Proving your destiny

Chapter one

Chapter one

                "Come on, Krista.  It's time to go." Benjamin said gently.

                I nodded, walked upstairs to my room with an empty, numb feeling.  I quickly packed anything I might have forgotten.  I then headed back to where Benjamin and his mother are waiting.

                "Hey, Aunt Bessie." I said with an empty smile.

                "Well don't just stand there, come give me a hug!" Aunt Bessie was the same as she always was, pushy and paranoid as ever.  She was wearing her usual-- Dark blue jeans, and an old, stained t-shirt. I hugged her and was overwhelmed by Aunt Bessie's smell. She smelled faintly like cotton... cotton and apples.

                As soon as I let go of Aunt Bessie, Benjamin takes her place. He smells like some old spice shampoo. Benjamin has been my best friend since we were kids, even though we're cousins. After we're done with the little reunion, Benjamin puts my suitcase into the trunk of Aunt Bessie's car.

                Climbing into the back seat, I watch the only home I've ever known disappear as we drive away.

                *                                             *                                                             *                                             *

After 12 hours of drowning in my memories, we are finally here. It is a little farm on the outskirts of Colorado, where I'll be living for quite a while. Now, when I say farm, I mean farm as in chickens and cows and sheep and horses, complete with the crops and a small vegetable garden. Even some apple trees, which I would always help harvest when I was little. Well, little-er.

                After saying hello to Charlotte, Aunt Bessie's wild, 12 year old daughter, I headed up to my childhood room. The room had purple walls, but you could barely see them. They were filled with drawings and newspapers and notes and whatever else was important to me, all gathering up through the years.

                Benjamin had already brought my suitcase upstairs, and placed it on the bed. I unpacked and placed everything into the old oak dresser that was once my great grandmother's.

                After about an hour I had placed everything accordingly, and went downstairs to help with dinner. Aunt Bessie and I made small talk as we cooked the pasta and chopped up the vegetables. One thing you should know about Aunt Bessie-- She's vegetarian.

                "You’re the quietest I've ever seen you, Krista... Are you sure you’re OK?" Aunt Bessie asked me. She had a slight country accent, and her voice was always quiet, she rarely had to shout.

                "Yea, I'm good. Just a little shocked." I said, my throat getting all thick.

"I know. We're all a little bit shocked still." As Aunt Bessie said this, the timer went off, signaling that the vegetables were done, and so was dinner.

                "You wanna go tell Ben and Charlotte that food's done?" She asked me, and I nodded, heading upstairs.

                I found Charlotte in her room, painting her nails a bright red color with her music blaring, of course. I found Benjamin sitting in his room, reading, as usual.

                Benjamin and I went downstairs, as Charlotte had to wait for her nails to finish drying, and set up the table. There was an extra space where their father would sit, but since he left 5 years ago, that place has always remained empty, until now, whereas I'm here.

                "So, Krista, you remember what your chores were, right? From last summer you were here?" Aunt Bessie said, taking a bite of the pasta.

                "Yea, I gotta milk Josie every morning and then I gotta clean up after the horses, but that’s only like, once a week right?" Aunt Bessie nodded, her mouth full.

                "Don't forget, you gotta help me with my homework!" Charlotte piped in.

                "Only if you help me with mine." I said, winking at her. I started to laugh when the look on Charlottes face turned to complete fear.

                "I'm just messin’ with ya, Char. Of course I'll help you." Charlotte's face was full of relief, and she puffed out a breath of air she must have been holding.

                "Oh, by the way, Krista," Aunt Bessie started to say, getting my attention. "Your gunna walk with Charlotte home from school, since neither me nor Ben can pick you up. I can give you a ride to school though." I nodded, thanking her. Aunt Bessie had informed me already that she had signed me up for my junior year of high school.

                "Aunt Bessie, I'm done, Could I be excused?" I asked.

                Looking at my plate, Aunt Bessie sighed and nodded. Getting up, I took my plate and dumped my untouched food into the garbage, and headed upstairs to my room.