𝙳𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚝...

Chapter 1

A body collided with hers, and she let out a grunt, her arms wrapping around the thin body. 

"Hey, Rosemary," said Will, his eyes shining. It had been a week since Rosemary had been let out of the hospital, alive and breathing and very much awake. It seemed so unreal for Will, who had visited his older sister almost every day. Every day he held her hand and talked to her, begging her to wake, and just as the doctors had been about to let go to the tiny thread that kept her alive, she had miraculously woken. 

"Hiya, Will." Rosemary smiled, hugging her little brother tightly. It was unreal for her, too. When she had first gone to sleep, her little brother had been ten. And now he had become a teenager. And she herself was a teenager, now, too. It was strange for her. "Going to school?" 

Since Rosemary had missed two grades, she was being home schooled by her mom, who had used to be a middle school teacher. Rosemary wasn't sure if she would've liked to go to classes with kids two years younger than her. 

"Yep." Will threw her an apple and she caught it clumsily. "I still find it unfair you get to stay home every day." 

Rosemary grinned. "Maybe you can get a coma, too, and I guess your wish will come true." 

Will scowled at her, opening a granola bar and taking a huge bite out of it. "Don't say that," he grumbled. But he stared at her, a small smile on his lips. "But I really am glad you woke up," he added. "I'm not sure what..." 

It hadn't been easy to come back from the dead only to see her brother sobbing hysterically by her bed. She wasn't even sure what had happened. All she remembered was flying into the air, hitting her head against the pavement, and blacking out. 

"Yeah, I'm glad too," she smiled, and walked over to give him a huge hug. He melted into her arms, hugging her back tightly. 

"Will! Get out before you miss your bus!" their mom called, hurrying down the stairs. She stopped by the kitchen door, smiling to herself as she watched her two children get along. She strode forward, clapping her hands. "Yep, you love each other, great! Now get out, Will, I don't want to have to drive you to school. Your sister's education is valuable." 

"If you don't want me home, Mom, I get it." Will faked a tear before grabbing his school bag. "Bye!" he yelled, running out the door. 

"Bye, Will," Rosemary responded, turning. She stumbled, tripping over the carpet and her mom grabbed her arm before she fell. "Whoops." 

"You've got to be more careful," her mom laughed. "No more head injuries, okay?" 

"Can't promise that," she responded cheekily and her mom swatted her shoulder before pulling her into a hug. 

"I missed you, you know," her mom whispered into her brown hair. 

Rosemary didn't have to see her mom's face to know she had tears in her eyes. Rosemary swallowed and nodded, burying her face in her mother's shoulder. "I know," she responded. "I love you." 

"I know." 

---

"Rosie!" a voice squealed as Rosemary stepped out through the door. Rosemary smiled, tucking back a long strand of her hair. "I can't believe it!" 

"Hey, Charlotte." Rosemary hugged her. Once Charlotte hugged her back, they started walking in direction of the park. "How are you doing?" 

"How am I doing!?" Charlotte asked dramatically. "I'm pretty sure it was you in the hospital a week ago. How are you doing?" 

"Pretty well, honestly." Rosemary smiled, burying her hands in her pockets. "How's James?" 

"He's boring." Charlotte stuck out her tongue at the mention of her twin brother. "He's just into his friends and basketball. We're not at all that close anymore." 

"Oh." Rosemary frowned. "Okay." 

"A lot of things have changed," Charlotte said softly. "Do you want me to bring you up to date?" 

"Please?" Rosemary whispered. 

"Okay." Charlotte smiled. "Well, one year ago, you know Liam? He admitted having a crush on you..." 

And on and on Charlotte went, Rosemary struggling to keep along. All these new students who had come after her, she didn't know them, their personalities, or who they were in general. Rosemary was wishing to go back home when a loud, rough voice cut Charlotte off. 

"Hey, isn't that Miller? What're you doing here? I thought you were kept back a couple years 'cuz you're so stupid." 

"That's Jackson," Charlotte whispered in sympathy. "He's, um, really rude, I guess? He's one of those annoying jocks at Futunhale." 

Rosemary pursed her lips, glancing over at Jackson. 

He had wild black hair and dark eyes that bored into her. He wore a football jacket and held a basketball under his arm, an ugly frown prominent on his face. 

"I wasn't held back," she whispered, and somehow, Jackson seemed to hear her. 

"Oh yeah? How come I see your little brat of a brother at school and not you? Ooooh is your baby brother smarter than you?" he laughed. 

"Shut up, Jackson," Charlotte snapped. "You know what happened. Why the hell do you have to be so mean about it?" 

He stared at them both, lips pursed, before turning on his heel and walking away. Rosemary felt a cold hand clench around her heart and she felt cold tears spring in her eyes. 

"Don't listen to him, Rosie," Charlotte said angrily. "He's stupid and inconsiderate." 

"No, he's right." Rosemary shook her head, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "I am stupid. I'm fourteen and I can't even do twelve year old math. I won't be able to ever catch up with you...how can I? It's impossible." 

"Rosemary—" 

"No, Charlotte." Rosemary turned, her head bent as she sped away, her voice trembling. 

"Rosemary!" Charlotte shouted, but Rosemary ignored her, feeling some sort of loneliness and emptiness inside of her. 

~ Lyn 

Words: 996

So? Do you like Rosemary? Will? And Charlotte? 

What do you think about Jackson? 

Let me know!