Chasing Star

5- Meeting New People

Maddie Ryder was everything I thought she would be. She was super nice and even offered to show me around school after the break. She was a sophomore just like me and lily. Maddie and lily happen to be the inseparable best friends.

Lily introduced me to her "Kimberly this is Maddie, my best friend and Maddie this is Kimberly, my sister from Miami."

"Oh hey! Its nice to finally meet you Kimberly." Maddie exclaimed.

"Hello, its good to see you too" I said politely.

"Lily here has told me a lot about you." Maddie whispered to me causing a giggle to come out of my mouth.

"All good things I hope" I said feeling a little self-conscious. Maddie looked like a model from the covers of Vogue. She had strawberry blonde hair and chestnut colour eyes. She was wearing a beautiful cherry colored pencil skirt pairing it with white top.

"Oh shut up mads, I heard it. Don't worry Kim, Maddie's just messing around with you" Lily glared at Maddie and I chuckled, completely amused by the situation. "Come on Kim lemme show you around."

By showing around lily meant introducing me to half of the people living in the town and it was awkward as hell. Now she was taking me to a boy who looked around my age. He had blue eyes like the color of the ocean and raven hair.

"This is Kade Ryder, Maddie's brother" Lily introduced me to him. "Kade this is Kimberly, my sister"

"Hi, pleased to meet you Kade" I said, forwarding my hand for him to shake but he just nodded coldly in response. Such an arrogant jerk. His eyes were glued to his phone and I couldn't help but stare at his face. He had the perfect jawline and super clear skin. He looked up and caught me staring. Awkward

I swiftly dragged my eyes from him and looked everywhere but at him. My eyes found Mrs. Briggs and I noticed her sitting alone at a table with a glass of whiskey in hand. Aimee had earlier told me that she lived alone in a house down the street with her cats.She got a cat every time anyone in her family died. She had survived to witness the death of her son, daughter-in-law and a grandson in a car crash. I was shocked to the core when Aimee had told me about this. It was inconceivable to even imagine. Mrs. Briggs had lived to witness the death of three of her family members. I only had my father dead and felt my world crumbling. And apparently her husband was in jail because of something he did. I wonder what he must have done to end up behind the bars. My pain was nothing compared to hers. It gives me goosebumps to put myself in her shoes.

"This is so sad" I said looking at Mrs. Briggs.

"And weird" said Maddie.

"I don't even feel the slightest bit of pity for her. She's a terrible human being" Kade, who stayed out of our conversation until now, scoffed.

"I totally agree" said Steve, Kade's friend.

I turned to look at Kade, disgust evident on my face. "You're a terrible human being for saying that."

"I am not a terrible person" He said shrugging "I just said the truth"

"People left behind suffer the most. No one deserves to witness people they loved die regardl-"

"Oh please spare me the bullshit and go preach to someone else" He replied in a stern voice.

I scoffed. I couldn't believe my ears.

"I don't wanna preach to you guys. I'll just let it be" I fake smiled to them. It was hopeless talking to them. It was obvious that they had made up their mind about the woman.

"You don't know her like we do, so if we say she deserves it, then take our word for it" Kade said coldly. "She is the cause of the way she is now. She just goes on replacing the dead with her freaking cats" he added harshly, disgust dripping from his voice.

I realised the story must be deeper than it seems, so I decided not to pry further. I stood up and went inside with lily and Maddie to help Aunt Hailey and mum with the servings.

"I can't believe you guys! You didn't even support me" I pouted as soon as we got in the kitchen.

"I thought you liked them" Maddie pointed out and pursed her lips mockingly. "My brother's a self- conceited jerk, forget about him Kim"

"Oh give him a break you two. He has been through a lot. Many people believe that rich people have no problems but sometimes they have the worst" Lily replied. I knew that was true from my own experience with my father.

I nodded and picked up a calamari to eat. Most of the food was sea food as it was a seafood theme dinner. Poor animals. 

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Later that night, laying in bed I thought about all that has happened in just one day. To say I was tired would be an understatement, I was worn-out from the flight and then the dinner party. All I needed right now was a good night's sleep of eight hours.

Hopefully, everything has been going on well since I landed off that plane and without overthinking about what awaits us, I closed my eyes and blocked out all the thoughts.

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