Under The Oak Tree

Chapter One

Reece Everly

I sat on the counter of my brother's book shop, reading a boring, cheesy romance novel. It was so predictable! Bad boy changed for a plain girl. Those books were good, but they were always so predictable.

"Ree!" My brother calls from the other end of the store. "Coming!" I call back and continue to read, I had no intentions of doing whatever it was that my brother wanted me to do this time, he always wasted my reading time with mindless tasks that he didn't want to do. "Reece! I'm serious! Get over here I need your help!" Ryan called, the irritation clear in his deep voice.

I hopped off the counter and set the book down before heading to the teen fiction section of the book store where my brother currently was on the floor with piles and piles of books scattered around him. I leaned against one of the shelves,"What's up?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and crossing my arms over my chest. I would be no use to him, I sucked at organizing by author's last name. "I need you to go stop by..." He trailed off and looked at his phone,"Mrs. Graye's house, she's a new resident here and Mum made a basket and dropped it off here so I could give it to them since she had to head to work early. The only problem, I'm behind on organization so I can't do it, I need you to go deliver it," Ryan said, standing up from the floor and looking down at me with pleading eyes.

I sighed, I had wanted to finish my novel but it seemed this was more important. I nodded,"Yeah, okay. Where is the basket and where it the house?" I asked, rolling my bottom lip into my mouth. "You remember that little boy you buried that time capsule with when you a kid? The Graye family lives where that kid used to live," Ryan explained and pointed to the science fiction section of the book store. Why my older brother stuck the basket there I will never know.

"Now get going! Mum will kill us if it isn't given to them today," he said and ushered me away from him. I rolled my eyes and went and grabbed the welcoming basket and then left the store, the warm summer air welcoming me.

I ran my hand through my dark brown hair and walked along the sidewalk, listening to the birds chirping in the afternoon. Eventually I came to stop at my destination, the Graye's house. I pressed the doorbell and waited for someone to open the door. I stared down at my white converse, waiting. When the door open I snapped my head forward to the opened door and smiled.

The one who opened the door was a gorgeous middle aged woman, she had bright green eyes and slightly graying sandy blonde hair. She gave me a grin,"Hello dear! Who might you be?" She asked. I handed her the basket which she accepted graciously, "I'm Reece Everly ma'am," I introduced myself and held out my hand for her to shake. Mrs. Graye took my hand and shook it gingerly, "Well it's nice to meet your Reece, why don't you come inside! The cookies I had been making just finished!" She stepped aside to let me in.

"Thank you," I said brightly as I stepped inside the house, it had been so many years since I had been at this house. I sighed softly, and fiddled with the bead bracelet on my left wrist. "Reece," Mrs. Graye said, breaking my thoughts. "Sorry, I was remember something," I said as she lead me to the kitchen.

"Care to tell me, dear?" She asks me as she pours two glasses of lemonade and places a plate full of cookies in between us as we sit at the counter bar. I shrug,"There was a family that lived here many years ago, the little boy was my best friend actually. I still haven't forgotten his name," I chuckle and shake my head. "Ah, what was this boy's name?" Mrs. Graye asked, leaning closer, she reminded me of a teenager. I chuckled and shook my head,"His name was Karson, he actually broke my first bone by shoving me out of the tree in the center of town," I laughed, brushed my hair out of my blue eyes. Mrs. Graye smiled and something I didn't recognize shined in her eyes.

I took a bite of a cookie and washed it down with the lemonade,"So, Mrs. Graye, why did you move here?" I asked, smiling. "Please call me Julie, Mrs. Graye makes me sound old," she said and we both laughed. "Well, I guess me and my family just needed a change of scenery from the large city, that and Daliah, my eldest child, needed to step away from all the chaos causing her to go bonkers," she said and shrugged. I nodded,"So many children do you have?" I asked, curious now.

"I have three children, Daliah, my oldest and only daughter, Cody, the youngest, and then there is Karson, the middle child," she said and smiled. "Do you have any siblings Reece?" She asked and I nodded.

"I do, I have my older brothers Ryan and Ross," I said and Julie laughed,"All R names? How interesting!" She said and I started laughing along with her. After we were done laughing I pulled my phone out of the pocket of my black shorts and checked the time. I sighed,"Sorry, but I have to leave. I have to close up the book shop early today," I said sadly and we both stood up.

"That's no problem dear, you should stop by tomorrow, you can meet my kids! You should bring your brothers also," Julie said as we walked to the front door. "I would love to come over tomorrow, and I'll try and get my brothers to tag along," I said as I stepped out onto the porch,"I'll see you tomorrow Julie!" I waved goodbye and started heading back to the book shop.

I sighed softly and pulled my hair into a ponytail before I pulled my T-shirt over my head and felt the warm breeze brush over my bare arms. I adjusted my tank top opened the doors to the book shop.

"Hey Ry? You still here?" I called out, hoping my brother hadn't left yet. "He's in the office digging around for that stupid pen of his." I turned on my heel and smiled at Ross, my other brother,"What are you doing here?" I asked and he shrugged,"Felt like popping by." I chuckled and remembered that Julie had wanted me to bring my brothers over tomorrow.

"Are you doing anything tomorrow in the afternoon?" I asked, rocking back and forth on my feet. "No, why? Did you get in trouble?" He asked and I shook my head furiously.

"Of course not! I just wanted you and Ryan to come with me to Mrs. Graye's house, she wants us to meet her kids," I explained. At this point, Ryan had left the office and was listening to me explaining. "Yeah, we can go," Ryan shrugged.

I beamed up at my brothers, my blue eyes shining with excitement while Ross's gray eyes were bored and Ryan's blue eyes were tired. "Well, let's head home," Ross said as Ryan yawned. "Alright," I said, I had already had my daily time under the oak tree today so I could go home and sleep.

We all headed home after closing down the book shop, I was excited for tomorrow. Let's just hope Mum didn't have one of her baking urges again and force all of us to help her bake.

When I got home I flopped down on my bed and instantly fell asleep, thinking about tomorrow.

A/N: Hope you guys liked chapter one! Give me some feed back please! I know this chapter was kind of short, I'll try and write more in upcoming chapters! What do you think is going to happen next chapter?