Carved

PROLOGUE

(This was written long ago and forgotten until now.  I thought I would give another book to read while I gather my thoughts for my unfinished books.)

ELLA

“I love you.”

Those were the first words I said to Dylan Merrick.  I didn’t even realize I said them aloud until our classmates in Mrs. Howard’s first grade class started singing “Dylan and Ella sitting in a tree", laughing hysterically. I almost died of embarrassment and was sure I committed social suicide before I even knew what it meant! I was beginning to panic until I noticed Dylan was smiling. He wasn’t laughing at me like the others and it wasn’t a nervous smile a person would give a crazy person. It was a genuine “I like you too” kind of smile. At least that’s how I remember it.  When the cutest boy in the whole world smiles like that, you better believe I was smiling from ear to ear.  

I probably looked like a lovesick goofball.  My heart was pounding in my chest. My palms were sweaty and I developed an embarrassing giggle.  That one smile made the tears that started to form and jeers from the class disappear. Needless to say, I had a huge crush on Dylan Merrick since the beginning and I knew it was love. 

Dylan was a new student in the class and my new neighbor. He moved into the house next to my family home on Halloween when I turned seven.  According to the gossip from my mother and her friends, his family was extremely wealthy. Mr. Merrick owned quite a few businesses here in Pennsylvania and New York. Mrs. Merrick was an interior designer and from old money. Which, I didn’t understand what that meant.  I remember looking at a map for a place called ‘Old Money’ wondering if the taped up old dollar I spent on ice-cream would end up there eventually.  

It was quite unusual for them to be living in one of our town’s smaller homes if they were as rich as everybody said. Their one acre property was smaller than the large mansion they lived in previously. Dad just couldn’t make sense of it.  A coworker of his said Mr. and Mrs. Merrick didn’t want to spoil their two sons, Colton and Dylan, with luxuries. So they moved to a smaller town. Mom said they moved because the boys were kicked out of their old school for fighting. “Stay away from the Merrick boys.  They are bad news.”

My parents were not home very often.  We knew they loved us and we were a very happy family, but they had to work hard to make ends meet.  In which I knew one end was family and the other end was money. Dad said he could never seem to grasp the ends of them and tie them together.  He said he was lucky to have a beautiful family to hold one end of the rope, otherwise he would get lost in his work.  

Grandma Penny or Grammy as we call her, started living with us when Mom decided to go back to work.  Dad is in marketing and mom works as a media researcher. Dad spent most of his time at the office trying to move up the ladder.  Mom is always in the city researching for the next hot story or making the rounds for the latest gossip. It's no wonder they are tired.  That's a lot of exercise. It's a good thing we have Grammy to help.

Grammy was taking a nap on the day the Merrick family moved in.  My older brother Louis and I decided to make sandwiches and eat on the front porch while we waited to go trick-or-treating.  Neither of us wanted to wake Grammy. When she’s awake she would make us sing or take our piano lessons. She is a retired music teacher.  She’s the one that helped name us. Louis was named after Louis Armstrong and I was named after Ella Fitzgerald. I think I know most of Lady Ella’s songs.  Grandma had wanted me to practice another one, but she fell asleep and we were happy for it. It’s not that I don’t like to sing, in fact I love it, but it was nice to have an occasional quiet time.  

Our jaws dropped when we saw a black limousine park in front of the house next door. A moving truck followed soon after. Our new neighbors were here.  Louis grabbed my hand and started pulling me off the porch to greet our new neighbors. Mr. and Mrs. Merrick were the first to step out. It only took one look to tell that their outfits cost more than my whole closet of clothes.  They were not dressed to move boxes and furniture. They were dressed to point out orders and snap fingers. That's exactly what they did towards the poor workers.

A boy Louis’ age, who we figured was Colton, followed behind them. Louis was two years older than I was and there were few boys on our block his age. His face lit up when he finally had somebody his age in the neighborhood.  

Colton was kind of tall and wore a navy blue sweater with black slacks and shiny black shoes. His dark brown hair was cut short with a side part.  He sneered when he looked at his new home. He cleared his expression when he noticed us and had one of relief to see a possible new friend. 

Louis and I were almost off the porch when Dylan stepped out. My legs froze on the spot. Dylan was wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt with jeans and Converse shoes.  His light brown hair was a slight mess and he was running his fingers through it. He had a cast on one arm with lots of signatures. He was cute…you know…for a seven year old boy.  

Everything was in slow motion as I watched Dylan.  Louis tried to pull me closer but I couldn’t move. It was like my legs melted right through the wood planks of the patio stairs.  Louis looked at me with his baby blue eyes curious as to why I stopped. He lowered his eyebrows and tilted his head. I couldn’t even tell him what was wrong.  No words would form so I just shook my head. Louis shrugged his shoulders before letting go of my hand. Dylan smiled and waved hello when he noticed us. My legs finally started to work, but instead of walking forward I ran into the house and through myself against the door to separate me from the boy that made my stomach feel funny. 

I couldn’t believe Mrs. Howard sat Dylan right next to me his first day of school. I also couldn’t believe that I said those three little words. When the morning school bell rang and I was finally aware of the others around us again, I realized I was not the only girl in class that had a crush on the new kid. I think there were pink and red hearts flashing in the eyes of every female classmate.  I was jealous. I was especially jealous when Mallory Thorne turned to hand Dylan a note with a big smile and a toss of her hair. I’m pretty sure Mallory’s note said something like “Do you like me? Check here for YES.”  

Jake Riesen sat next to Mallory and was glaring at Dylan. Jake used to get the same kind of notes.  When Dylan shook his head no and she frowned and Jake looked smug, I couldn’t help but smile. Dylan started to crumple up the note and that’s when I noticed the scars on the arm without the cast.  Maybe I should have turned away and never looked back, like everybody else in his life, after I found out how the scars were caused. They warned me to stay away. They warned me he would only bring trouble.  No, this beautiful boy that moved next door made me want to love and protect him even if it changed my life. I knew after I said I love you, I wasn’t ever going to take it back.  

Grammy said Fate sometimes brings people into our lives.  That’s how she met Grandpa. Mom says Fate also took Grandpa away from Grammy far too early.  If Fate brought me Dylan I want her to know I will keep him forever.  

Thank you, Fate.