In the House

Chapter 1

"Mom! Mom they accepted me! I'm going to Los Angeles!" I screamed, rushing into the kitchen.

"What? Really? Oh, my lord, Honey, I'm so happy for you!" she beamed, embracing me. We walked up the stairs to my room and I began packing.

For my entire life, I'd dreamed of being on a reality TV show. Now, almost in time for my birthday, I was about to be on In the House! I yelped in excitement just thinking of it. I picked up my phone and texted my best friend.

"I'M GOING TO BE ON IN THE HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!" Send. Good. I waited for a response, packing my bag until it was hard to close.

My phone vibrated, and I rushed to pick it up.

"Lany? Lany oh my gosh I'm going on IN THE FRICKIN HOUSE!!!!" I yelled into the phone, my face pulling upwards into a smile.

"Honey, I'm SO JEALOUS YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW!!" Lany yelled into the phone.

I smiled, and a little notification box popped down from my phone.

"I got to go, Lany, but I'll give you the information as soon as I can. Bye!" I yelled, hanging up and tapping the notification. It immediately took me to my email, where I saw a plane ticket to Los Angeles.

"Six hours???" I yawned, picking up my suitcase and carrying it downstairs before dropping it in front of the door.

"Mom, I'm leaving for the airport." I said, tears coming to my eyes. She came running from the living room, crying too.

"I'll miss you, mom!" I cried into her arms. I wasn't going to see her for a few months and I was terrified. I hugged my mom harder, slowly backing out the front door.

"Bye mom! I love you!" I said, through tears. I closed the door behind me and walked to my car. Slamming the trunk around my luggage, I fully embraced the fact that I was about to go onto national television. Throwing my backpack next to me, I got into the car and rolled out of the driveway.

The drive to the airport was slow and boring, my flight only 2 hours away. But when I arrived, my excitement took over and I was at the gate almost 45 minutes before boarding even began. I sat next to the boarding door and pulled out my phone. I went to text Lany, but before I could, I got a notification.

"Honey, congrats on your place on In the House. We look forward to seeing you." The email read, with a picture of the house on it.

I squealed with excitement, getting a few glares from the people around me. After waiting for what seemed like days, the TV next to the boarding door lit up.

"MHT > LAX" the screen read. "Boarding in 5 minutes"

My excitement became too much to handle, and I stood up to get in line. Before I knew it, I was walking onto the plane. The sun set behind the mountains and a blue light settled over the taxi-ways.

Sitting in my seat, my bag above me, I stared out the window. Small droplets of water hit the window, gracefully sliding downwards. I smiled, as the top of the sun set behind a maroon cloud.

The plane jerked as it slowly moved backwards away from the terminal.

"Bye, Manchester..." I whispered, as the plane rumbled towards the runway. The plane came to a stop, along the pavement.

I sat up straight, still looking outside, as the New Hampshire ground lifted away from me. As darkness settled around me, I closed my eyes. The purple lights dimly illuminated the aisle, and I quickly drifted off to sleep. The engines droned and lulled me deeper into my night.

I jolted upwards, startled. I slid the window cover up, grabbing the pillow that had been placed beside me. The man next to me fast asleep, I unrolled a blanket from my backpack and placed it over me.

Outside the plane, occasionally lit up by the lights on the wing, I caught glimpses of cotton candy clouds, ice crystalizing on the window. With 3 hours left in the flight, I tried to sleep once more.

When I realized that it was no used, the decent had already started. With a 'ding', the fasten-seatbelt light appeared, and I settled back into my seat.

The plane rumbled, bounding a bit, before slowing down and breaking through the thick clouds. Below me sat the lights of the city.

Los Angeles.

The buildings towering above the sleepless streets, the ocean in the distance, a blank blackness on the horizon. The runway lowered closer to the plane, and with a bump, the plane slammed into the asphalt. Slowing down, the plane turned onto the taxi and pulled towards the terminal.

It was 5:45 AM, and I still had to get to the house before 7. I had time. Quickly exiting the plane, I pulled out my phone to text my mom and Lany.

"Just landed! I'm freaking out!" I texted, to both of them. It would have been just before 3 for them, so I wasn't expecting any immediate messages. However, before I could take a breath, I had gotten two responses.

Of course, Lany's was a sarcastic remark and my mother's was a happy congratulation.

Heading out of the airport, I breathed in the air. Looking around at the lights, I decided to take a walk and get coffee at the nearest Starbucks. Walking along the crowded sidewalk, filled with people meeting others to pick them up from the airport, I found a crosswalk leading away from the airport.

I followed it, taking me straight to a Starbucks. Walking inside, it was nearly empty. I ordered the same thing I'd always ordered, and sat down. As I finished my coffee, my energy reinstated, I walked outside and hailed a cab to take me to the house.

Whistling, a small green cab drifted to the side of the street. I hopped in, telling the driver to take me to the house. Before I knew it, I had arrived. It was a blank, wrought iron gate. I paid the driver and walked up to the gate.

I checked my watch, and it was 6:54 AM. I should have been on time, but no one was there. I waited for a few more minutes, and two guards came walking down the expansive driveway. They opened the gate and welcomed me.

Leading me up the hill towards the modern mansion, I entered the house.

"This place is... huge..." I stuttered, the men simply nodding and sitting me down in the massive living room.

"Wait," both of them said in sync, before they left the house once more. I sat on the couch, waiting for my fellow contestants to enter.

The door burst open, light flowing into the dimly lit house.

"HELLOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" a loud voice yelled.