Self-Sabotage: Cole Walter & Issac Garcia

I

" Hey, keep your heads up girls. You're gonna be alright out there. Remember if you need anything I'm just a call away-"

" I think I see them." Jackie cut off her uncle Richard as we spotted a warm, redhead woman walking towards us.

" Thanks again Richard!" I added quickly before Jackie concluded the call with her uncle and tucked her phone in her back pocket.

" Arabella, Jackie!" The woman had reached us and stretched her arms out for a hug as I stepped forward.

" Hi Katherine." I spoke into her shoulder. We exchanged warm smiles before she repeated the action with Jackie.

" You guys remember my husband George?"

" Hey girls." The man offered us a kind greeting before swiftly going to grab our luggage.

" Are you girls hungry? Do you want to grab anything to eat before we go? A coffee?" Katherine asked us. A brief look at Jackie and we politely declined her offer, starting the journey to their home.

To be honest, I'd always yearned to live somewhere like Colorado. There was so much space; wildflowers and endless fields; it made me feel like my problems were minuscule; that I could practically trick myself into believing, in the grand scheme of things, they don't really matter. My view from the backseat was nothing but a mountainous horizon and open skies.

I pulled my attention to check on Jackie, nearly missing the flash of video; showing a news reporter and a photo of her parents, sister, and my mom. The phone was pressed into her thigh, facedown, seconds later. I kept my gaze on her until she caught my eye, offering my best attempt at a comforting look. The corner of her lips upturned slightly as Katherine spoke up.

" Ok, we're here!" Our arrival snuck up on me as I gazed out the window at a beautiful yellow country house with a large wrap around porch. There were bikes and toys and balls scattered haphazardly around the yard, a garage and barn in the distance, and several quick moving figures going to and fro.

It looked well lived in, but it looked like the definition of home.

" Ready?" I asked Jackie, realizing Katherine and George had already vacated the vehicle.

" As I'll ever be." She replied with a joking half smile. Standing directly in front of the house was somehow a lot more to take in than from afar. The two of us stood there for a moment, studying it in an attempt to adjust to the environment we were about to be thrown into.

" You girls ok?" Katherine asked as she came to stand by us, putting a hand on Jackie's shoulder.

" Yeah." Jackie responded as we broke out of our sort of trance. I offered to help George with the bags, realizing he'd gone straight to the task a minute ago, but he insisted we go ahead so Katherine could begin the grand tour.

I let out a breath as we followed her up the steps.

We were about to follow her across the deck until a boy came hurdling towards us on a skateboard.

" Move!" He demanded as Jackie, who was a bit ahead of me, stumbled backward. I quickly brought my hands to her elbows to help keep her upright as she found her balance again.

We looked at each other with startled expressions and blinked.

" That's Lee. Danny." Another voice came at us from the left. Another boy, around our age, maybe a bit older, introduced his brother then himself with a gesture.

" Nice to meet you, I'm Arabella, you can call me Bella though." I introduced myself with a smile as he returned it before Jackie did the same. She started to move towards the door, I was about to follow until Danny's book caught my eye.