A Second Chance

"Well it doesn't look too bad... With some hard work this place will shine"

"Yea" I nodded as my brown eyes scanned the house but my mum knew I wasn't convinced.

I mean, look at it! The house was falling apart, it looked like just a simple gust of wind could blow it all down. And not to mention, I had to move away from the high school were I had everything.

"Look, Luna... I know this isn't how you imagined it... I didn't know it'll be like this either! When your grandfather told me-"

"Ok mum, I get it" I cut her off quickly, she could go on forever.

"I heard the garden's really big, didn't you say you wanted to try planting some trees?" Mum asked as she ran a hand through her greying brown hair.

I sighed "That was a year ago mum"

"Mhmm... But it wouldn't hurt to try it right?" Mum said, not really listening as she examined the fence and muttering under her breath.

I sighed, she never listened to anything I said.

But a back garden? I suppose I can go check it out. I made my way around the house and stepped over many empty beer bottles. I scrunched my nose and nearly puked, the smell was horrendous! I don't think even pouring a bath tub full of perfume can make it smell any better.

I stepped on something soft and I shrieked.

"Eww!!! Dog shit..." I hissed out as I looked at my dog poo accessorised converse.

"Is everything alright?" My mum called from all they way at the front of the house.

"Just fantastic mum!" I yelled back, sarcasm dripping from my sentence, but of course my mum can't hear that as she shouts back

"Great! The garden is lovely isn't it?"

I scoffed "Hardly"

It was true. Weeds were sprouting out from everywhere and cans and bottles laid everywhere and the freaking grass was up to my knees. And ouch, did something just bite me? I scratched my shin in annoyance.

My mum soon came around and examined the garden.

"Well, tomorrow you could pick up all the bottles and cans and mow the lawn and dig out the roots and stuff... It'll be perfect" she gushed.

"Me? Why do I have to do it?" I was baffled.

"We'll you're the one who wants to plant trees" she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"But I don't want to grow fuck-"

"Bad language! Now I need to go call the..." Mum went and disappeared around the corner.

I stared at the corner where she turned and disappeared off to. I pulled at my brown hair and let out a scream of annoyance.

So that's why, I'm stuck here digging at roots while I could've been with my best friend at their beach house for the weekend and spend more time with David.

I scowled as I dug the shovel deeper into the ground.

"Stupid grandpa, stupid mum, stupid house, stupid everything-" I was cut off by something in the ground, and I couldn't dig the shovel deeper. Oh joy, was it another root?

I peered in the hole and was greeted by a surprise. Instead of a root or rocks, it was a wooden box. And it looked pretty old. I reached my hand in and pulled it out. There was a lock, but it easily came off as soon as I pulled at it. Whoever buried this must've forgotten to lock it. I opened the box slowly and found a old worn leather bound book.

"Luna!"

I quickly shut the box and turned my head

"What?"

Mum waved to me from up on the balcony and I frowned. Wasn't that dangerous? It looked old and there were several cracks, but mum looked like she could care less.

"There's so much stuff in the attic! Come and have a look at this!" She waved as she leaned more over the balcony.

"I'm coming!" I yelled as I got up and dusted my jeans and hid the box under my shirt and made my way inside the house.

Once inside I left the box in my yet to be decorated room and went up to the attic, and wow, Mum was right. There was a LOT of stuff up there.

Mum was sorting through boxes of old Victorian dresses.

"Look at these! We could sell them!"

She exclaimed as she dug deeper into the box.

I sighed and shook my head before looking around the attic, and a cloth covered canvas caught my eye. I slowly tugged at the sheet and it came off and I coughed from the dust. The picture was of a long ebony coloured haired girl and a man that stood by her side with maroon coloured hair and blue eyes.

"She's really pretty..." I muttered as I leaned in to get a closer look. Were they a couple or something? I couldn't see the details as the picture looked close to fading.

"Look at the time!" Mum exclaimed as she carefully placed the dresses down and looked at her watch.

"I have to make dinner! Luna, you should go take a shower and change into a pair of clean clothes, you have your first day of school tomorrow!"

I groaned "Don't remind me!"