Not What I Intended

Chapter One

I wasn't one to believe in fairy tales. I didn't believe in monsters, I didn't believe in mermaids, I sure would never believe in any sort of things–people–who can control powers. My mother was a different story though.

Since she was young, she grew up on these stories about 'element controlling kids'. It was more of a rumor that she had heard about some kids who lived in the town over. While going to college she decided that part time she would study at a Mythological Studies Program. She put all her time into that and dropped out of college. One night, while working at the local Waffle House, she met my father who went to the college in her town. They fell in love and well, had me. She moved away from her family to West Virginia, where my dad was from. But with the loss of my dad's job, and my grandparents who still live in Kentucky falling ill, we're moving.

So here I am, sitting in the passenger seat of my mother's car, looking around at the new town we lived in. It was small. Like really small, okay? It didn't even have a Walmart or even a Dairy Queen. "What do you think, Jessie? Isn't it beautiful?" my mother excitedly looked around.

"Yeah, sure mom," I tried my best to sound excited but this place looked like a dump.

"All the stories I told you while growing up originated from here." Yeah, guess making up stories is the only thing one could do in a small town like this. "I know you and your father don't like the stories I tell anymore but this–This place is where I always dreamed of living."

I nodded.

I didn't want to move. I wanted to wait. It was the end of the school year, I only had a few weeks left but mom and dad didn't think that it was wise to wait. I had to leave all my friends behind, and all the memories of my childhood. I didn't find it fair. I had a feeling that I wouldn't make any new friends here either because I have a hard time trying to talk to new people. I had plenty of friends at my old school, I was kinda popular I guess. But that is with kids who I grew up with. Now I was going to a school in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of kids who had no idea who I was.

"I think you will like the new school, and we have a neighbor who has a son your age," my mom smiled. "I think moving here will do us good. We need this."

I looked back at her, seeing that she was smiling. I didn't have the heart to tell her that she was probably wrong. I was told at my old school that I looked a lot like my mother. I had her hazel eyes, her long brown hair, her freckles, our laugh was the same. But there were some things about my mother that I would never let anyone say we were alike. She lived in her own world, far away from everyone else. Her body was there, but her mind was far away in lala land.

My mom pulled into a garage, as I finally saw what was to be our house. "We're here!" she said.

Oh, god, I thought, staring up at the old broken down house, She picked a fixer upper.

My mom loved to do busy projects. She had always wanted to flip a house, I didn't really think that this was the right time to do it. When it comes to houses, I don't think people should be moved into them while they are being fixed. Things get in the way, paint gets on the furniture and it is an outright mess to deal with.

"Mrs. Wells! Welcome!" a guy that looked to be my age was walking towards us, my mom began to roll down her window.

He had black hair, and blue eyes, his hair seemed to be a bit shaggy, it needed to be cut. He seemed fit, maybe he could have been on the football team. This must have been the neighbor's son my mom had mentioned.

My mom began to smile, "Oh, hello Brad–" I laughed at his name, I couldn't help it, "This is my daughter, Jessie."

"Ah," he looked into my mom's window at me, "It's nice to meet you, Jessie. I'm Brad. I live next door. Me and my dad were over here helping with the leaves that were in the gutters. The people who used to live here really didn't keep the house that well."

That explains why it looks like a dump. Shitty owners who didn't take care of the place.

"I can help Jessie bring her stuff into the house, if you would like," Brad went on, "I don't mind helping."

"I don't–" my mom cut me off.

"Oh! That would be wonderful!" she said, "Jessie, your bedroom is upstairs to the right. It's right next to the bathroom."

I groaned, getting out of the car. I tried to ignore Brad who was walking close behind me, as I walked to the U-haul my dad's friend had driven here for us. He was at the back, helping my dad unload the furniture for the living room. I saw the box's that said my name and began to pull them out. I really didn't need or want help from anyone. But I had no choice. Mom trusted complete strangers, as I usually would rather stay away from anyone I didn't know if I could help it.

We grabbed my boxes and walked into the house. It was open, like very open, I swear the bottom floor was one big room, and then a teeny tiny bathroom. We walked up the stairs and found what must have been my room. I dropped my box on the floor, as Brad did the same with the rest of the boxes. He looked around the room, whistling, "Well, I knew they didn't take care of their stuff and their house but this really takes the cake."

The walls were painted in three different colors, pink red and bright neon green. Paint had been flung everywhere as well. I groaned, realizing that I was going to have to be the one to fix the room up which I was not excited for at all. "A few tapestries will help a lot, maybe a can or two of paint will fix it up..." I was mainly talking to myself.

"I can help."

"I don't need help."

He laughed, "Okay, if you say so."

I nodded. This was the first chance I had to get a good look at Brad. His cheek had a deep scar going across it. I don't know what could have caused something that bad. It was deep and wide and I didn't know if it was possible for me to think of a childhood thing that could cause something that thick and deep to still be so present. Maybe a car wreck?

"I can show you around the town if you'd like," he must have noticed my staring because he turned his back to me.

I didn't really want anything to do with the town. From the looks of just driving in there was nothing to do. "I don't see the point of you showing me around. There's nothing to do here, other than maybe–" I decided not to finish my sentence.

"You would be surprised." He shrugged, "Yes, to an outsider it looks boring but I can promise you we're more than you think. There's other things to do than just hang out in the Save-A-Lot parking lot."

"What?"

He began to laugh, "Trust me. Come on."