Little Grier

Chapter 1

Jenna

Piercing bright headlights. That was the last thing I saw, before it all went black I mean. Everything had seemed to go in slow motion. Me falling asleep, dad yelling, the car hitting a red SUV, it was like I was watching a rewind of a basketball play or a slow-mo blooper on a comedy channel. Even though I had been asleep moments before the crash, I still distinctively remember it.

"Okay, your meds are on the counter, emergency numbers on Hayes' phone, oh and don't forget you have a therapy session at six, Nash is driving you." My mom said pacing around the kitchen like a madwoman. It was her first day back at work after she had taken a year off to help me get back on my feet. By 'back on my feet' I mean her homeschooling me for a year while juggling doctors appointments, therapy sessions and of course Hayes and Nash's MAGCON events.

"I'll be fine Mom, Nash and Hayes will take care of me," I told her, because if she keeps worrying and pacing, I swear I'll claw my eyeballs out.

"Okay, I better get going, love you Jenna, call me if you need anything," She said to me, finally leaving to head to her work. I heard the jingle of her keys and the gentle close of the creaky wooden door, signalling that she was know longer in the house.

Running my fingers over the slightly bumpy kitchen counter, my fingertips brush over something round and smooth. My pills. Doc said they're to ward off any infection in my eyes, but I'm not stupid. I know some of them are anti-depressants or something like that. Ever since the accident, Mom's convinced I have depression. Just because I don't go out as much anymore or have as many friends as I used to, doesn't mean I'm any less, me. I hear her crying at night sometimes, talking with Dad and saying she just wants me to be 'me' again. Last time I checked, I lost my eyesight, not my entire soul.

I dry-swallowed the medication, being too lazy to get up and actually find a glass and fill it with water. My two brothers and little sister were still asleep and the house was peacefully quiet. I drummed my fingers on my lap, humming quietly to myself.
What to do with this whole house to myself?

Seventeen steps forward and five left, I counted in my head as I walked to my favourite room of the house, the music room.

As I stepped in and inhaled the fresh lemony scent that seemed to always be present in here, I thought about how many songs I could get in before the boys woke up. Three if I was lucky.

The room itself is pretty spectacular. A few guitars mounted on the walls and one grand piano right in the centre of the room. The walls are a varnished wood to absorb sound.

I sat down on the sleek piano bench, the ivory keys feeling like silk under my fingers. Having had lessons before, I had known how to read notes and play some songs. That was before the accident. Now I just come here and play. I mean, my fingers remember the songs, making playing not a big deal.

Half-way through singing one of my favourite songs, I Know You Care by Ellie Goulding, I heard the door creak open and loud shuffling noises coming across the hardwood floor.

"Nash?" I asked, knowing he's the only one who walks like that.

"Uh huh, just wondering if you wanted any breakfast. God Jen, you sound so good. You should start putting videos on YouTube or maybe I could make you a vine account or-"

I cut him off, "We've been through this, I don't want to be internet famous, that's your thing. You know I don't like other people hearing my music. Besides, I'm not even that good.

"I don't care if you don't share your talent with anyone but don't ever tell me your not good Jenna, because you're freaking amazing."

I stay silent, not knowing what to say next. He knows I don't like socializing or going up in front of crowds. I was like that even before I lost my sight. Being blind just makes meeting people and social media that much scarier.

"I'll make you some pancakes, go wake up Hayes and Skylynn. I swear those two would sleep forever," My older brother said, quietly leaving the room.
Sighing, I quietly push in the piano bench and make my way to Skylynn's room. Her room was the second door on left side of the of the hallway.

Fortunately for me, the house is pretty easy to navigate. There is one long hallway which had all the bedrooms. Mine's the first door on the right, mom and dad's is the second, Nash's is the first on the left, Skylnn's is the second, and Hayes is the third. When you first walk in the house, there's a open-plan kitchen which is connected to the living room. One of the bathrooms is at the end of the hallway and another is connected onto the living room. Pretty simple, and I'm good with remembering.

"Skylynn, Nashy's making pancakes, better get up before Hayes eats them all!" I told Sky, gently pushing on her arm.

"I'm up, I'm up! Don't take my pancakes!" Sky's sweet voice filled the room as she ran out, probably to the kitchen to eat breakfast.
Running into Hayes room, I find my way to his bed and jump on it. His bony body underneath me groans as he tries to push me off of him.

"Really Jenna? This early in the morning?" He asks in mock anger, pushing past me to get to the kitchen. I follow behind him and his quiet footsteps. By the time I get to the kitchen, there's only two pancakes left.

"Who ate all the pancakes?" I ask, setting my plate down on the dining room table.

"That would be me!" Skylynn yelled, food still in her mouth. We all laugh, knowing that she only eats a half of one. It was probably Hayes. Maybe Nash.

"So what are we doing today?" Hayes asks. I feel the edges of the plate, aiming the syrup bottle in the middle.

"The guys are coming over, Cam and Matt, remember?" Nash says, his mouth still clearly full of pancake. Mom sure does know how to make a mean batch of pancakes, especially chocolate chip, my favourite.

"Yeah, sorry, forgot with all of the meet-and-greet stuff last weekend," Hayes says.

"Don't flirt with my friends okay Jenna? They're big ladies men," Nash adds as my cheeks turn crimson. Me? Flirt? I don't think I even remember how.

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry about it. What time are they coming?" I ask him, taking a bite of my breakfast.

"In a couple hours," Nash says, leaving the table to go get dressed or something. I finish up the last of my pancakes as well, and put my dishes in the dishwasher.

Heading back to my room, I silently hope that Mom laid out some clothes for me. She's the one who usually chooses out outfits for me, so I don't end up looking really weird. She occasionally does my makeup too, but she insists that I don't need it, and refuses to do it for me sometimes.

Sure enough, on the foot of my bed there is a neatly folded pile of clothes. By feeling them, I'm pretty sure it's a t-shirt and jean shorts. I slipped my outfit on, ran a brush through my long brown hair, and lightly applied some of my favourite vanilla scented perfume. Nash's friends are coming over and I don't want them to think I am a total slob. He said they were coming in a couple hours, so I plugged my headphones into my iPod Shuffle and waited for them to arrive. Let's hope I don't embarrass myself.