Promising Peyton

Prologue

Peyton Martinez

Riverbrook. Population: 3,457. But, those numbers had long been decreased. It was moving day. In approximately 3 hours and 27 minutes, I'd be the resident of a neighborhood that I had no pleasure of being a part of.

I leaned my head against the window, watching two raindrops slowly make their way down. The sky was the wildest combination of dark grey and blue.

The storm clouds neared and what was once a light drizzle would soon become the heaviest of downpours.

Growing up, I always had the craziest idea of what life was really about. My mom always told me that danger is inevitable, but trouble is avoidable.

At the time, I didn't really know what that meant. I wondered to myself whether or not those two terms meant the same.

If they did, it was the greatest definition of contradiction.

If they didn't, I would never understand what she was supposed to be telling me.

Then, I did.

If you just so happen to find yourself in a predicament that you could have easily prevented, you're bound to face some challenges regardless of the circumstances.

I learned that the hard way. And with all the so-called wisdom my mother had so gracefully placed upon me, I could finally consider myself forever in a debt of thanks for the woman that had birthed me.

For she, never gaining much accomplishments in the short period of time she could call herself borderline sane, had never given me anything else.

All she could truthfully take credit for creating is a child with a fiery temper and a porcelain complexion that somehow makes her slightly resemble one of those dolls that you'd find in a vintage antique shop on the outskirts of a shady town.

Lydia Chase, previously known as Martinez, was a lunatic with a college degree who had abandoned her three children and also selfishly claimed half of her husband's life savings.

So, yeah, I hate my mother. But no worries, my lawyer father that never has time for his kids can make up for the lack of love and affection.

Not to mention my sister Gianna, who is a total narcissist might I add, had taken it upon herself to be the leader of the household despite the fact that she has the attention span of a kangaroo.

That leaves my brother Jason, my sister Sophie and I, the last three hopes of the Martinez family who might actually make it to the age of 35 without going totally ballistic.

This was my crazy family, as much as you could even refer to it as one.

Everyday in this household is kind of like one of those movies you see in a theater that keeps you intrigued.

Like, when it hasn't started yet and you waste all your popcorn on the trailers. Then, you can't even go buy more because you're already on the edge of your seat, eyes glued ahead, afraid of missing a single scene.

But, let's all be honest here. If my life were a movie at this point, I'd rewind to the beginning when it was all rainbows and sunshine. So, I could save the pain until the end.