Utterly In Love

Chapter One

Addison James

If you asked me about a year ago what love meant to me, I would've replied with The only love I know is my parents' love, and probably turn red in embarrassment. I would've told you that I didn't love anyone and that no one loved me, obviously other than my family. Honestly, I would've been like, Love? Nah, I don't believe in such a thing. And the irony would've been that I was just another hopeless romantic, one who did a good job at disguising my true feelings. The irony would've been that I was straight up lying.

I saw the way my parents looked at each other. I saw the way my sister, Melissa, gazed into her fiancé's eyes with a dreamy look on her face. Sure, my parents split up in 2012 when I was just 13, but did that kill my views on love? Nope. I still was an oh, so hopeless love geek. My brother, Melissa's twin, always made fun of our sister, always saying I give it a year, ha ha ha! I always felt like telling him that he was just mad because he didn't have someone to hold at night, but instead, I would stand next to him and laugh at his stupid couple jokes. Besides, if I were to actually tell him that, he would reply with something along the lines of Sweetie, I definitely have someone to hold at night. Many, actually. He would probably say those things in a matter-of-fact tone, and then we would all cringe.

My two siblings were 24 years old, one engaged and the other single, proudly, if you haven't already caught on. Those two argued like cats and dogs, but other than logic differences, they still were pretty much the same person, including physical appearances. I enjoyed spending equal time with both of them. Melissa would take me out every week for a girls night, and Mason would take me, rarely, out to eat wherever I wanted, his treat. Most of my free time, though, was spent at my father's house. My dad, Zachary, was by far the most awesome old man I had ever met. He was my hero growing up, still is. He took me anywhere I asked and if I was feeling sick, he would made me chicken noodle soup, force me to eat it, and then put my favorite movies on. Yeah, I didn't like soup. My dad always sent me home feeling better than ever, and my mom would always be impressed. And that woman was hard to impress.

Friday night rolled around, and I was packing up my duffel with the things I felt I needed for the weekend. Almost everything I took, I ended up leaving there, so my duffel got less heavy toward the beginning of summer vacation. Undergarments were the first thing I put in there, because if I left them for last, I would've forgotten them. I only took three changes of clothes, pajamas, a dress with sandals, and worn shorts with a t-shirt, finished off with tennis shoes. My mom, Monica, said the same thing every week. Addy, baby, why don't you take more flattering clothes? She knew my answer was always Because, why should I?

A sigh came from her lips along with You're gonna end up looking homeless the day you meet a cute boy, just watch, and all for not listening to your mother. That just made me laugh. Meet a cute boy? Or just a boy, for that matter? Maybe from afar.

My dad lived about two hours away, in the next town, and we usually set off at around 5am so I could be there by 7am. We used to leave at 9am, but my dad complained that he barely got the morning with me, and I begged my mom to take me earlier. She didn't like the idea, but let me anyhow. I would leave at 3am just so my dad wouldn't feel like he wasn't getting enough time with me. I loved that man. I loved my mom, too, but I lived with her the whole week.

And know that you know my life, you know why I say the only love in my life is my family's.