Safe

Chapter 1

I woke up like an ordinary day, parents and sister gone, I was home alone. I'm use to it now. But I'm not use to coming home to my mom and sister. My dad died two months ago. I honestly miss him, he was my bestfriend. I told him everything, all of my secrets, crushes, and everything. He was the only one I could relate to. Oh, I forgot to tell you my name, I'm Courtney Lyons, I'm 17. And my sister's name is Kylie, she's 17 too. My mom's name is Meredith James. I'm in the 10th grade, I'm learning how to drive right now. Pretty soon I'll be able to drive out this hell hole of a town.

I have no friends here, which is Maryland, all my friends are back in Cali. I miss all of them. I have so much drama down here. No one likes me, my sister pretends I don't exist. I'm just tired of it all, but there is someone I look forward to seeing while I'm here, his name is Austin Copper. He's 18, he is in all of my classes, we never talked, I don't even think he knows I exist. But he's such a cutie! But he's to popular to talk to me.

My birthday is in two days, on every birthday everyone at school has a nasty surprise for me, they fill my locker with pictures of me when I was 10 with a retainer! And they write on my locker "Happy Birthday you Whore!". I am not surprised, it happens every year, I'm use to it really. And my mom and sister forget I even exist. But I think this year might be different, I'm going to be 18! Then I can finally leave this dump!

Chapter 2

I'm finally 18! I'm packing all my stuff right now. I'm going to take a plane to Cali, I have been saving this money for 2 years. My bestfriend Luke is going to be waiting at the airport. I've missed him so much, ever since my dad died he was the only one I turned to. I grabbed my suitcases and went downstairs, my sister looked at me and asked"Where are you going?" I showed her my ticket, then she looked away. It almost looked like she was sad. I told her to keep in touch, as I was walking out the house she ran up behind me and gave me a great big hug and cried. I hugged her back, then I looked at my mom holding my dad's ashes in the doorway. I looked down, and she came outside to give me a kiss. I was actually crying.

When I arrived to Cali I saw Luke, I ran and hugged him, kissed him. Oh I forgot to tell you guys, we've been dating for 3 years. I know people say long distance relationships don't work, but we video chatted every night, and all night. I kind of forgot what Cali looked like, which is sad because that's my home, where I grew up in. Luke took me to his house to see his family, long time no see. At that moment I realized how our family was destroyed, I couldn't stop thinking of my mom's face when I got in the cab.

My sister cried when I video chatted her that night. I asked her how mom was doing, she said she's been trapped in her room every since I left. I have been in Cali for 3 days now, now I'm starting to regret leaving my mom and sister. Wow, am I actually feeling sorry for them? The moment I leave they start to care? Life is full of surprises. Luke came into the room and told me he was taking my shopping. I love him so much, he's the sweetest person ever.

Luke spent about 600 on me. Tomorrow it's going to be our 3 year and 2 month anniversary. We are going out to dinner. There's this new restaurant called the "Shadow Deluxe", I really want to go to. But I don't know what we are doing after that, but hopefully go to a club.

Chapter 3

I called my mom today. She said she's really sick, I asked her what did the doctors say. She told me it was from depression. I didn't know what to say, so I told her fo get well soon. I actually wanted to cry, but I couldn't.

Sometimes it makes me wonder, did my mom really care about me? After I got off the phone I went to my friend Haley's house, to let her know I was back in town.

Luke and I went to the park where we first met, it held most of our childhood memories. When we arrived, I started to cry, this was the only place I truly remember. I looked over at Luke, he asked me what was wrong, I told him we have so many memories here that I miss. We walked around the park, when I looked at a tree I saw something we wrote when we were 8, it marked "Luke & Courtney bestfriends 4ever". I turned and hugged Luke tight, we rubbed my head telling me that he loves me.

Seeing all of those memories made me think of how much I missed Cali. When Luke and I sat on the bench, we saw a huge piece of wood missing on the side of the bench. "Luke? Do you remember when I had tripped and cut my arm open?" He shook his head yes, and lifted up my arm to see the scar. I looked down at the ground and noticed a blue rose, I bent down to pick it up, on the petal it had my name on it. I asked him why it had my name on it, he just looked at me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. He said he did it when I left wishing for me to come back.

My sister called and she had some heartbreaking news. She told me mom died, I didn't want to believe her. I yelled at her, I was furious. Then realized she was telling the truth. I wish I could go back and make things right, but it's to late. I ran upstairs and packed my stuff and ran outside to the car. I just had to see my mom one last time..

I crashed....

I opened my eyes, I couldn't see anything, it was all blurry. It just happened so quick, I didn't see it coming. I tried to move but I couldn't, I was in so much pain, I looked at my stomach a huge piece of metal went right through me. I could barely see the people running to help me. I didn't know what was happening. All of a sudden my vision was getting dark. Was I dying?

I woke up in the hospital, I looked over at my clothes they were covered in blood. Luke ran in crying, he grabbed my hand and kissed me. I looked at the blanket and pulled it off. I couldn't believe what I saw, my right leg had been amputated. I bursted out crying, I was hideous, I told Luke to get out. I felt my stomach feeling an ugly flesh wound, I grabbed a mirror and saw my face was all scraped up and I had stitches all over.

Chapter 4

People keep staring at me like I was a monster. I just wanted to leave right now. Luke took me to Maryland, I'm at my house. My sister came outside, and looked at me terrified. Was I really this scary? She gave me a hug crying, when I got inside all the people who hated me in Maryland were in my house. I was furious, I wanted them to leave, but they were being nice. Wow, are they really changing? Austin Copper was here, he's so beautiful, my sister and him started kissing. I was surprised, he came over and hugged me. Luke and Kylie were hugging a lot, she missed him. All of us use to play when we were little, but Kylie just stopped.

Luke and Austin helped me upstairs, I rolled into my mom's room. It still looked the same, I looked at the family pictures. I started crying, Then my sister walked in and sat on the bed. I looked at her and asked "Do you remember how mom and dad would always take us to feed the ducks?" I can tell she was about to cry, I grabbed her hand and I started singing the song mom and dad use to sing to us. She whipped her tears and started singing. Kylie looked at me and apologized for everything in the past, I looked at her and smiled.

The funeral was marvellous. I'm back home now and Kylie and Austin moved to Cali. Kylie and I hang out a lot now. I missed my sister and my best friend. In Maryland I felt trapped, like I was in a cage. But in Cali, I know I'm safe. I know this is my safe place. I'm free...I'm alive... I'm beautiful....