INNOCENCE

Chapter 1 Looking Back

CHAPTER ONE

Looking Back

This moment was perfect.

            It was one of those moments in life wherein you just feel so happy. It was one of those moments when you feel so joyful that you want to save the moment forever in your head, remember every detail, and be able to rewind and go back to it when you want to.

            It was snowing.

            I was inside our family car. Our whole family was there – which rarely happened back then. My parents, Mike and Alicia Forbes, who were often busy with their work, were there. They were at the front seats – Dad was driving and Mom was turning up the volume of the radio that was playing a country song. They were both relaxed and relieved that they finally got away from work.

            The Forbes Estates, which was owned and managed by our dad was indeed very famous and trusted by various businessmen and agents, thus, my dad was very busy with it. Our mom was one of the top paid and trusted lawyers in Arizona. Both of them were often busy with work, however, they always find time for us every time they’re at home. They didn’t waste a single second when they’re around us. Time was essential.

Even Christian, David, and the twins were there with us. Usually, we have different plans with other people, but this was an exception. We were all there. It was Christmas Break after all. Christian asked Charlotte to spend Christmas with her family while he does with us, even though it was supposed to be their first Christmas as married couples. David, who was planning to spend Christmas with his friends, cancelled the moment he heard about our trip to Louisiana. Harriett and Hayley, and I were looking forward to the trip too. I wasn’t all excited, but I was glad that we were all complete. We were all present – so clueless of what was going to happen afterwards.

            The perfect moment drifted away and turned into a nightmare.

It all started when the car behind us bumped our trunk with full blow. The tires screeched – so loud that all our ears were probably ringing. It was horrifying, everything was happening in a blur. It wasn’t like the movies; it wasn’t in a slow motion kind of way. It was all so fast. The adrenaline rush flowed through us like venom. Christian told David to get a hold of me. He did. He wrapped his muscular arms around me like bars and told me to close my eyes; I didn’t. Christian was at the back seats with the twins. He shielded them and held them close. I blinked. Mom and Dad were both looking at me and gave a swift nod. Then I saw something I wished I didn’t. I saw a shot of light. The car skidded into a stop. The light expanded and everything went black.

            The perfect moment was over.

            The nightmare was over.

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My dark green eyes fly open.

There is too much light in the room that I am in. My eyes scan the room. The walls are covered with beige wallpaper, it looks so warm. My ears hear something ringing.

Something is ringing.

It can't be my alarm clock. I’ve always woken up a few minutes earlier before my useless alarm clock crack. I blink a few times to get rid of those usual blurs on the corner of your eyes that everyone gets on mornings. I sit up and rest my arms on my knees, and my chin on my right hand - just waiting for the seconds to go by without a reason. I can feel the cold and hard texture of the silver ring I’ve always had on my forefinger - touching my flushed cheeks. My knuckles are flushed as well. It was standing out on my pale and luminescent skin that tanned girls hated. Although David once said that the guys dig it; I wasn’t sure if it was really a compliment.