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- Lilly-Mae's point of view -
My hands brushed over the tips of tall grass as I walked through one of the many fields surrounding my house. It had been two weeks since I moved in, yet it was the first time I truly dared venture out. Fall was slowly rolling around, I could feel it in the wind. Saw it in the sunshine.
McCall still didn't feel at home even though it had been the only place I had known, born and raised. Still, I felt like I didn't belong.
The tall grass and light breeze were pulling me along as my mind was occupied with wonder. Surely this place would start feeling like home once I met some people and found a good job. My pace slowed down when the realization hit. That was it, the reason McCall never felt like home. It was because it never was. My home was not a place, but people. It was a feeling I hadn't felt in years. Not since my mother passed, since my aunt took me in; since they took me away to grow up among strangers. My feet wanted to stop moving at the thought but destiny had other plans when a dog ran into me at full speed. The being caused me to get swept up before falling on my back, head hitting the ground first.
"Blue!" I heard a voice coming from behind. The air got pushed out of my lungs on impact, filling the bright blue sky with what seemed like stars for a couple of seconds. "Blue, dammit!" the voice sounded again, closer this time. Trying to catch my breath and assess my physical state, I decided staying on the ground for just a little longer was my best option. Once more, destiny had other plans when I heard quick steps getting closer. A wet tongue was the first I noticed when Blue decided to come back and check up on me -- or to apologize. Fighting against it was a lost cause when he went and stood on my chest with his front paws, to make sure he could reach every part of my face, not leaving a spot unlicked. I flinched when he abruptly took off once more. "No, Blue!" that voice sounded again, this time right beside me. When I dared open my eyes I was met with a boy I had seen once before. He awkwardly leaned over me while scratching his head in discomfort. "I'm so sorry—" he started, followed by an uneasy slime. The sun that hit his dark brown hair caused some parts to look like they were drenched in thick honey.
"Thomas?" I asked as he stuck out his hand to get me back on my feet.
"Hi, Lilly-Mae," he smiled, still not sure what to say about what just had happened. It was the only son of the farmer that lived next to me, "Are you okay? I'm so sorry about Blue. We got her not too long ago and I've been trying to train her -- but the second she sees the opportunity to make a break, she's gone," he mumbled, but all I could think of was that Blue was actually a girl. "It's the fourth time this week she ran away and we're only Wednesday," he sighed as his eyes trailed off to the dog, clueless as to how he was going to catch her this time. tucking my hand in my sleeve, I used the fabric to clean my face. "What are you doing here, anyway?" he wondered, his eyes briefly jumping back to mine.
