And today I learned, that it is, in fact, a dark world.

Chapter 1~The move

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHAPTER 1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     Kelsa Faine stood in the room that used to be hers. The room she had lived in all her life. The room she didn't want to leave. Kelsa longed for her house back, but all of that was gone now.

     “Mom said we're to be leaving in a few minutes." said Shawn.

     "Okay well tell her that I'm going to be more than a few minutes." Kelsa commented.

     “Seriously get yourself together and be downstairs in a few minutes like Mom said! Jeez!" Shawn remarked rudely.

     That comment made me so overly mad, I screamed at the top of my lungs and stomped out of the room, out of the house, and into the car in less than a minute. I knew that I should've tried a bit harder than I did to have kept my temper, but I quit trying just seconds after I found out her father left us. The three of us didn't know why, nor did we even care why anymore. He'd ruined their lives, taken everything from them, left them without money or even a job for their mother. That's why, me being only sixteen years old, and my eighteen year old brother, Shawn had to get jobs to support the fam. That's why we're moving to a small house in a small town.

     Mom and Shawn finally made it to the car and we set off for the small town by the name of Falls City, Oregon. Falls City has a total population of a whopping 966 people. We've lived in Portland all of our lives. A big city for a big hearted family. That's what my mom always said. Thinking of that just made me cry some more on our way to the new house.

     Almost two hours later we arrived at our tiny, one bedroom house. Shawn and I would have to sleep on the couch. Mom had spent the money we could've spent on the house, on a car for Shawn and me to share. I would be driving it to school because Shawn is taking online college. He did that just for me you know. So I could have the car. He'd always dreamed of going to the University of Oregon but since we've been low on money and couldn't buy us both a car like planned, he gave up that lifelong dream. He's the best brother that God could've ever given me.

     School starts in two weeks and I'm dreading it. I'm going to know not a soul and I've never been more nervous in my entire life. I still didn't have anything for school, either. Nor did I even have the list of the things I needed. It was decided that I would first go get some groceries for the house and then go to the school to pick up my supplies list and schedule. Then I would take the groceries home and go what I liked to call "exploration shopping". That's when you don't buy anything but just look instead. I had relied on that ever since our father had taken everything and left. I couldn't stand not shopping. It was my life. Everything I'd owned was bought at the fancy-pansy stores. Now I’m going to have to go to the outlet stores. I’ve only been to an outlet store once and that was because my grandmother wouldn't drive me anywhere else. Just as I was about to leave the house my mother yelled, "Kelsa Jordan Faine!"

     I walked back into the house and asked my mom what she wanted.

     “I want to know why you just walked out of the house without telling me that you're leaving!"

     “You asked me to go to the store and get some groceries for the house!" I barked as I left. Mom has been this way ever since dad left. When he'd sent the divorce papers only twelve days earlier, Mom went bizzerk on us. She threw a fit and started throwing pictures of him and vases that once held the anniversary flowers he'd given her. It was a mad house! I didn't like being around this "new Mom", so I often found myself walking around the neighborhood while everyone was staring at me because they knew about my dad. I don't want everyone's sorrow feelings. I'd rather they'd be kept to themselves because it only makes the shame and pain burn stronger in my heart. I'd rather just forget that my dad ever existed. I'd rather do a lot of things, but I know my father will get what he deserves in the long run. So for now I've just got to keep my head up high and just forget about him.

     Forty-five minutes later, Kelsa was in her Volkswagen Jetta on her way to the school so she could pick up the papers she needed. When she arrived at the school, there was a boy in the office who had slipped a small hello in between him opening the door and ushering me into the school office.

     "Hi." I replied to the boy.

     “My name is Daren, and I'm Falls City High School's office summer aid, can I help you?" He answered back.

     “Yes, my name is Kelsa Faine and I came to pick up the papers I called for earlier."

     “Oh I'm still getting those prepared and I will need about ten minutes. Do you want to wait here or come back?"

     “I think I'll just wait here. I should've called before I came."

     “No, I just got caught up reading your marvelous reviews." This comment from him was followed by Kelsa blushing a bright red and giggling a little under her breath.

     “Hmm, what?" he asked. “Here you go. Good luck next week. By the way, we have 6 classes together."

     Kelsa walked out of the school feeling more confident than she had in a while. She was going to know someone in every one of her classes except one. Maybe life was going to be okay. But, little did Kelsa know, it may not be.