If I Die Young

Chapter 1

Moving schools every year is so annoying. You’re probably wondering why I’m saying this is because I have been to five schools every year for the past five years. Why?…who knows, my mum just picks up and leaves with me trailing behind not knowing why we’re moving. Apparently this time we’re staying put, yeah right, she’s been saying that for the past three years.

“Rose! Unpack quickly! We’re meeting the neighbours!” My mum yelled. 

“Really? We literally just walked through the door!” I yelled back starting to pull clothes out of my oversized suitcase. 

“We need to make an impression!” I heard her yell back. Why the hell would we need to make an impression five minutes after we walked in the house? Ok now my mum is weird. 

After unpacking my suitcase which took only five minutes I jogged downstairs ready to meet these neighbours of ours. I found my mum looking at a photo of us….and my father.

“Mum?” I questioned sneaking a glance at the photo.

“Oh you’re ready, let’s go” she hastily said putting the old photo away.

“Y’know you don’t have to think about him? He’s the one who left all those years ago” I said to her 

“I know, I guess I still love him, I never knew why he left”

“Because he is a no good father, he treated you like crap mum, time to move on, make new friends maybe even find a hunk” I said winking at the last part.

“When did you get all smart on me?” She said before we walked out of the house.

“I was always smart, I just didn’t show it, don’t wanna be a nerd” I explained.

Now I have been to every state apart from the Northern Territory, I don’t know why, we just haven’t been there, maybe because it’s always so hot. We now reside in Adelaide, the festival state, I have never really understood why it’s called that. Oh well. So far it’s been alright I guess, nice neighbourhood. 

We walked across the road and knocked on the brown wooden door. When the door opened I was taken aback…standing before me was the most beautiful girl I have ever seen, chocolate brown hair coming down in waves. Her eyes, oh my god, dark brown eyes almost black are so alluring, her smile, the most genuine and prettiest smiled ever. She came just a bit taller than me just in jeans and I t-shirt. “Hi may I help you?” She questioned her voice sounding like honey. 

“Hi nice to meet you, I’m Carol and this is my daughter Rose, we just moved across the street” Mum said shaking the goddess’s hand, a smile plastered to her face.

“I’m  Tarryn, please come in” She gestured and opened the door wider indicating us to come inside. I walked inside and I looked like a fish, my mouth was agape and my eyes were bulging out of their eye sockets. The house was amazing! Tall winding staircase, huge entrance, off to the right was the study which looked like a normal sized bedroom, as we made our way through the kitchen I smelt the best smell I have ever smelled…..chocolate.

“Sorry for the mess, I was baking” She apologized taking us through the huge kitchen into the lounge room. I think I’m in heaven right now, there was a huge and I mean HUGE flat screen TV in a massive TV cabinet with thousands of DVDS and CDs within it. An awesome surround sound accompanying the TV. Black leather recliners sitting either side of a five seater cream plush couch with grey cushions. 

“Oh wow” I breathed sitting down on the couch. 

“Nice huh? It isn’t much but it does the job” Tarryn said.

“Isn’t much? This is amazing!” I exclaimed running my hands along the arm of the couch.

“Where is your mother?” My mum asked still standing.

“Oh yeah, I’ll go get her, please sit down, she’s in the art studio” She said then left the room. I turned to mum. “Oh my god! This place is amazing! Thank you for dragging me mum” I gushed.

“Yeah this place is pretty neat” Was all she said and sat down next to me. A few minutes later a lady in her mid-thirties walked in. Now that’s where Tarryn gets her looks from. 

“Hi nice to meet you, I’m Kate” She introduces herself and shakes my mum’s hand. 

“I’m Carol, this is my daughter Rose, we just moved in across the street’ I mum explained. 

“Rose, why don’t you help Tarryn in the kitchen? I’m sure she wouldn’t mind” Kate said to me.

“Sure” I replied getting up and went into the kitchen. Tarryn was decorating little cupcakes, there was flour all over the place and chocolate over her face. 

“You like baking?” I asked her not knowing what to say. She looked up at me and smiled.

“Yes I do” She replied going back to decorating. I walked around to stand next to her.

“Is that why there’s flour and chocolate all over the place?” I mused.

“I’m a messy baker, what of it?” She replied.

“Nothing”  looked around the kitchen, huge silver fridge, island as big as me, professional oven and pretty much professional everything, there was lots of baking stuff so I’m guessing this is where she spends most of her time. 

“Here, try this” She said holding out one of the cupcakes. I bit into it, oh my god, this cupcake is amazing, soft and moist and so chocolaty but not too much. I tried holding in my moan but I couldn’t help it. 

“Hahaha..is it really that good?” She questioned me with her eyebrow raised. I quickly wiped my mouth and nodded my head. 

“Good, I’ve been trying to perfect this recipe for ages” She explained to me grabbing a container and put the cupcakes in it very delicately. “Here” she held out the container to me.

“Oh no, I shouldn’t” I said shaking my head.

“No I insist” She put the container in my hands brushing my fingertips; I felt a twinge of something. I don’t know what but it felt good. I think she felt it too because she jumped a bit. I heard my mum and Kate come into the kitchen laughing. 

“Well it was a pleasure meeting you” My mum said to Kate.

“Likewise, you’re welcome anytime” Kate replied giving my mum a hug. I still just stood there with the container in my hands looking at my mum.

“Heyy mum, Tarryn gave us these cupcakes to take home’ I said 

“Ohh how nice of her, thank you Tarryn” My mum said. 

“My pleasure” She replied.

“Well thank  you for having us, we should go” My mum said and starting walking to the door. 

“Catcha later” I said to Tarryn but then she gave me a hug, I wasn’t expecting that, she smells so good. After we said our goodbyes we walked back across to our house.