A Case of Wanderlust

Chapter One - Welcome To Snoozeville

Appleport- population 300, but that's a generous number, proudly boasting the states largest plastic apple. We have one petrol station, three coffee shops, a small village market, Main Street restaurants and of course apples. When I first moved here at the age of five, yes I've been here forever, mum and dad thought the whole apple farm thing would be such a novel idea. They still do, but for me, after getting up at dawn everyday to feed chickens, setting sprinklers and spending every spring holiday picking stupid apples, I kinda lack the same enthusiasm, hence why I leave the farming stuff to them. My names Adeline, Addie for short, and I've spent the past 12 years of my life living in this dump, and am more than ready to "leave the nest". I've spent years saving up for my trip of a lifetime, a one way ticket to anywhere. The only thing left in this crazy town worth caring about are my friends and... that's about it.

"Adeline, do you want me to take you to school or not. I don't have all day." Oh I forgot to mention him, my older brother. In middle school Cole had a lot of potential, straight As and an impressive track time but then high school came. He got mixed up in the wrong crowd, started drinking and soon those As became Ds and now he spends his days helping run the farm. Dad always says that's why we have this farm, "to help you kids find a job". But I don't care about Cole, he's a jerk to me and the only reason he doesn't have work is because he can't be bothered.
"I'll be down in five" I shout.
"I don't have five minutes, bye",
the door slams.

Idiot.

"Callie, Cole left me at home again could you please get me. Pleeasse, thank you" I plead into the phone.
Callie and Mikaela (Mickey)
are my besties, we've known each other forever. You could say our parents are in the same business but that's not saying much, everyone here has something to do with apples. Callie and Mickey are the only things that keep me grounded. All through school we promised each other that once we graduated we would be out of here, ready to see the world, but lately as graduation gets closer I'm beginning to think maybe they don't want to leave. Callie's got a boyfriend now and although he's sweet he's sickeningly simple and stereotypically country. But she seems happy with him and as is the country way, I wouldn't be surprised if they got married, as much as it makes me cringe. I thought she was like me but I think my case of wanderlust is a little more severe. Still they're great people and I love them to bits.

"Are you seriously wearing that?" Callie asks dumbfounded. My ensemble of a short skirt, tights and a tank wasn't anything out of the ordinary. "What?" Callie's eyebrows raised, "uhh don't you remember you're currently the town vigilante, I don't think that outfit's going to help your case much". That's the other thing about this town you make one wrong move and everyone knows about it the next second. So maybe I skipped school once last week does that make me a criminal now? I rolled my eyes at her, "Just get me to school".

Appleport State High School, my living nightmare. This place is full of two faced teachers, conniving students and is of course way too country for my liking. But the worst thing of all is the "Populars", Kasey, Whitney and of course Heather or as I lovingly call her, Godzilla. Just as I step out of the car, I spot them. All dressed in pink, their hair bleached blonde, they look like something out of a budget trash movie. "Look who we have here, Miss Rebel", did I mention they hate my guts? "We missed you in History last Wednesday, Miss Brookes was so thrilled to hear you'd skipped." I quickly pushed past them.Those girls were Appleports definition of celebrities, Whitney and Heather are the prized daughters of Mr Stadelman aka the mayor of Appleport and Kasey Whitman is their tag along not to mention she's a little stupid, well a lot stupid. Their tackiness makes me gag, but unfortunately I can't express my hatred for them or risk a social death. And as Callie keeps telling me, here in Appleport appearances are all you've got. Anyways back to the whole skipping school thing, they didn't have a clue what they were talking about. It wasn't like I wanted to skip school, history's not a bad class, it was just the fact that we were going to get our results back that day. Call me stupid but I couldn't bring myself to face another failure, another disappointed look from Miss Brookes.
"You have so much potential",
that's what she said. Well maybe this potential isn't all it seems to be. I'd had a bad week, another week filled with depression and anger so studying was the last thing on my mind. Mum offered to take me to a therapist once, but I don't need help, what I need is to get out of here.

"Miss Adeline Walters, would you kindly return to earth and join us in actual learning",
I look up to the scowling face of Mr Blackmon.
"Sorry, sir".
I didn't get maths. The numbers and stuff just flew over my head. Words I understood, I can manipulate them in any way you could imagine. Everyone says my writing brings tears to their eyes or joy to their soul. You have no idea how many times I've heard, "you're going to become so famous". Yeah right, to become famous you have to show people what you've got and how on earth am I supposed to do that from here? I'm just a country girl who has never travelled further than the next town, there's no hope for me. Appleport is my doom, ain't no way around it.
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A/N
Hope you like this story it's my first so sorry for the sloppy writing :)