𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄, 𝘤𝘮𝘣

one

"maisie? come on, we don't wanna be late," daniel said as he held open the door, waiting for maisie to grab her bag.

she picked up her bag and shrugged her shoulders. "do i have to?" maisie complained.

daniel rolled his eyes and laughed, gesturing her over to the door.

keri kissed her son goodbye as he rolled his eyes and smiled, even though he was a senior his mom still kissed him before going to school. she made her way over to maisie and did the same, a small smile appearing on maisie's face.

"be safe, okay? love you guys," keri said before retreating back to the kitchen.

"bye!" daniel's little sister, anna, yelled causing both teens to wave back at her.

both of them got into daniel's car, daniel starting the engine. maisie put her her bag on her lap and stared outside the window as daniel drove by, looking at all the thanksgiving decorations their neighbors had put up.

once he had driven up to the end of the street, maisie made sure to keep her eyes on the right side of the road. daniel glanced to the left and stared at the house she was trying to avoid.

it was in terrible condition, beaten down, a broken for sale sign laid in pieces on the front lawn. weeds and branches grew along the front of the house, the windows were broken, the front door replaced with a piece of wood, and the lot filled with weeds, the driveway empty and dirty.

he recalled back to that night, twelve years ago.

the podraza family was getting ready for bed.

mr. and mrs. podraza tucked in their only daughter, kissing her a goodnight before retreating to their own room.

deep into the night, mr. and mrs. pordraza slept soundly in their bed. however, their gentle rest was interrupted by a crash downstairs. awake and alert, mr. pordraza told his wife to go check on their toddler.

mrs. podraza entered her daughter's bedroom to find her sleeping soundly in her bed. relieved but scared, she shook her daughter awake.

"mommy? it's still dark out," the six year old complained, rubbing her eyes.

mrs. podraza forced a smile and firmly placed her hands on her daughter's tiny shoulders.

"go hide in the closet, okay? we're playing hide and seek," mrs. pordraza told her young daughter.

her daughter, clueless, smiled and hid in the closet. it was where she hid when she played hide and seek with her family and friends. mrs. podraza positioned a drawer to keep her in the corner and hung some clothes to cover her head, concealing her daughter.

"where will you hide, mommy?"

suddenly, a gunshot rang out downstairs, the little girl immediately burst into tears, her mother doing the same as well.

"i'll hide in my closet. no more crying, okay? everything will be fine. don't move, okay?"

the little girl nodded. mrs. podraza kissed her daughter's head before whispering a quiet i love you before taking off.

the little girl felt something off, but she obeyed her mother's orders and stayed hidden in the closet.

another shot went off and the girl cowered her head and refrained from making a single noise.

loud footsteps stormed around the house before stomping downstairs, where the sounds of sirens were heard.

the little girl heard commotion but kept still in her hiding spot. running footsteps came up the stairs and was heard through all the rooms.

she kept her head down and stayed still until a familiar voice called out her name.

"maisie, it's me, mrs. keri. where are you?" the lady asked.

her closet was then swung opened as a little boy looked inside. maisie looked up at saw who was there.

"mommy! mommy! i found maisie!" he yelled.

keri ran in the bedroom and found maisie tucked away in her closet. she gently carried her out and hugged her tightly.

"darling, i was so worried. are you alright?"

maisie nodded her head as mrs. keri put her down. daniel's arms immediately wrapped around maisie.

"hi maisie! why were you playing hide and seek so late?" the little boy asked.

keri smiled at their innocence before picking up maisie again and holding daniel's hand, leading them out of the house.

policemen and ambulances surrounded them as they left the home, maisie looked up at her house and around her.

"where are my mommy and daddy?" she asked.

keri shook her head as she tried to smile at the little girl.

"they got hurt, really bad, hon."

"but they'll be okay, right?"

keri looked over at the two stretchers with sheets covering over them and being brought into two separate ambulances. she shook her head as she looked at the little girl once again.

"i hope so."

daniel grabbed maisie's hand and held it tightly. she looked down and squeezed it as daniel drove away from the house.

once the two had arrived at school, they went to the library to talk while waiting for homeroom to be over so they could go to their classes.

once the bell had rung, daniel went off to his class and maisie gathered all her stuff.

before she could leave, she was stopped by the principal accompanied with a boy she didn't know.

"good morning, principal howard," maisie greeted.

"good morning, maisie," her principal smiled. "i would like you to meet corbyn besson. he's new here and has all the same classes as you. i was hoping you'd help him find his classes and help him during class if so."

corbyn looked maisie up and down while she was talking with principal howard.

she seems...vulnerable, innocent, and so very suitable for-

"nice to meet you," maisie said as she stuck her hand out.

corbyn placed his hand in maisie's, "you too."

principal howard handed both students tardy passes and they both made their way to their first class, ap calculus.

corbyn snuck glances at the girl as they walked together to their class. he wondered if she was like him, innocent on the outside, dark on the inside.

however, he pinned her as the quiet girl, the loner, someone with no friends and a family who didn't love her.

she's perfect, his subconscious whispered, she's your next sweet caroline.

corbyn smirked and walked into class, sitting down right next to maisie.