Tiger Lily Flames

Chapter 1: New view on the past

She looks around in the dark room just to see...

Myra Raine, your average sixteen-year-old girl, is moving from Silverton, Colorado, to Hartsville, South Carolina.

She sits in the front seat, watching the burst of red, orange, and yellow leaves fly by her window. Bad Reputation by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts blares in her earbuds so she doesn't have to listen to her younger brother Rowan as he goes on and on about how much he doesn't want to move.

She pauses her music to look at her brother through the rearview mirror. "Rowan, trust me, it's good for us to move somewhere new; it's a fresh start from our old lives," Rowan nods with a sigh of dismay.

"I guess you're right; it's just.. we grew up in Colorado, and now having to leave is a bit hard," Rowan looks out the window as he sees the sign stating, 'Welcome to South Carolina.'

The family of three has been driving for the last 25 hours stopping for gas and food. Myra has her license, so she and her mom Kris switch back and forth between who is driving for a while so then the other can relax and sleep.

As Myra puts in her earbud, she goes back to playing Bad Reputation and looking out her window, watching houses, trees, and open fields fly past the window.

And I don't give a damn

'Bout my reputation

The world's in trouble

There's no communication

An' everyone can say what they want to say

It never gets better, anyway

So why should I care

'Bout a bad reputation anyway

Oh no, not me

As the song ends, she hears her mom muttering under her breath. "Myra needs this new change," Myra's expression drops slightly due to the comment.

As Myra looks at the rearview mirror, she can see Rowan asleep with his head tilted against the wall and the car seat with his mouth wide open, lightly snoring. The intro to Queen-We Will Rock You starts playing, and she starts bobbing her head to the music.

Kris looks at her son, who is peacefully asleep, and her daughter, who is jamming to her playlist; Kris just smiles, enjoying the time she has spent with her two kids in the last 25 hours. 'I love you, my beloveds,' is all she thinks.

Myra feels her phone vibrate against her thigh; as she pulls it to her face to auto-unlock, she sees a Snapchat notification. She opens her phone to see her two friends, Gwen and Michael, spamming their group chat with crying emojis.

Gwen and Michael were the only two who ever understood Myra and her oddness. Myra did cheer back in Colorado but hated hanging out with them and the football team; they were so loud and obnoxious for her more laid-back personality.

So when she was at the mall one time, she ran into Gwen and Michael talking about the cheer squad and their hatred for the majority of the girls. So Myra spoke to them, and they recognized Myra and immediately started talking to her about them.

So they are both now Myra's best friends —aka her only real friends— Kris loved their little trio; it was lovely. They hung out so often at Myra's house, and now since Myra is moving, it is hard on Myra along with Gwen and Michael.

Myra texts the group chat telling them how much she misses them and isn't excited.

GwenBaby<33: MYRA OMFG WE MISS YOU SO MUCH! MALL TRIPS ARE SO FUCKING BORING WITHOUT YOU!!