Forget the Past, Open the Present, and Live for the Future

Back Story

            Kelsey was born in Manhattan, New York on May 16th, 1998. Her parents had her little sister Stephanie when she was three. Kelsey got kidnapped and raped when she was ten. Her grandmother, grandfathers, and aunt died two months apart from each other. Her parents Bethany and Travis had a divorce when she was 13. She had to move to Florida with her dad and his new wife or in Kelsey’s case wife number three. She moved next door to a boy who goes to her school that has something to hide.

Chapter 1

            “Hold still, it won’t hurt at all.” he said. It was cold, dark, and she was strapped down. “Leave me alone!” Kelsey screamed. “No!” he said. She said, “Leave me alone!” Kelsey woke up from her dream, to realize that it was time for her to wake up and go to school. She took her shower and brushed her teeth. She decided to wear her Coca-Cola shirt, white skinny jeans, red Converse, and her Coca-Cola earrings. She put her hair in her bun and went downstairs to find her stepmom and dad kissing in the kitchen. “Yuck, you guys are gonna make me sick before I eat or even get to school,” Kelsey said. “Kelsey Marie Howard, you need to have happiness.” Her stepmom Christine said. “You made me lose my happiness when you came into my life and don’t call me by my first name if you didn’t write it on the birth certificate,” Kelsey said. “Kelsey don’t talk to your mother like dad,” her dad Travis said. “Excuse me,” Kelsey said, “When did that woman push me out of her nasty, dirty thing between her legs. My real mother is Bethany Marie Howard not this woman,” Kelsey said. Kelsey slammed the door on her way out. She walked to her bus stop and saw her next door neighbor Justin by the bus stop. “Hey,” Justin said. Kelsey didn’t respond. “Are you ok?” Justin asked. Kelsey didn’t say anything. The bus had come; Kelsey got on and sat in the first seat. She couldn’t wait to get this day over with.

Chapter 2

            The bus pulled up to the school and she read the sign. “Boardwalk High School: A school bringing brilliance to the beach,” Kelsey read. Kelsey walked off the bus and into the front office. “Hello miss are you new here or are you in trouble?” the lady at the front desk asked. “I’m new here; I’m here for my schedule,” Kelsey said. The lady at the front desk gave Kelsey the schedule and Kelsey left the front office to get to her locker and first period. The school was the same size as her old school in New York. She felt and saw the eyes of people looking at her. Her locker was near the end of the hallway. She looked at her tall, wide locker. She saw Justin, her neighbor, to her left. The sound of slamming lockers made the hallway loud. No voices of people where heard until first bell. Everyone was rushing to class except for Justin. “Do you need help finding your class?” Justin asked. Kelsey nodded and Justin looked at her schedule and took her to first period. Kelsey said, “Thanks.” Justin said, “No problem.” Before Kelsey walked into class, Justin wrote his number on her schedule. She smiled a little bit and then stopped. She just couldn’t wait to talk to her first friend at her new school.

Chapter 3

            When Kelsey got off the bus, she ran home. When she got there she froze. The new was big, out of her taste. She missed her old, perfect sized house in New York. The open, free space in her new house caused her to breathe in and out a lot. This was out of her comfort zone. She walked into the living room to find her four year old stepbrother Jace and her stepmom Christine watching TV. “Can you babysit Jace until I get back?” Christine asked. “Sure whatever,” Kelsey said. Christine left the house and left Jace and Kelsey alone at home. “I wanna go swimming Kelsey!” Jace said. “Ok go then,” Kelsey said without giving a care. “But mommy said you have to watch me if I want to go swimming.” Jace said “Ok, fine. Go get dressed.” Kelsey said. Jace ran upstairs and changed while Kelsey changed from her skinny jeans into shorts. Then she walked outside with Jace’s towel and sat on a beach chair with her sunglasses on. While Jace was swimming on the kiddy pool, Kelsey saw Justin out of the corner of her eye.  He was shirtless, swimming in his pool. She went inside her house for two minutes to look for her phone. When she came back outside, Justin was sitting in her seat. “Can you please get out of my seat?” Kelsey asked. “No, I want to talk to you”, Justin said. “Ok you have one minutes to talk, go ahead”, Kelsey said. Justin got out of her seat and sat in the seat next to her. “I just wanted to ask you what was wrong with you this morning and why don’t you talk to me when we’re in school?” Justin asked. Kelsey replied, “My stepmom made me mad this morning and I don’t talk to people on the first day of school”. “Oh ok what did your stepmom do to you to make you mad?” Justin asked. “It is personal stuff I can’t tell you,” Kelsey said. “Oh ok, that’s fine,” Justin said. “I’m done swimming Kelsey!” Jace yelled. Kelsey took him out of the pool and gave him his towel. “So see you tomorrow Justin!” Kelsey yelled. “Bye,” Justin said. After dinner, Kelsey went into the recreation of her room back in New York. She went onto her Facebook and saw she had a new friend request, it was from Justin. She accepted it and decided to talk to her best friend in New York.