Westfall Creek

Chapter 1

What if you went to sleep and everything was fine? And then the next day, your world was turned upside down by something that had happened months ago? Something that, no matter how hard you try, you STILL can't push it to the back of your mind? Well that's what happened to me. My name is Kaylin Rebecca Grey, and this is the story of how one little incident made me go from small town obscurity, to having my face be plastered on magazines, newspapers, and even appearing on the news.

I grew up in Westfall Creek, Texas, which is about ten minutes away from Austin. Westfall Creek is a small town, it probably only has about three hundred people, so when something happens, everyone knows about it. My mom, dad, two sisters, three brothers and I all lived in a two story house overlooking Westfall Creek. And I loved it. I could walk to the creek and stay there all day during the summertime. It was the only place I could go to actually think. My second oldest sister Jenessa always used to go down there with me. And then, the summer before my senior year of high school, everything changed. Jenessa became snappish with almost everyone. Even my littlest sister Gracie, who Jenessa absolutely adored, couldn't escape Jenessa's foul mood. I knew something was going on, and I was determined to figure out what.

"Kaylin! Time to get up! It's your last first day of school!" my mom called through the door.

I rolled out of bed and landed on the hardwood floor. "I really should have let mom and dad put carpet down instead." I thought. I stood up and looked around my room. My walls were a pale pink with grey stripes going across it and the spot between the stripes was painted purple. My bed was pushed against one wall, and my t.v. was on the mess I referred to as my desk. My mom called it insanity. Movies everywhere, college brochures stuffed in the corner.... I'm surprised I found space to do my homework. I headed over to my walk in closet and started rummaging through clothes. I finally settled on black leggings, a silver skirt, a black sweater, and silver boots. And now I had to figure out what to do with my hair. I finally decided to curl it and put a silver headband in it. I looked at myself in my full length mirror, took a deep breath, and decided I was ready. I walked across the hall to Jenessa's room, and knocked tentatively. It was best to walk on eggshells around her, because you never knew what kind of mood she was going to be in.

"Nessa, it's time for you to get up." I held my breath, awaiting her response.

"Kaylin, can you come in? I have to talk to you."

Her request surprised me, but I pushed open her door and walked in. I hadn't been in Janessa's room in months. I had almost forgotten what it looked like. Whereas my room was a walking hazard to everyone who entered, Janessa's was spotless. Her clothes were in nice neat piles, books stacked on the shelves, and her bed was always made. Her walls were pink with white chevron.

I sat down on the edge of her bed. She turned to look at me, and I could tell that she had been crying.

"Nessa, is everything okay?" I asked. I had rarely seen Jenessa cry. It just wasn't like her. She always made it seem like she was the tough one, the one who had everything figured out. When I was little, I always thought she was invincible. Nothing could hurt her.

She shook her head and then she handed me her phone.

"Scroll." I took her phone in my shaking hands. It was open to her Facebook Page. The comments I was reading brought me to tears. "Jenessa Grey is a waste of space." Jenessa is a nothing." "No one likes you." "Go away." "I hate you. You're ugly." Those comments went on for a page or so.

"Jenessa, how long has this been happening?" I felt tears sliding down my face. I was disgusted. How could anyone pick on Jenessa? She was nice to everyone. And while Jenessa's friends reveled in gossiping and spreading rumors Jenessa shied away from it.

"Ever since this summer. And I feel terrible because I was snappish with everyone. Gracie runs away from me now. I don't know what to do."

"Well, for starters, we need to tell mom and dad." I said.

Jenessa shook head vehemently. "NO! We absolutely can not do that. I don't care how bad it gets. We can't."

I looked at my sister, shocked. "Why can't we?"

"Because," she said, tucking a piece of her long auburn hair behind her ear, "if we do, it won't get better. It will get worse."

I figured I would try reasoning with her. She had to tell someone.

"Nessa, if it would help, I could go with you. I hate seeing you like this. It breaks my heart. Please- just tell them."

She looked at me and gave me a watery smile.

"You would really do that for me? After how horrible I've been? Kaylin, I don't even know what to say. I always thought it would be me doing something like this for you. I guess our roles got reversed, huh?"

I smiled and reached down to help her up.

"Yeah, I guess they did."

And for the first time in forever, Jenessa and I walked downstairs arm in arm.

We reached the end of the staircase and heard the noises of a full kitchen.

Jenessa bit her lip. "It sounds like Brett, Scott, Ray, and Meghan are all here too, along with Gracie, mom, and dad."

"Sounds like it." I agreed. "You ready to face them?"

Jenessa nodded. "I'm ready."

We pushed open the door and were meant with screaming and crying.

"Jenessa's a meany! Stay away!"

I looked over to see my super sister crumble. For the second time that morning, I saw her cry.

"Gracie....."

"NO! Gracie doesn't like Jenessa anymore!"

I decided I had to intervene. Quickly.

"You guys, Jenessa has something she needs to say. And we ALL need to listen. Understood?"

My family simultaneously nodded their heads.

"Good." I smiled. "Jenessa, go ahead."

Jenessa pulled out her phone, which was still open to Facebook.

"Well... it all started this summer......."