One Night Gone

One Night Gone

Chapter 1

My name is Dayton Bradburn. I earned myself the title of nerd in the fourth grade. With my wide rimmed glasses and button downed vest there really was no other way to put it. I would do all my homework and be a teacher’s pet, just like a little angel. I was babied by my mother. In the seventh grade I was known as mama’s boy. Though my style had gotten to be better, my styling wasn’t always on the plus side. Ninth grade I was done with all the teasing and bullying. Even my little brother had been brought into it and that was where I drew the line. I completely changed everything. My colorful plaid shirts were replaced with black, leather jackets. My white polo’s gone and filled with old rock band shirts. My pants consisted of only black skinny jeans with the occasional dark gray. I cut my hair so it stood in a quiff and I wore my beanie or snapback on days I didn’t feel like trying. I walked around the first day of school ignoring my once good friends. I sat in the back of the class and refused to pay attention to any teacher. I doodled in my notebook. My notebook now described my life. I poured everything I needed to into it. My emotions, my thoughts, anything I felt were needed. At the end of every class I’d be the first one out of the door and the first one to the next choosing my seat in the far, back, left corner.

Taylor Forbes was popular since her first day of grade school. It was hard not to be when you lived in Tennessee. She would greet everyone with a smile, and though not the best student or even the funniest she was caring and every single person loved her for that. Junior year was her best and she was hoping for the same in her senior. She had heard about the new family on their way and was curious as to what they were like. Not many people drifted in and out of there. The council had said it would take a week or two for them to arrive and it wasn’t permanent yet. Simply put her life was simple, and fun.

When I was almost done with senior year my mother was transferred to work in Tennessee. You don’t see many boys like me there. It was a small town and everyone knew everyone. I wasn’t looking forward to it, but I wanted to leave my old memories behind. We arrived on a Wednesday. It was nice out. Not too hot or cold, but just right. There was a slight breeze pushing the leaves on trees onto the ground. “I don’t want to be here.”

“I’m sorry Dayton, but you have to be. Everything’s harder to manage with your father gone.” I breathed out deeply and walked into my new house. I took all the boxes in and started setting everything up. The house was bigger than the one story apartment. Here we had the main house and then an attachment, which I had my eye on. Once I unpacked everything I went to go look around the attachment. It was nice. It had all the essentials, plus the room was enormous. I walked around a little longer and went in every room and every door. It was perfect for me. I walked back and my mom was grabbing her car keys. “Colby’s sleeping. Poor thing he’s already exhausted. I’m going to the store, why don’t you come? You might meet someone.”

“I don’t want to meet people.” She rolled her eyes and walked past me. “Fine I’ll go with you.” We hopped into the truck and drove to the store. My mother walked back and forth as I sat at the front on my phone. I would look up every once and awhile to see people staring at me. I didn’t mind, it happened all the time. My mother called me over and I slowly walked to her. “We’re leaving.” As we checked out I saw a girl walk in with her friends. She had blonde hair that was pulled into a pony tail. She wore black ray bans and a tank top with shorts. She looked nice. She pulled her sunglasses off and we made eye contact. I looked away and we left. I went to my room without dinner and slept.

She woke up to her alarm buzzing in her ear. She brushed her teeth and washed her face before choosing her outfit. She went with shorts, as always, and a new blouse she had purchased yesterday. It was loose and floral printed. She slipped on her sandals and let her hair out of its braid. She wore no makeup other than mascara and lip balm. She placed her glasses on her head as she walked downstairs grabbed an apple and walked to her car. She started driving and saw the same boy. She slowed down and rolled her window down. “Hey!” I looked over at her. I recognized her from somewhere.