Cannonball

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Something bad always happens on my birthday. The 19 year old thought while packing her stuff inside the already cramped suitcase. Raine Bennett’s not usually a pessimist but in light of recent events she cannot help but be one. Three years of living a content life has been ruined by a single decision made by her parents. She knew deep down that it may be for the best. And she can’t even help but be excited to see the familiar faces of her relatives, see the places where she spent most of her childhood and finally eat the delicious food she’d been craving for three years.

Looking around her room for things she may have forgotten to pack, she reminisced about the first time her family had moved so far away from everyone they know. She was so excited with the prospect of a whole new world. Granted she was only 14 when they made the big move, but she was a very responsible person for her age. A new world, far away from anyone else they ever knew. Fresh start, she always thought. The 8 hour plane ride they took wasn’t so bad. Their mother paid for first class seats so they had the best service. It was a dream for a couple of young minds. After the plane they finally got to reunite with their mother. Tears and laughter was all they could hear at the airport. The ride to their new house was uneventful. They were all tired so they slept the whole 3 hours. The simple three bedroom house was simple yet so magical. Must be the fact that everything was new. They cheered and shared stories until they fell asleep. It was a dream. Their family complete again. Raine didn’t have to act like a 30 year old anymore. That only lasted for a few years though since the news of the divorce came.

She’s the oldest of three children. Her, Jasper the middle child who’s 15, and Heather who’s 14. They’re not the conventional children. She’s always been proud of how close she is to her siblings. They preferred to hang out together, which is apparently not normal since teens these days complain of how much they hate their sibling, etc... Her younger brother Jasper is quite a handful, he has ASD which makes him a lot different than a normal 15 year old boy. Heather is much like her, although more social and is considered a people’s person, she’s responsible and acts older than she actually is. They know everything there is to know about each other, they share secrets and called themselves the three musketeers. But to Raine, she knew that she has to keep some secrets for the good of her siblings, there are certain things that the new are better off not knowing.

Raine had to take over the responsibility at the young age of 12 when her mother left them to work farther away from home for a better opportunity and a better future. She didn’t scorn her mother for that decision, in fact she was grateful. She started to act like a responsible adult, going into town to buy the groceries, taking her siblings to any of their school programs. She was so busy taking care of their household that she stopped taking care of herself. Her grades dropped, from being top of the class to a humiliating bottom. She stopped seeing her friends and had to constantly make excuses of why she couldn’t join a simple get together. Being 12 and acting like a mother hen isn’t a new sight in their small town of Crest but it didn’t stop people from looking at her with pity mixed with amusement. But honestly, she liked the responsibility and never once complained. In her mind, she always thought she was destined for bigger and greater things and not even the people of their small town could fathom.   

 Not many people from their small town gets to leave and do bigger and better things. She was so proud of being able to leave and never look back that she had no idea how gut wrenching it feels that she’s propelled back to where it all started. The saddest part is that she has nothing to show for. All the years she spent away from Crest to do the bigger and better things she always dreamed of and she never accomplished anything. But no one would know anyway, that’s the thought that helped her sleep at night, no one would know what a big disappointment it had all been because she won’t tell a soul. They could all think that she’s someone now and she won’t correct them.

Running out of things to do, she glanced at her charging phone to see that it’s near 3am. She should probably get some sleep, but thinking of how she hated flying with a headache and stuffy nose she thought better than to sleep. She’d sleep on the plane so at least she can forget where she’s heading. Finally zipping up her suitcase and bags she crept put of her room to check on her younger sibling.

“At least they have no trouble sleeping.” She murmured when she peaked into each of their rooms. She went into the kitchen and checked if everything’s switched off and settled on the spacious couch in the living room to turn on the television to pass five hours of time.

She had always been an over thinker, so it’s no surprise that instead of watching whatever’s on the TV she’s now thinking of past events and how she may have contributed or stopped things from happening. The divorce of her parents have been the biggest challenge she’s ever encountered. She’s seen things that she could live without seeing. But she accepted that it’s all a part of her now. She never knew how big the effect of the divorce on her. She thought she was tougher than to cry all night and be devastated that her family is now a count in the statistic of broken families. But deep down, she knew that it was for the best. That her parents are better separated than to pretend they were happy for the kid’s sake. She remembered how she joked that she should be a therapist for couples having marital problems, now it seems like a premonition to the upcoming future.

It will be exciting. Raine thought. As exciting as the small town of Crest can be. She just has to figure out ways to distract people from asking too much questions.

After five hours of overthinking, Raine checked the time and decided that it’s time to get ready for their flight. She’s always been particular about preparing for the worst so she found that being early, or too early would be a good thing. The next two hours passed with a flurry of door knocking, shouting for missing socks, lumbering heavy suitcases, and shrieks from the cold shower.

Finally the three musketeers arrive at the airport and it’s time to say goodbye to their father. Raine didn’t have it in her to be emotional, so she just did an appreciative nod while the two where hugging Arnold, their dad. Passing through security checks and all the normal things one has to go through at every airport. The three walked among the other people going about their own business feeling mixed emotions. But all Raine could think of was how the hell is she going to survive.