Loose Strings

Chapter One

Every day has been the same since I turned 6. Wake up, go to work, and try to survive. Just kidding. (Actually, not really. It is partially true, after all.) except instead of work, it's cheer. Not that I don't love it, because believe me, I do. It's just that I've had the same routine since 4th grade, never a change in my schedule. Except winning the world championships of all star cheerleading twice with my team, the Cheer Athletics Panthers, and once with my other team the Cheer Athletics Cheetahs. Every day I went through the motions, only concentrating on one thing: cheer. Let's just say I eat, sleep, and breathe cheer, to say the very least. But everything changed the night of August 24th, 2012.

I've been responsible for myself (with some exceptions, of course) since I was six. So I have no clue why my parents decided I needed a babysitter while they went out on their anniversary dinner. August 24th, 2012 was their 15th anniversary. It was supposed to be perfect, just like their marriage. And it was, up until 9:27 PM., that is.

That's when I got the call.

The call that changed my life. Forever.

I was getting ready to go to bed when the phone rang. The babysitter had left at 9:00, the time my parents were intended to be home. I began heading to bed, and that's when it happened. Like any other nearly 12 year girl, I was worrying about my parents when they didn't return at the planned time. And then I heard the house phone beginning to ring uncontrollably.

I ran downstairs. When I picked up the phone, the voice on the other end began to speak immediately. I don't think I fully realized at that moment how much of an impact the words she spoke would have on my life.

"Hello. Is this Kalie Rios speaking?" The woman on the phone asked me.

"Y-yes. Who is this?" I replied.

She took a deep breath before answering my question, "this is Miranda from Plano County Hospital. I deeply regret having to inform you of this, but your parents have been in a fatal car crash. Your mother was killed on impact and your father is currently in critical condition and is not expected to make it through the night."

I don't even remember falling to the floor, or beginning to cry. All I know is that I never stopped until two days after the news, when my uncle and his boyfriend came to visit.

After the call, I grabbed my phone from upstairs and ran out the door. I sprinted next door, tears still pouring down my face. My best friend's mother opened the door.

"Kalie, what's wrong?" She asked.

I shook my head. I couldn't, I just....couldn't. Not right now.

"Where are your parents?" At that point Carly, my best friend, came up behind her mother.

"T-t-they were in a c-car crash and my mother d-died on impact and my dad is in c-critical condition," I somehow managed to speak in between sobs and stutters.

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry, do you want me to drive you to the hospital?" She asked, tears gathering in her eyes.

Still sobbing, I barely managed to nod my head 'yes' before she ran to retrieve her car keys. The drive was silent. Millions of possibilities ran through my head that night, and none of them were correct. When we finally reached the hospital and checked in, we were told that my father would most likely not make it through the night.

Flash forward to two days later. I hadn't been to cheer practice since the day of the crash. My new home was Carly's, but it didn't feel right. It didn't feel like home. It just felt like an extended sleepover, but without all the fun, like the end of a long road trip. Today is the day that my uncle and his boyfriend are supposed to come. I honestly don't know if I can deal with them right now.

Every time I've seen a picture of my uncle since the 24th, I've cried. He was my dad's twin. Why did they have to be identical? I don't understand why my parents had to die, and I guess other 11 year olds wouldn't understand either. It felt so unnatural being away from my parents. But it felt more unnatural to be dreading to see my uncle.

At 3:00 P.M. they arrived. My uncle, Eddie, had tears in his eyes when he saw me. I felt like crying, but I think I'd had enough in the past two days. They talked but I couldn't hear a word. I just stared. They finally decided that they would be my new guardians.

The next day, I packed and said goodbye to everyone at Cheer Athletics. We cried, and I didn't want to leave. The day after, we left for San Diego. On the plane to California, Eddie and Orby (his boyfriend) tried to talk to me. I answered occasionally, but I hadn't felt like talking since the 25th.

End of Chapter One

A/N:

Hi! This is my first fan fiction ever so please don't be too harsh. Constructive criticism is appreciated, though! Can anyone guess who Kalie's uncle is? ;) this will be a cheer fanfiction, if you hadn't guessed from the intro.

Anyway, thanks for reading this far!! I'd really appreciate feedback, and votes, if you'd like (:

please review!

-Mkewrites