Unconditionally

Prologue

Prologue

(partly rewritten, not edited)

At a young age, the thought of death never crosses your innocent mind. You never truly notice the heartbreak, depression death can cause until you reach a certain age, which is different for everyone, or a human you love is taken by death.

Trying to understand death is hard for children who haven't matured, yet. When my parents died, I would wait for them. Wait, wait, wait. I would tell myself that my parents will walk through my aunt's front door, smiling and calling my name, telling me they're here to take me back home. 

That day never happened.

I was only four when my father rushed into my room, saying my name and demanding me to wake. I just wanted to sleep. My eyes were blurry from sleep, and a strange smell kept on tickling my nose. 

"Come on, honey, stand up," urged my dad.

For some reason, my body followed his desperate demand. Being so short, I looked up at my dad, confused and still tired. Dad pushed me in the direction of my bathroom, and I kept on tripping over my dolls and cars.

Dad quickly unlocked the window and shoved the glass upwards. "What's going on, daddy?" I asked. Whipping around, Dad dropped to his knees in front of me and pushed back my curly blonde hair.

"Remember when you got in trouble for sneaking out of this window?" My stomach dropped to the floor. Oh, no. I'm going to be in trouble again. "You can do it again, only one time. Understand, Mackenzie?"

"But Mommy said--"

The smell got stronger. I don't like that smell. "Just listen to me, and me and mommy will meet you outside, by the tree."

I grinned because daddy and I were keeping a secret from mommy. We would always eat cookies from the cookie jar when mommy wasn't looking. I nodded my head and was lifted by dad to the window. I scrambled to get out. 

"I love you, Mackenzie." Dad said, smiling and pushing my hair behind my shoulder.

Dad then rushed out of my bathroom, and I remembered I was supposed to be climbing down the tree, not sitting on the window! I followed my dad's directions perfectly. 

The nasty smell wasn't so bad from the bottom of the tree. The dew from the grass tickled my bare toes, and the sky was turning to a pretty orange and pink. I waited by the tree trunk for my mom and dad. 

Then, firetrucks came pulling into the driveway. 

I didn't know what happened to my parents until a few years later, and I was told, by my aunt and uncle, that the stair case collapsed, leaving my parents trapped upstairs in a literal hell. My parents had risked their lives to save mine. 

Ten Years Old

"Mackenzie, would you be able to watch over the store while I pick up some horse hay?" Calls out my aunt.

I finished my crossed word puzzle and smiled as my aunt rushed by me. My aunt always rushed where ever she is or is going.

"Sure. No one is going to come here on a Sunday afternoon. They're probably all still at church."

My aunt kisses me on my forehead and ruffles my already mess of blond hair.

"Perfect! Then you should be fine!" She exclaims happily.

I looked back down at my finished page of crossed word puzzle. Not having anything else to do, I turn the page and start the next puzzle. My aunt is a vet and loves her job. The area that we live in is a small town and each member of our county probably has some form of a pet. From a sick hamster to a pregnant horse, my aunt can handle anything. I was too engrossed in my crossed word puzzle that I didn't hear the bell chime above the glass door.

"Hello? Someone in there?"

I raise my head to see Ashton Lotest. All the girls in my fifth grade class talk about him but I really don't care for him. He just seems like a normal guy.

"Do you need anything?" I ask him as I close my cross word puzzle.

"Yup, I need one bottle of shampoo for a short haired dog."

I glance at him before getting off of my stool. The key bracelet that has all the keys to the store is wrapped around my wrist and I unlock the glass door.

"What kind of dog do you have?" I ask him, I move the bottles around and smile when I find a bottle for short haired dogs.

"A chocolate lab."

"Really?" I ask in amazement. "They didn't have those the last time I was at the dog farm."

"My family had to travel some to get him for me." He tells me proudly.

Still crouched down, I place the bottle on the counter and rearrange the other shampoo bottles.

"That will be $6.54." I tell him.

"Are you serious?" He asks me in shock.

I roll my eyes and raise my head so my eyes are only showing above the counter.

"I'm not kidding, your bottle is right there."

"I don't get it for free?" He asks me.

Snapping the door closed, I stand up.

"Why would it be free?" I ask him.

Hearing my question, Ashton smiles wide and I ring up the dog shampoo.

"We go to school together so that means I should get the dog shampoo for free."

"But we're not in the same class and you never talk to me. So, I guess you'll have to buy the dog shampoo then."

I was expecting Ashton to frown but he still keeps on smiling.

"Stop doing that." I mumble as I take a small step back.

His smile becomes wider. To make his smile even more appealing dimples appear on both sides of his cheeks.

"Stop doing what?" He asks me.

Ashton's green eyes twinkle in excitement and I hand him his dog shampoo.

"Just-just stop smiling like that. Do you ever stop smiling?"

"Nope. You should always smile, even when everyone else wants you to stop." He tells me.

It was then after processing Ashton's words did I fall helplessly in love with him. I fell in love just like every girl at school did and I hate myself for it.

New story that I'm working on! That little quote or whatever you would want to call it that Ashton said came from the Shaytards on YouTube. I absolutely love their YouTube channel and I HIGHLY suggest you watch every video, or just watch as many as you can! This story is probably going to be the closest to home that I have ever written. No, my parents did not die in a house fire but some of things that Mackenzie will be doing will be things things that I always wanted to do. My life is sometimes so boring that my friend's parents are shocked. Writing is my escape to do crazy things. I haven't been to New York nor have I ever ridden a plane. My lips are still a virgin to other lips and is also a virgin to alcohol drinks. I seriously hope you enjoy this start to my new story because I know I'll be enjoying writing this!

-May

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