Secrets Of AshGrove (On Hold)

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<<One>>

I haven't spoken to anyone for days, since they told me they'd be moving me across country a few thousands miles away from my mom. My plane landed fifteen minutes ago and I have all my bags sitting next to me. I'm currently sittting down on the ledge of a fountain waiting for my next social worker to pick me up and take me to this mystery aunt of mine. They told me her name was Brenda and that I have in fact met her before, or so she said, but I must have been very young.

A women with short brown hair, dressed in a tight dress runs towards me trying not to trip on her six inch heals. She looks winded and worried when she approaches me.

"You must be the bruting teenager?" She tries to make a joke.

I don't laugh. I just sit there with my arms crossed staring at her, waiting for her next move.

"You are Ashlie Grove, right?" She asks, worried that she had the wrong kid.

"Your late." I pointed out.

"Yes, I am so sorry, I had to take my son to school and his teacher wanted to speak to me and it was just hectic." She explained.

I got up from my sitting position and pulled my jacket closer to me. I went to pick up my bags when she reached for the one with wheels.

"I got it." I snapped at her.

At this point I don't really care who I offend in the government because they have hurt me in an unforgivable way. They've taken me away from my mother and from my home and threw me to the wolves basically just saying, here you go!
I didn't want to be here and I was going to make that as clear as I possibly could. I began to walk towards the exit when she followed in step and began to babble about my name and how similar it was to the town.

"I heard your family founded the town two hundred years ago." She said trying to make conversation.
"That's super cool that you basically have a town named after you. Ashlie means AshGrove you know?"

I actually didn't know that but at the same time I didn't care. Obviously there was a reason why I haven't come here to a town that was founded by my family otherwise my mother would have stayed here with me. I trust my mothers judgment and me being here is going against that judgment and I don't agree with that. When mom gets better I'll be back with her and everything will go back to the way it was before.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•

Since the airport is in Atlanta, we have to drive four hours to AshGrove. I don't talk and keep my ear buds in even if I have no music playing. I realized pretty early in that this women, named Emily, is a talker when she's nervous. She obviously hasn't been doing this line of work for every long otherwise I'd expect her to be more confident in her judgment. She treats me like I'm a ferrle cat about to pounce and scratch her eyes out, not that I blame her. I haven't been that great to be around these last four hours.

The ride to AshGrove itself is beautiful but I'd never admit it because I don't want to be here. But no less I watch outside the window and see the trees as they go by in a blurr of green. Mostly pine with a few maple and Ash trees. I do begin to wonder why my mother never mentioned that she had a sister and a niece. Maybe they had a falling out? My mom is a sweet women but she is known for holding the record of holding the longest grudge. Her and I had a fight one time and she didn't speak to me for a week until I admitted I was wrong and apologized. I'm like her when it comes to things like that and it would have lasted longer than a week but I needed her to sign a permission slip to go on a school trip so I forfitted.

We finally made it into the town a few moments later where I was met with a unsuspecting sight. The town looked like it was trapped somewhere in the early eighties when it came to the buildings. The buildings were all beautifully well kept with flowers in the windows and in the tree pots that lined the size walk with black meatle benches set up beside them. People walked down the sidewalks with friends, laughing and smiling. it looked so... Artificial. Almost staged and I didn't like it but I did at the same time.

"So, what do you think so far?" Emily asked.

I didn't answer but not to be rude but because I honestly didn't know what to think. The shops were cute and everything seemed so clean. I looked around and noticed that as we drove down the street their eyes would follow us and they would abruptly stop what they were doing. Not everyone but most of them. it was creepy

Emily rolled down her window down and the wind blew my red hair around my face which I pushed behind my ear.

"You have those things." Emily said abruptly.

I looked at her quizzically. "What things?"

"Those, um, black hoop things. In your ear."

"You mean my gagges?"

She laughed. "Yeah, your gagges. Did they hurt when you got them?" She asked.

She trying to make conversation...

"Not really."

"How did they do it?"

"I don't remember. I was at a party in the desert with my friends. We were drinking and then we all had the bright idea to go into the city and get matching piercings." I said reveling in the memory.

It was one of the last normal days befote mom got sick.

"What did your mom say about it?" She asked.

I shot her a look through the rearview mirror.

"She wasn't that ecstatic about it but she knew I was going to do what I was gonna do. She just asked that I be responsible and no drugs."

"Fair enough. Your mom seemed cool." She said. Past tense.

"Yeah. She is."