My Life in Rosewood

Chapter One

It's been three years since Alison went missing, and I am now a 16 years old orphan. Not too long ago my dad lost control of his car from a dog running across the street, making me the only survivor from a four family household. I'm now living with the Hastings family, where it sadly doesn't feel like I'm wanted. Sure, I have Spencer, who has changed her attitude once she was no longer in Alison's group, but her family is too keen on being "perfect" to really notice either of us as more than just their slightly "imperfect" daughter and someone they fostered into their family for publicity. They may not say that I'm publicity, but I know better from them being two popular lawyers in Rosewood. I mean, yeah, they helped me out in more ways than I can count. They took me in, put a roof over my head with food and a room to sleep in, and especially the help they gave in order to keep me from having to move to New Jersey with family members I didn't like after the accident. I'll be so grateful for that forever, but that doesn't mean they actually care or love me as more than a win for their reputations. They became more on the top of the list of lawyers after their generous win.

Why I say they don't seem to care is because they don't really pay attention to me. I live with them but they haven't had much part in my life. Despite all the things they have done for me that's about as far as they've gone to put any effort into noticing I'm around. In the beginning they here and there did try to comfort me when I had nightmares, restless nights of no sleep, not being able to eat from being depressed. But after a while it felt more like I was in the way than anything else, and instead of them watching over me it became Spencer's job to be there. I know the difference between genuine caring compared to forced even when they were attempting to be a parental figure. The only person who cares in that house is Spencer, who has always been different from her family, because unlike them she's nice to everyone and isn't a jerk. Her parents and sister like to remind the town of their popularity and how rich they are, while she is the complete opposite and doesn't enjoy the attention. The Hastings name goes a long way in this town with a lot of other rich families around here and I'm so glad Spencer didn't turn out like them.

"I'm going for a walk." I tell Peter and Veronica Hastings as I get to the bottom of the stairs to the family room, staring to see that they are both on their computers, stacks of papers from a case scattered around them.

Neither of them seemed to notice I had said a word as I just walked off to the backdoor and through the yard till I'm at the gate to their driveway. I really needed to get out of the house so while I was in my room I decided that I probably should taket a walk around town, not successfully considering I messed up my leg in the accident and have a slight limp. I had broken my leg when it happened, but since the cast got taken off a couple weeks ago it's still taking some time to get used to walking without crutches and have to go to physical therapy. But it's better than being bored or feeling alone as I try to not let my past affect me. It's not the easiest thing of course, to constantly remember that they are gone.

I'm on the streets of Rosewood for a while until I aimlessly end up in front of my dad's sports store, or now my store considering it was left to me, along with some money I'm not able to touch till I turn 18. It's crazy to me that the store and the money should have actually been for both me and my brother Jeff, but since he passed as well, it's just mine. I can't decide what hurts more. Being on my own without them, or knowing that half of what I got was his.

Now here's the kicker from my parents documents of who would look after their kids if they died. It wasn't the Hastings family, and sure as hell wasn't my distant family members in New Jersey. It was my parents' best friends, the Montgomery's who are titled to be my guardians. Which was fantastic, except, they moved off to Iceland with their son Mike and Aria. They left when Alison disappeared to give Aria some time away from here and I haven't been able to get in contact with them since the accident. A few weeks before this all happened, Aria told me that her dad wanted to go on a "no electronics binge" for family time. So they fell off the face of the earth, with no replies from the emails I've been sending about what happened. I need them more than ever and they are not able to be reached. Even the Hastings have tried.