What's So Good About Picking Up the Pieces ?
I'll Be the Brightest Someday
The wind blew through the windows of my car, causing my hair to whip in tendrils around my face. I used one hand to brush the now messy waves out of my face, eyes focused on the road. I smiled to myself as I reached the city limits. I had done it; I had left everything behind me and gotten out of this town. My destination was South Carolina, to buy a house on the beach and live in peace. Sure, I was leaving my family and my friends behind, but I knew a few people in South Carolina. I had dumped my boyfriend of seven months, Anthony, and I was making a fresh start. Here’s to new beginnings, I thought.
Fifteen long hours and many rest stops later, I pulled into the gravel driveway of my new home. It was beachy, made of wood, and light blue with white accents, overlooking the water. It was beautiful, I just hoped I would get to spend enough time there between shifts at the hospital. It was secluded, but I could still see my neighbor’s house down the beach. I hauled boxes into my house and decided to take a rest. I slipped on some jean cut-offs and a loose Of Mice and Men tank top, heading out to the deck. My new neighbors caught my eye as I looked out over the water. The house was around the same size as mine, only all white. It appeared to house four guys of varying appearance, but from what I could tell, they were all very attractive. I smiled to myself, and dialed my friend Shayla’s number.
Shayla had been in nursing school with me, but had moved immediately after getting her degree. She had helped me get a job down here and helped me house hunt. I invited her over for a celebration and started cooking dinner. I grilled up some chicken, and decided to fix up my appearance a bit in case I happened to meet the guys down the beach. I stared at my reflection; taking in my pale skin, my bright hazel eyes, and my boring light brown hair. I lined my top lash line with black eyeliner, and some mascara, applied some blush, and tossed my long wavy hair. I shrugged, leaving the bathroom to finish dinner.
When Shayla arrived, we went out back and made a bonfire facing the beach. The sunset was beautiful, and the weather was perfect. It felt great to have a degree, be in my early twenties, own my own house, and be where I wanted to be. Especially since not too long ago, my life hadn’t been so peachy. My older brother Alex had been kidnapped two years ago, when I was twenty-three. He worked for a big law firm and made big money, and some psychopath got jealous of his success. He was gone for four months, and I fell into a depression. I was so sure he was going to be dead, but my parents were so sure that he would escape, due to his intelligence. They were so optimistic, and I was so morose, and I admit I did things that I’m not proud of. But until you’re in that situation, until your own flesh and blood, your best friend is kidnapped, you don’t know what it’s like. You never think it’s going to happen to you until it does.
Alex’s body was found the day before my twenty-fourth birthday.
It was the hardest time of my life, and I began to break down. I began having nightmares, and anxiety attacks. I could no longer go out in public without fearing being kidnapped myself. They say one out of every one hundred people is a psychopath, and that meant anyone and everyone was a threat to me. Some days I was catatonic, and no one could snap me out of it. The only person who I would think about was Alex, and how much I missed him. It was also hard for me to see my parents like that, faking smiles and trying to stay strong for me when I knew they were dying inside. But one day, I woke up and I thought of all the life plans I had made, and I put them into motion. I threw myself into my studies and finally got my nursing degree, and then I made changes and ended up here. I wasn’t going to let my past spoil my future, this was my time to shine.
“Ches ? Chesney ?” Shayla was waving her hand in front of my face, breaking my reverie. “Sorry,” I smiled sheepishly at her, and she chuckled. “I just got too caught up in my own thoughts I guess .” “What are you thinking about ?” She questioned me curiously. I sighed, “Alex.” She winced, she knew about the whole story, and as one of my best friends, I know it upset her to think something like that had happened to me. We got to talking about creeps these days, so naturally, when I felt a hand on my shoulder, I jumped out of my seat and screamed. I turned around to see my four neighbors behind me. The one with the wild spiky hair spoke up loudly “ Sorry !” He ginned, holding his hand out. “I’m Jaime, and this is Mike(pointing to a tall guy with tattoos and a lip ring), Tony(a guy with big gauges and tattoos as well), and Vic(shoulder length hair, nose ring, no tattoos). I couldn’t help but notice how they were all very good looking, in unconventional ways. I liked tattoos, I had a few myself. Shayla stepped out from behind me and introduced herself, and I finally shyly stated my name. “Would you like to stay for our little party ?” I asked, a little more confident now. They nodded, and that was how it all began, with one summer night down in South Carolina.
Fifteen long hours and many rest stops later, I pulled into the gravel driveway of my new home. It was beachy, made of wood, and light blue with white accents, overlooking the water. It was beautiful, I just hoped I would get to spend enough time there between shifts at the hospital. It was secluded, but I could still see my neighbor’s house down the beach. I hauled boxes into my house and decided to take a rest. I slipped on some jean cut-offs and a loose Of Mice and Men tank top, heading out to the deck. My new neighbors caught my eye as I looked out over the water. The house was around the same size as mine, only all white. It appeared to house four guys of varying appearance, but from what I could tell, they were all very attractive. I smiled to myself, and dialed my friend Shayla’s number.
Shayla had been in nursing school with me, but had moved immediately after getting her degree. She had helped me get a job down here and helped me house hunt. I invited her over for a celebration and started cooking dinner. I grilled up some chicken, and decided to fix up my appearance a bit in case I happened to meet the guys down the beach. I stared at my reflection; taking in my pale skin, my bright hazel eyes, and my boring light brown hair. I lined my top lash line with black eyeliner, and some mascara, applied some blush, and tossed my long wavy hair. I shrugged, leaving the bathroom to finish dinner.
When Shayla arrived, we went out back and made a bonfire facing the beach. The sunset was beautiful, and the weather was perfect. It felt great to have a degree, be in my early twenties, own my own house, and be where I wanted to be. Especially since not too long ago, my life hadn’t been so peachy. My older brother Alex had been kidnapped two years ago, when I was twenty-three. He worked for a big law firm and made big money, and some psychopath got jealous of his success. He was gone for four months, and I fell into a depression. I was so sure he was going to be dead, but my parents were so sure that he would escape, due to his intelligence. They were so optimistic, and I was so morose, and I admit I did things that I’m not proud of. But until you’re in that situation, until your own flesh and blood, your best friend is kidnapped, you don’t know what it’s like. You never think it’s going to happen to you until it does.
Alex’s body was found the day before my twenty-fourth birthday.
It was the hardest time of my life, and I began to break down. I began having nightmares, and anxiety attacks. I could no longer go out in public without fearing being kidnapped myself. They say one out of every one hundred people is a psychopath, and that meant anyone and everyone was a threat to me. Some days I was catatonic, and no one could snap me out of it. The only person who I would think about was Alex, and how much I missed him. It was also hard for me to see my parents like that, faking smiles and trying to stay strong for me when I knew they were dying inside. But one day, I woke up and I thought of all the life plans I had made, and I put them into motion. I threw myself into my studies and finally got my nursing degree, and then I made changes and ended up here. I wasn’t going to let my past spoil my future, this was my time to shine.
“Ches ? Chesney ?” Shayla was waving her hand in front of my face, breaking my reverie. “Sorry,” I smiled sheepishly at her, and she chuckled. “I just got too caught up in my own thoughts I guess .” “What are you thinking about ?” She questioned me curiously. I sighed, “Alex.” She winced, she knew about the whole story, and as one of my best friends, I know it upset her to think something like that had happened to me. We got to talking about creeps these days, so naturally, when I felt a hand on my shoulder, I jumped out of my seat and screamed. I turned around to see my four neighbors behind me. The one with the wild spiky hair spoke up loudly “ Sorry !” He ginned, holding his hand out. “I’m Jaime, and this is Mike(pointing to a tall guy with tattoos and a lip ring), Tony(a guy with big gauges and tattoos as well), and Vic(shoulder length hair, nose ring, no tattoos). I couldn’t help but notice how they were all very good looking, in unconventional ways. I liked tattoos, I had a few myself. Shayla stepped out from behind me and introduced herself, and I finally shyly stated my name. “Would you like to stay for our little party ?” I asked, a little more confident now. They nodded, and that was how it all began, with one summer night down in South Carolina.
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