Saving Caroline

Chapter 1 (Picture of Caroline)

I sit next to Riley in the decrepit church pew. They bring the coffins of Caroline's mother, father, and brother to the front of the church. Caroline walks past me brushing her cold hand over my shoulder.

Caroline Sky is tall, with blonde hair that reaches to the middle of her back. She glances at me; tears in her stunning sky blue eyes. She almost never cries. The only time I saw her cry was when her grandma died.

Riley's eyes boar into the side of my head. "What?" I whisper over the sad funeral music.

"Caroline, looks different." She says.

"Well wouldn't you look different if your family died? her hair is down also." I say.

"True." Riley says crossing her arms.

When the ushers call us to go up to the coffins to say goodbye, and pay our regards to Caroline.

Riley Davis is short with long blonde hair that gets lighter when she stays in the sun. She and I have that bubbly personality that could brighten anyone's day. Riley and I met in seventh grade, and have been best friends ever since. Riley could get any guy she wanted, but she only wanted one, Jase Rye. Jase was cute I admit, but not my type. Riley and Jase are pretty good friends, but she moved out to California to be closer to her family. Jase stayed in West Virginia, even after many offers to come with.

As Riley and I walk up to the oak wood coffins; I see Caroline outside sitting on a bench. As I open the creaky church door Caroline twists her body to face me. Tears streak her face, and she hastily wipes them away.

"Hey." she says hoarsely.

"Hey." I say back fighting back tears of my own.

I sit down beside her. I know what she is going through; my parents died in a car accident too. "You still have me." I confirm.

"I know." she smiles.

I point out a bird running around like a lune, and we laugh as it falls over. Her laughter dies out as my boyfriend, Danny Carson, walks over to us.

"Hey." he says.

"Hi." I say with Caroline following. He sits with his legs crossed in the grass.

Danny and I met in sixth grade. Starting out as science partners, soon bloomed into a friendship. We hung out more and more, and then he asked me out in ninth grade. After my parents died, he and I moved to California. Danny is a good head taller than me, he has perfectly swooped burnet hair, and gorgeous grey/blue eyes. His work ethic balanced my corky personality. He makes me smile everyday.

~

"What do I do now?" Riley asks putting a dash of pepper on the eggs.

"You stir them until they are cooked." I answer.

"Okay." she says.

I sit on the couch by Danny, while Riley cooks. My house phone rings; it's Caroline.

"Hello." I say.

"Hey. Can I spend the night tonight?" she asks.

I look around; Riley is spending the night already. Danny will too, probably.

"Yeah." I say.

"Thanks, my aunt is great and all, but she reminds me of mom." she says and hangs up.

"Riley, make more scrambled eggs. Caroline is coming over."

~

Caroline was there for me when my parents car rolled off the California bluffs. I lived with my grandma, until she died a week after my nineteenth birthday. My aunt back in West Virginia sends me checks in the mail to help pay the bills. I could have went to live with her, but ever since I moved to California I feel more, like myself, Payton.

"Payton?" Danny says snapping me back to reality.

"What?" I ask.

"Caroline is at the door." Riley says.

I get up, and answer the door. Caroline comes in and drops her bag on the ground by the door. Riley puts dinner on the table and we gather around it to eat. Riley and Caroline sit across from Danny and I.

~

My long shiny black hair swooshes and bounces from side to side as I walk up the stairs. Caroline took the guest bedroom, and Riley takes the couch in my bedroom. Danny and I snuggle into bed together, and say our goodnights.

"Goodnight, I love you." Danny smiles.

"I love you too." I smile.

"I love you even more." Danny says.

"I love sleeping, so sleep!" Riley demands.

Danny and I laugh and drift off to sleep.

I wake up to the sound of the shower turning on. It's nine-fifteen in the morning. Riley and Danny are fast asleep. Caroline's beautiful singing fills the air around me, and I walk down stairs. I sing along to the harmony. Caroline has always been a good singer, but she only sings in front of a select group of people. I had the privilege of being one of them.

The bathroom door cracks open, and a soaking wet Caroline stands with her faced smashed between the door and the door frame.

"Towel?" she asks.

"Yeah." I say turning around to a small closet behind me. I grab two towels, and hand them to her. She smiles and returns to her singing.