked him before heading off. I opened the door, the bell
jingling. I went to the small cleaning supplies section and got a bottle of cleaning spray and a few micro fiber rags. On my way to the cash register, I spotted a
shelf of cheap, plastic rubber bracelets, so cheap that I could buy them with my pocket-money. I grabbed two packets and went to the counter. The lady smiled
as I payed for the stuff and I thanked her as she put my merchandise in a plastic bag. I left the store and sighed, staring up at the white, puffy clouds. "It's so
pretty here..." I murmured to myself. I felt calmer here, as if I would be safe here. I ran back home and entered my new house. I put my bracelets in my
pockets and placed the cleaning things on the table. My father came out and nodded. "Good. Now get ready, we're going over to my sister-in-law's house to
greet them. Be polite. And don't say anything. I mean it." I nodded earnestly and went back to my room to change into cleaner clothes. I put on a pair of baggy
jeans and a dark blue turtleneck. I zipped up my bag and shoved it under the bed. I went to the living room to see my dad waiting by the front door, tapping
his foot. He scowled at my hair, which was pulled into a messy pony-tail in the back. "Fix that later. Let's go." We left the house and turned left. The house was
beautiful. It was huge, pristine and white, with red trim on the door and windows. A set of steps led up to the front door, and many footprints led in and out.
My dad walked up to the door and knocked. "Just a moment please!" A voice called. A few moments later a middle woman opened the door. She had brown
hair tied into a bun and black rimmed glasses covered her amber eyes. A look of surprise adorned her face. "Kenneth! I haven't seen you in years! How are
you?" She opened the door wider to let us in. I tried my best to blend into the background. It worked. The woman closed the door. "How have you been?" She
asked my father. He gave her a smile, which, to me, was obviously fake. "I've been well Mrs. Bennett, you?" 'Bennett... Nice name.' She noticed me. "Oh my
goodness, is that Nicole? You're so big!" She gave me a huge hug. "How old are you now?" I Smiled awkwardly and answered, "I'm seventeen." She patted my
shoulder. "You were so small last I saw you... Still in your mothers arms. Speaking of which, where's Jennifer?" I saw my fathers fists tightened. "She died of
lung cancer, when Nicole was three." Mrs. Bennett placed a hand over her heart. "I'm so sorry to hear that..." There was a tense silence before it was broken
by the voice of a young boy. "Mom, who's here?" He called. I heard footsteps pounding on the stairwell and the boy came around the corner, still in his PJs. He
had rich brown hair and the same amber eyes as his mother. He looked to be around twelve. Mrs. Bennett beckoned him over and he darted up to us. "This is
your Uncle Ken and your cousin Nicole. Ken, Nicole, this is my son Jamie." He grinned and saluted the two of us. I couldn't help but grin. His personality was
contagious. My dad looked at me and said, "Why don't you and Jamie go and hang out. I'd like to catch up with Mrs. Bennett." Mrs. Bennett nodded and added,
"That's a great idea. Oh, and just Ellie's fine." The two adults walked into the dining room together and I was left alone with a hyperactive twelve year old. Not
that I minded. "Sup Jamie? Anything interesting going on?" Jamie smiled and nodded. "Oh yeah, but you wouldn't believe half the stuff I told you!" I smirked.
"Try me." He stuck his tongue out at me playfully. "Maybe later." I shrugged. "Fair enough." We stood quietly for a few seconds before Jamie grabbed my hand
and pulled me towards the stairs. "Let's go up to my room! I'll show you my art." I smiled and followed him. He burst into his room and I was hit by a blast of
cold air. The window was open. I looked around the room, taking in the posters and drawings lining the walls. There were pictures from when he was younger
to now. I looked at a crayon drawing of what I guessed was him on a sled, flying over a group of other children. I felt Jamie tug on my arm and I turned to look
at him. He was holding a stuffed folder. "C'mere." He ushered. He jumped up onto his bed and I sat down next to him. He opened up the folder and my breath
caught in my throat. There was a beautiful drawing of a woman who seemed to be a hybrid of bird and human, her feathers were coating her body and she
held a cylinder box in her hands. Her lavender eyes seemed to make contact with mine, even through the paper. "That's-that's amazing!" I hesitantly reached
forward and looked at the next piece of artwork. It was of a short man, who was all gold, and he was creating figures with what I presumed was sand. "Where
do you get these ideas?" I asked. He looked down sheepishly. "You would laugh at him if I told you." I shook my head. "I don't think I would." Jamie was quiet
for a minute and he opened his mouth, but he was interrupted by my father calling me. "Nicole! We have to go now!" I shrugged and looked at Jamie. "I'll see
you soon, little dude." I held up my hand to high-five him. He did so happily. "See you Niki! Wait, are you close?" I nodded. "We literally just moves in next door,
that crappy house to the right. I walked over to the door. "I've gotta go now, but I'll see you later Jamie. Bye!" "Bye!" I rushed down the stairs and left with my
dad after bidding Mrs. Bennett goodbye. I grinned. For the first time ever, I was looking forward to seeing someone again.
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Maybe this wasn't such a bad thing after all.