Boundless

Chapter 01

~Ally's POV~

My horse Serenity's hooves beat across the unused path, sending dirt flying behind us. I know the trail by heart and use it all the time, but I seem to be the only one.

"Woah!" I call to her, hoping she will slow down soon. We're quickly nearing our destination.

Finally I get her to slow to a walk as she steps into the clearing. We've been here so many times before that I don't even bother tying her up as I walk through the tall grass to treat myself to the most amazing view. Despite the fact that I have lived in the mountains for my entire life, I'm not used to their breathtaking beauty. I probably never will be.

This clearing is my special place. No one, as far as I can tell, knows about it other than me, and I hope that doesn't change. I need this place to lay back and enjoy the beauty. This place where I can just be myself.

Sometimes I even come out here and sang. I just feel so free, so... boundless.

Back at my house, I feel like I can't always truly enjoy my country, mountain life. It's probably because of my twin sister, Amy, who wants nothing more than to escape our small, cut-off town and move to some big city. Unlike most of our town, she tries to stay as connected as possible to the rest of the world.

It's not like we're hobos or something; we've got a computer, two TV's (one old one and one flatscreen, which Amy hogs all the time), and I even have an outdated cellphone. Really, though, we just don't like to keep up to date with all of the fashion and gossip of the rest of the world. At least, most of us don't.

So it is a big surprise for me, for all of us, when later that day, Mom tells us that someone new is moving in, a man and his 15-year old (my age) son, coming from New York. Amy is overjoyed that a guy our age is moving in from New York, but the rest of us can't figure out why a New Yorker would move to a town like ours. Although I'm already prepared to hate him, I also can't help but feel bad, knowing he's going to be a total outcast in our small, close-knit town.

And the lifestyle will be so different. I'm sure he's used to seeing new faces walk down the street everyday. In our town, a stranger visiting, whether it be somebody's relative, a photographer, anybody, perks a lot of interest. Sometimes, it's even enough for a bonfire to be scheduled.

Hillvale likes bonfires. A lot. It's where the whole town gathers around a huge fire in our, well, bonfire area I guess. It's by a lake that the kids like to swim in. Even in the winter, when it gets down into the twenties at night, we gather around an indoor "bonfire" (really just a fireplace) in our Village Center.

So what I'm trying to say is, while I'm from a town where every last person can fit under one roof, he's from a place of seemingly endless people. All the attention will be focused on him for the first year or so, I'm sure. And in my household, what with Amy and all, it'll probably be a lot longer.

It's just one week before school starts for the fall. I suppose the newcomer will be starting school with us on the first day. That would make the most sense.

Dinner that night is, of course, focused on the newcomer. Apparently his name is Zach Reinhart, and he is coming with is dad, Joseph Reinhart, who recently got a job to do an ongoing National Geographic column on the mountains. Why he picked Hillvale, though, only God knows.

After getting bored of the talk about Zach, my parents bring up the topic of our Back-to-School Bonfire. Yes, we have a Back-to-School Bonfire. See, I told you my town likes bonfires. 

It is scheduled for this Friday (it's Monday today), August 29th.

This bonfire will be different from our usual ones. They're fun but nothing special. This one, though, will be focused on Zach Reinhart, who should be arriving the day before. 

They also tell me that on Wendesday, my mom, Amy and I will be taking our annual back-to-school shopping trip to Atlanta. Although the city is just under two hours away, we rarely visit, much to Amy's annoyance. My parents grew up in the mountains, too, and they don't care for big cities. However, the shopping in Hillvale, Georgia is rather limited. While we can get the necessities, there aren't a whole lot of options when it comes to clothing.

***

The shopping trip goes well, and I'm feeling quite confident about my wardrobe for the first day of school. I've picked out lot's of new jeans and flannel shirts. Those are definitely my favorite things to wear.

Amy couldn't be more different from me in that aspect. She always tries her best to stay with the latest fashions, and although some kids admired her for it, most people of Hillvale couldn't care less. There's really no point in her worrying so much about fashion, except for the fact that she wants to be ready to go to college in New York or somewhere.