Magenta

Chapter 1

     "Beth!" I sighed, poking my head out of my room.

     I shout, "What!" I hear feet shuffling against the carpet and I see my Mothers face peer up at me from the bottom of the steps.

     "Come down here, please." She says.

     Confused, since Mom rarely asks me to come out of my hidey-hole, or, in other words, my room, I make my way downstairs.

     "Yeah?"

     I enter the living room where my little brother, Gabriel, and his younger twin sister Gabriela, sits on the couch, while Mom and Dad stands beside the old, tattered recliner.

     "Your Father, and I," she says, her eyes flickering between my younger siblings and I, "Have something to tell you." She says, as Dad looks nervous.

     "Sit." She orders, and I comply.

     I sit next to my brother who looks scared out of his wits, and my sister. I pat Gabe's knee reassuringly, but in a couple minutes, I was the one who'll need the reassuring. Mom took a deep breath, glancing at Dad who nods encouragingly.

     "We're moving." She blurts.  

     I shoot from my seat, hands balled at my sides.

     Shocked, and somewhat angry, I shout, "What?!"

   They knew, after three years of constant moving, I was doing great in school, not failing any classes. And I actually had friends! But no, they go and burst my happiness, why, I have no idea. "Please tell me this is a joke!" I want to scream, but I keep my voice calm.

     "Your Mother and I have decided that we're going to take over your Aunt's ranch." Dad says. Recently, Aunt Polly, had passed away of a heart attack, only two months before.

     "I grew up on a farm, and we can do it. I know we can." Dad smiles brightly, but I don't smile.

     "What about school?! My friends?! My happiness! You both know I'm doing well in school, finally, after three years! Why? Why move us again!"

     I might as well have shouted it. But I don't give them a chance to answer, I spin on my heel and march upstairs.

     I slam my door shut, the walls rattling. I pace my room, something I always do when I'm mad. I plop onto my bed, and scream into my pillows. I roll over to come face to face with Ella, my sister.

     "Beth, you okay?" She whispers, her voice has always been soft.

     "Yeah, Ella, I'm fine." I say, tucking a piece of her light blond hair behind her ear, with a fake smile.

     "No, no your not."

      She shakes her head softly, her green eyes full of worry. I sigh. I'd never been a good liar. I sink into my blankets.

     "I'm not fine, in fact, I'm horrible." I say.

     I stare at the ceiling for a while, before she speaks again.

     "Why?" She whispers.

     "Cause, Ella, we're moving."

     She sticks her tongue out of the side of her mouth, doing that same thing Dad does when he's concentrating.

     "Maybe it's a good thing!" She says, perking up. "Maybe you'll learn to love it! You've always been an early riser. Maybe you'll love nature, and animals."

     She grins childishly. I sigh.

     "If only it was that easy." I say.

     Though parts of what she said is entirely true, the part where I was an early riser, anyway. But the other parts, I don't think so. We'd always lived in big cities, never a ranch, much less the countryside. Heck, I'd never even seen the countryside.