Never Letting Go (Book 1)(Reuploaded)

Chapter 1

Words: 1324

"Ashley Dober,"

"Here,"

"Isaac Andrews,"

"Here,"

"Zach Herron,"

"Here,"

"And Winter Haven,"

I looked up from my book as the teacher called my name. I looked around as if I was in a different place that I didn't recognize.

"Winter Haven,"

I was snapped out of my ever wandering thoughts and gently raised my hand. She nodded and put her clipboard down as she began to speak.

"Ok so as most of you know this camp called Rising Waters is letting a bunch of our students go visit their camp for a week. If you want to go, there will be a sign up sheet on my desk Friday and we will be leaving that same day. You have three days to decide if you want to go," she sat back down as the class started on homework, mostly from the last class.

I, on the other hand, continued reading, since I'd finished all of my homework. You see my mom was always gone and my dad died when I was six, my house was pretty quiet. And being an only child, I got used to the silence in the house when my mom was gone for days at a time. You see, my mom was always out at clubs getting drunk. I guess you could say that she's an alcoholic. But she wasn't the type to bash around and hurt me, she was more of the crying type. Being a fifteen year old, I was more than capable of taking care of her. Sometimes when she's gone I'll stay up for her until she comes home. Some of the time she does, some of the time she doesn't. I guess it really depends. When she's sober, she's probably the best thing that's ever happened to me. But believe me when I say that it's not often.

~

It was the last bell of the day and I quickly hurried to my locker to get my school books. My locker was closer to the other end of the school entrance, so I was always one of the last people out. I put in my combination and got out all the books I needed.

I walked down the hall as the sound of voices dimmed, the more kids walked out. I made it out of the school doors and headed down the sidewalk. I looked around, scanning my surroundings, and making sure that he wasn't here. I looked ahead when I was pushed. I fell onto the ground, my books scattering everywhere. I looked up. Gray Anderson. The school bully.

"Well if it isn't little miss mute. Where are you going in such a hurry? Back to your drunken mommy," he turned to his friends and laughed. I rolled my eyes and started picking up my books. I felt someone push me back down onto the sidewalk. Gray laughed again as I looked up at him.

"Aw guys look she's gonna cry," he put on fake sadness as I tried again to pick up my books. He knocked them out of my hands. He came closer to my face.

"I never said you could leave, mute," I looked at him with my crystal blue eyes. For a second I could've sworn that I saw a hint of compassion in his dull grey eyes. He pulled himself out of the trance he was in and pushed me down again, then walked away with his friends. I slowly picked up my books, when I saw two unknown hands grabbing my books as well. I looked up into deep brown eyes.

That would be Zach Herron, also known as my complete opposite. He was a social butterfly, while I kept to myself and didn't talk much. He was friends with pretty much everyone, whilst I was not.

I looked back down as blush formed on my cheeks. I stood up, as did he, and he handed me my books. He stood in front of me as I situated my books to fit comfortably in my arms.

"Those guys are jerks, don't let 'em get to you ok?" He said trying to look into my eyes. Failing, he put his hand on my shoulder. I flinched at the sudden contact and he seemed to notice. He immediately pulled away, but stayed where he was.

"If they ever do that again, just come and find me ok?" I looked at him in surprise. 'Of course he would be nice to the girl who has no friends. He's just pitying me'. Stupidly I nodded and he smiled. I felt butterflies in my stomach. 'No this can't be happening, not again'. I quickly looked down and walked around him and headed to my house.

~

As I was walking up the pathway to the small two story home, I fumbled with the keys to the front door. 'I should really get a book bag'. I successfully pulled out the key to my house and went to go unlock the door, but to my surprise the door was already opened. I looked around confused. My mom's car wasn't in the driveway. I walked in the door and looked around. Everything seemed to be in place. I then heard a loud bang and a couple of mumbled words come from the kitchen. As I was making my way to the door, I saw a pan lying on the ground. I quickly grabbed it and held it up to my chest as my back was against the wall next to the door. I turned into the room and held the pan out in front of me. I dropped my arms as the familiar figure turned to me.

"Mom?" I looked at her confused.

"Hey sweetheart," she turned back to what she was doing as I stood there shocked.

"How was school?" She asked, still her back turned to me.

"Uh...good," I said putting my books on the kitchen counter. I stood there for a second then turned around with my mouth open.

"Um mom what are you doing?" I questioned her as she kept messing with pots and pans.

"I am trying to find a pan that will work for this," she turned around holding up cookie dough. I gave her a surprised look.

"You're gonna try to bake cookies?" I asked and she nodded in response. I turned, still confused about the whole situation. I brought my books up to my room and sat them on my desk. I glanced at a picture hanging on the wall of me and an old friend. We were at this camp, that has long been abandoned now. Sometime after we had left the camp, there was a shooting there and lots of kids were killed. News got out and no one had been to that camp ever since.

I decided to tell my mom about the camp sign up. I walked downstairs and saw her still in the kitchen.

"So mom, at school today my teacher was talking about a camp sign up sheet. She said that this camp is letting some kids from the school go for a week. The signup and leaving day is Friday. If we're going, we have to pack suitcases," I told her. She finally put the cookie sheet into the oven. She turned to me and rubbed her hands together.

"Well are you gonna sign up?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"I don't know," my mom looked at me with a stern look.

"You should go, it'll be good for you," she said. I rolled my eyes.

"It's just I don't like people," I said, activating my shy mode. My mom walked up to me and put her hands on my shoulders.

"Winter, one day you will have to face people. No matter how much it scares you. I know you'll overcome this obstacle," she told me as she walked out of the room.

'Maybe I could just try it out'.