Bitten

Chapter One: A Fresh Start.

Hi everyone! I just wanted to add a quick note that I have made an Instagram dedicated to book edits, visuals and updates! If you would be interested, follow:
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(Photo above is the main character, Rosalie)

So begins the long and dreadful bus ride to my new life, a small town at the North-Western most tip of Oregon by the name of Shadowbank.

The name is fitting I suppose, considering my cousin Alysa says they may have a sunny day 5 times a year at most.

That will be a drastic change from my home now in the sunny state of Utah.

I've been staying with my grandma for the past month since I've been orphaned, but apparently her new husband doesn't want a "reckless teen" around the house. So I'm being shipped off to live with my aunt Ruth and two cousins Alysa and Brandon.

I met them a hand full of times as a child when they came to visit but other than that we rarely spoke, so I am more than unsure what to expect upon arriving.

"Is this seat taken?" A young man asks. I shake my head, forcing a small smile.

His hair is sandy blonde with a hint of red and his eyes are emerald green.

He's quite attractive but, not really my type though... he looks like the type of guy who uses the word "bro" after every other sentence he speaks.

I look back at him, studying his face. For some odd reason, I've always felt paranoid that certain people could read my thoughts. So if I'm thinking about them while their around, I study their face for any sort of reaction.

It's weird, I'm aware of this, but I do it with just about everyone I meet, this total stranger included.

Facing the window once more, I watch the bright pinks and yellows blend with the firey oranges in the sky, the sun was setting over the horizon by the time we reached the Utah/Nevada border.

Goodbye cacti... goodbye life... goodbye memories spent with my parents.

Oregon, here I come.

•

It took just over a full day to get to Portland, that's where the nearest bus station was.

The bus arrived at 5am on the dot. I called my aunt an hour earlier to tell her I was getting close, so she should be here already.

Luckily, I just saw her at the funeral a few weeks ago so I know what she looks like. My mother also used to show me pictures of her on Facebook a lot too.

I step off of the bus and weave my way through the thick crowd of people exiting the bus as well.

"Excuse me, pardon me," I say, trying my best not to get stepped on. I was often mistaken for being younger than I am because of my height. Only standing at 5'2 and a half, I am easily lost in a crowd.

"Rosalie darling over here!" I hear someone yell from behind me as I walk into the main area of the bus station.

I turn in the direction of the voice and see my aunt and my cousin Alysa smiling and waving at me as they walk over.

"It's so great to see you," Alysa says, pulling me into her embrace. I've never been big on hugs, but over the last month I've gotten more of them than I can count.

I reluctantly wrap my arms around her as well, welcoming her hug.

She pulls away slightly but keeps a hand on my back.