Gray

Chapter 1: Alissa Arnold

Chapter 1: Alissa Arnold

As we came up to the street, Shay Street, I didn't imagine it to look so historical. The sidewalks were practically brand new and on the side against the property lines were short stone walls. The street itself looked like the pavement was new as well. everyone looked like they knew each other, smiling and talking as they went about doing their daily errands. But look at me, going right on in to ruin their friendly days.

The town was quite small compared to the large state of North Carolina. Considering I was moving from Washington, it was pretty obvious.

We started to turn into our new house, a small old green one with two stories and a gigantic tree right in the center of the yard. It was right at the end of the circular street, so that might be a plus if everyone hated me.

I stopped day dreaming at the sound of my fathers voice.

"Ali, we're here. Why don't you go get your bags from the back and bring them into the house?", he asked.

"Sure thing, dad", I said as happy as I could.

It wasn't that I wasn't happy to be moving away, it's just that I've never really been happy with my family. They always act like they're perfect, but they aren't. My mom always fought with my dad, and then they would blame it on me. I'm just tired of it.

"Oh yea, and Ali? Do you remember when your sister said she was going to be here?"

"Um... no. Sorry." I said.

"Oh, okay", he said disappointedly.

My sister Collie was a spoiled 17 year old with an attitude the size of Lake Erie. She always got what she wanted and was the favorite of the family, excluding my brother Paul and I.

Paul is ten and is an annoying trouble maker. Nothing more, nothing less. I, Alissa Arnold, the 16 year old, was probably the most mature out of the whole family. Fabulous.

I shook Paul's shoulder to wake him up.

"Paul, wake up! You have to go get your suitcase out of the back and bring it inside... Paul?" I asked.

He was still sleeping soundly, completely unaware of my existence.

I laughed to myself and then went out the van door. The trunk had already been open, probably by my father, so I just took my suitcase and strolled through the front door.

I gazed up in awe of the high ceiling and exposed beams. I always loved these kinds of houses. They always reminded me of the ones I painted in school two years ago. The front door led directly to the family room, and it sure was big. There was a fire place at one end and the rest was just open space with one door in the back and one open space, where a door could go, on the left.

"Wow."

I picked my suitcase up, which wasn't that big, and carried it up the stairs to the left side of me. Once I was up, there was a straight hallway with about five doors divided on either side. I took a left and went to the door at the very end. I carefully opened the wooden door and peeked inside. There was one bed and a lamp inside staring directly at me. The room itself wasn't too big. The light from the window on the right side of the room caught my attention quickly.

I shuffled over laying my suitcase down and peered outside to the backyard.

It was huge! There was a pool with a tree next to it, and enough open grass that you could've called it a meadow.

"Amazing..." I said to myself.

I hurried back down the stairs and into the family room deciding where to go next. One open door looked like it led to the kitchen while the other looked like it led to a porch.

Outside!

I dashed straight back, pulling the door open and letting a swift warm autumn breeze blow against my face, swishing my hair behind me. I was now standing on a small porch with a three step stair case that led to the grass. Quickly, I dashed to the open meadow of grass like a zebra would in the wild. I let the wind swing me around as I spun in the middle of it, enjoying myself. It finally felt like I was home. Where I belonged.