The Story of You, Me, and The Whole Crazy Thing

Chapter 1: The Beginning

Finding love in this life is never easy. It can be complicated, but also become one of the best feelings when you do seem to find it. To love someone, and to be loved by someone are the two feelings in human existence that are unparalleled by anything else, speaking from experience. I was once loved very deeply by a boy, and I loved him back. We were recklessly intertwined with one another, and I never thought I'd love anyone else that much again. I was right. Our story is a tricky one, how we met, fell in love, and then had everything stripped away from us.  I plan to tell you how everything unfolded from the start, so that maybe when you find the one you're looking for, you'll never let them go. Because true love is far too beautiful to just let it fall from your grasp.

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17 years earlier

I lay on the floor in my makeshift bed, boxes swallowing me. I lay there thinking over all the events beginning to take place, overthinking really. That seems to be happening all the time with me. I'm either thinking way too much, or I'm not thinking at all, anxiety shifting from one point in my mind to another.

Worry is clouding my mind because of the move tomorrow. I just turned sixteen last month, and now everything is about to drastically change. My dad recently got a job offer, which is beyond fantastic, but it just so happens to be in Holly Grove, Arkansas, a small town in the middle of nowhere. I did some research, and I don't think it gets any smaller than this place. The website online called it "cozy", which I've learned is what people say to glamorize something that is incredibly small.

The timing of this entire situation is crucial, as I was just beginning to think that I was figuring everything out for myself. I am leaving everything that I have ever cared about, my soccer team and my family being the most important. Abandoning my team has completely blindsided me, as I just made Captain this year. It was supposed to be our year to take the State Championship, and I won't be able to have that experience with them. My siblings and my grandmother have been involved in my life for as long as I can remember, my biggest fans and strongest support system. Seeing them twice a year for holidays will now be the standard.

My sisters, Kathryn and Britton, are both married and moved out, as well as my brother, Jonathan, or else they would all be coming with us. Both Kathryn and Jonathan's wife, Taylor, are expecting a baby, each of them being boys. One is due in August, one in October, and our family couldn't be more excited. Britton already has two kids of her own, both girls. She has an eight year old named Alyssa, and a four year old named Victoria. Alyssa is a tomboy who excels in sports and lives off of sweet tea. On the other hand, Victoria loves anything pink, and she dreams of being a princess with a pet unicorn. They do have their quirks, but we love them both just the same. Leaving them will be difficult for us, but you do carry your family with you everywhere you go at the end of the day.

From Los Angeles, to the middle of a secluded town far down south is a colossal adjustment, and it will take time to settle in. With all of this crowding my mind at once, I feel more anxious by the minute. The hustle and bustle of moving has been exhausting enough already. I try to focus on my breathing to steady my mind, but with the knowledge of my grueling journey tomorrow, I am unsuccessful at slipping into a deep sleep.