Stargazing

Chapter One - Last Day of School

The summer sun was shining down and hot on the people below. For most students across the country, school was out. And for one particular girl it was. She was about average height for a twelve year old girl. Her hair was long and blonde with curled tips. Her eyes were as blue as the ocean. Everyone loved her. She was the prettiest girl in seventh grade. She had a fair complexion that complimented her cheeks and jawline. They said she was as pretty as her older sister counter part.

"Maryanne," An older girl had called out. It was her sister Juliana. Juliana had the same long blonde hair yet it had more of a wave had the bottom. Her eyes weren't blue but were a dark green and gave comfort to those who looked into them. "Come over here you dweeb." She said with a lighthearted laugh as her younger sister ran over.

"Is dad not picking us up?" Maryanne asked with a bit of joy in her voice. She absolutely hated their father with a burning passion.

Juliana looked towards the parking lot to see if she could find their father's blue 1980 Chevy Silverado in the conjoined middle school and high school parking lot. "No, it doesn't seem like he is." She looked down at her sister who looked as though a heavy weight had finally been lifted off of her shoulders. Getting on one knee to reach her height, Juliana put one hand on her little sister's cheek and the other on her shoulder. "Listen, I know the things he does to us is scary but he's still our dad. Right?"

With a sorrowful look, Maryanne looked at her sister and nodded. "Yeah," She began with a shaky voice. "He's still our f-." She had paused. There was no way she could say that word. It was a dead word to her. She had sighed softly and just nodded at her sister while looking down at the ground.

Juliana gave a soft and pitiful sigh before getting up, taking a hold of Maryanne's hand and beginning to walk home. In silence they walked for about fifteen minutes before arriving at a small, one floor home. It was white and run down on the exterior. The front yard grass was unkempt. Both girl made their way up a pair of stone steps that reached the door to the old home. They had noticed that their father's truck was not in the driveway.

"I'm going to go check the garage," Juliana said as she motioned her younger sister towards the kitchen. "Go and find yourself to snack on while I check." She hastily walked away and towards the door that connected the inside of the home and the garage. She placed her hand on top of the doorknob and turned slowly.