18I starred at my four bags of luggage that I had spent the last fifteen minutes pilling onto a trolley. I knew exactly what was in each bag, and could rattle off the reasons for brining each one of them. My aunt had told me to leave everything back home, that starting off fresh would be more beneficial for me. This I knew though was a lie; she just didn't want any worthless junk lying around her home. Not that I blamed her really, she had a perfect social image she had to protect.
"Hurry up child. I haven't got all day." My insides bristled at my aunts nasally voice, breaking me from my thoughts. I had only been with her for approximately twenty minutes, but I was ready to get back on a plane so I could go back home. I would have, if I had anything to go home too.
"Emily Johnston, you mopping about is not going to change a thing. So hurry it up you hear?" Of course I heard, how could I not? Her voice was penetrating every square inch of my skull. But pushing my luggage that contained the contents of my room was not an easy feat with only one hand. I didn't however bother to mention this, knowing the answer would contain something about my incompetence.
As I stepped out of the airports doors and into the blistering summer heat of California, I realized that anything from my past life was quickly being abandoned. Not that there was much left of it, aside from the contents of my bags. Sure I would miss my two best friends, and even my old room but nothing was going to bring me back there. Although starting over in a completely new city seemed like a daunting task, I had no reason to want to return to Washington.
"Useless," My aunt muttered pushing me away from the cart and hurriedly moving it towards a Volvo. "Well get in!" she snipped as she finished throwing my last suitcase into the trunk. I hesitated with my hand on the door, dreading sitting in the car. As I pulled on the handle images of cars smashed together in a tangle of bloody metal rushed through my head. I closed my eyes tightly and slid inside. I flinched slightly as the car startled pulling out of the parking lot.
As I sat there completely still I listened to the rushing cars all around us, and occasionally got the melody of crashing waves. Some moments I completely forgot that I was in a vehicle and imagined that I was sitting someplace peaceful. But I wasn't naive enough to believe that some place was completely peaceful. I wasn't quite positive how long the drive was but it seemed like hours.
I finally opened my eyes when the car came to a complete stop and a door opened. As I saw the house that loomed before me a pain of longing for my old house and it's other occupants hit me like a ton of bricks. I shook my head clearing the thoughts and images from my head for the moment.
"Leave the bags, Sharron can retrieve them later," Sharron I knew was her maid. I had met her at Christmas time when we had come down for the holidays. I followed my aunt up the grand staircase and down a long corridor till she stopped at a gigantic door.
"This will be your new room. Do not under any circumstances go into mine. I trust you remember which one that is correct?" I nodded, I did remember vividly. I recalled the time I had dared my sister to merely stand in the doorway. She had gotten caught and was severely scolded for her foolish act of bravery. I held back my tears at the thought of my little sister. It was my fault she was dead. It was my fault that they were all dead.
A little while later my aunt called me down to see her. I didn't complain or argue, it wasn't as if I had been in the middle of doing something. I walked down the stairs on the left hand side, wanting to use the handrail as support. The cast on my right hand obviously prevented me from using the proper handrail. I knew she strongly disapproved of such things, but I was beyond caring.
"Come along, I have something for you." This was utterly shocking. My aunt loathed my presence, so her getting me a gift was mind-boggling. She led me to the front door and opened it. Instantly I noticed then a red Porsche that was shinning off to the side of the driveway. I found this slightly perplexing, why did she need to cars? I thought one was bad enough for the environment let alone two. My aunt caught my gaze and lifted her eyebrows at me questioningly.
"You like?" I shrugged in response
"What's wrong with just on car?"
"That one is for you. I'm not going to be driving you around like a little chauffer." I hadn't expected that one. But I immediately felt angry tears building up in the back of my eyes at the thought of getting behind the wheel again. This was her present to me? I couldn't think of anything more inappropriate
"Return it!" I screamed covering my face with my good hand, and bounding up the stair to my room. I knew for a fact I was going to be in major trouble for my show. But did that matter? What did anything really matter?
"Young missy," she had followed me just as I had suspected she would "that is not how you will be acting around here!"
"I won't drive! Not again." I screamed back.
"That young lady is not an option. You have an appointment with a physiologist tomorrow at 1:00 and there is no way I will be able to drive you there."
"I wont go then." I knew however that this wasn't an option. Part of the agreement of me staying here is that I had to visit this shrink three times a week. I heard my door close loudly. My aunt hated confrontations, and she knew that I was going to get to that appointment one way or another.
I basked in the delight of the air-conditioned lobby. I had been walking for two hours to get to this appointment on time. I hadn't much minded the long walk, aside from the blistering heat. My ipod had kept me fairly occupied.
"Emily Johnston?" inquired the lady behind the desk. She was slightly over weight with curly red hair that looked in dire need of moisturizer. I nodded a yes. "Doctor Murray told me to send you straight in." she pointed an ft finger in the direction of a closed door with a nameplate reading 'Doc. M'
I took a tentative step toward the office, nervous for the fact that I ad never seen a shrink before. I hadn't had a need to. Not that I actually believed I had a need now. When I finally reached the door I knocked lightly. I heard voice coming from inside and I wondered if I had interrupted something important. But before I could give it another thought the door opened and a boy around my age stepped out. He was tall with shaggy brown hair and stunning green eyes, and was wearing all Abercrombie attire. He gave me a once over, his eyes lingering on my cast.
"Thanks." He said in a deep rich voice. I lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "You saved me from a shrinking session with my father. HE really needs to keep his words for his psychotic patients " He said pointing a thumb behind him indicating the office. My eyes casted over, was he making fun of me? Was he thinking that it was better me than him? He must have re thought what he said because as I turned to enter the office his hand grabbed my shoulder stopping me.
"I didn't mean it like that...i didn't mean to imply that your crazy or anything." I didn't say anything. There wasn't anything that I need to say
"What's your name? Are you new here?" he asked. I shrugged off his hand along with his questions and walked into the office, closing the door quietly behind me. A man in his late thirties was sitting on a burgundy colored couch, reading papers that were incased in a manila envelope. He looked up with a smile moments later.
"Emily, how nice to finally meet you. I have heard quiet a bit about you."
"Doctor Murray." I said holding out my hand to shake his.
"Please call me Daniel." I shrugged an ok, and took a seat in the open couch. The room was cozy and felt rather comforting. There was a fireplace to one side with a wall filled with pictures and framed quotes. And on the right side there was a desk with piles of papers atop it. I wasn't sure how long there was a silence for, but to be truthful I didn't exactly mind
"I was just reading your little file here," he said tapping the envelope he was holding. "It seems as if you've had quite a bit of turmoil going on lately eh?"
"I suppose." I muttered. Why did he ask if he knew it already?
"A car accident. Is that what happened to your arm?" I nodded a yes, and started fidgeting with my nails. My cuticles were in horrible shape, and my nails were all broken
"You were driving it says." Another yes
"And your family died." This ceased the movement of my hands. Every part of my body stilled.
"Everyone I loved died." I corrected him. There was one other person in that vehicle that was not related to me in the least, but was the closest to my heart.
"Yes, it says that a Gregory Mills was also killed. Was he your boyfriend Emily?" I tear escaped my eye, and I watched as it splashed onto my jean shorts. "Its alright dear, we don't need to get into that right now. Your aunt expressed some worry about your driving habits, or should I say lack of since the accident."
"I won't drive." I stated simply. I saw nothing wrong in this
"How do you suppose you will get around Emily? California is a big place, and from what I hear your school is quite the distance."
"Closer than here," I mumbled. "I passed it on my way today." his eyebrows shot up in surprise
"You walked all this way?" I shrugged again. "Well I am happy that you are fit then, I'm not so sure how well you would do if you were like our secretary eh?" He said jokingly
"But it says here you don't mind being in the car, as long as you aren't driving?"
"I mind. But I can pretend that I'm some place else." I saw him write some stuff down. Was that a good thing? I was going to ask him when I heard the ding of an alarm.
"My my, that was sure a quick hour wasn't it?" it defiantly had been "You are scheduled for another appointment in two days, I look forward to seeing you again." I stood from the chair not knowing what else to wait for, and headed out the door.
"Hey! So about before, I really didn't mean it. Not everyone my dad see's are crazy people." The Abercrombie boy was sitting in the lounge, and the moment I walked out of the office he sprung up and rushed over to me.
"It doesn't matter." I said walking away. Why was he so determined to talk to me?
"Do you need to go some place? I can drive you if you'd like." I almost relented. I wasn't looking forward to the heat.
"No, I'm fine." I speed up my pace and quickly exited the building, and to my surprised pleasure Abercrombie boy was not following me.
AN:
so this is my very first story! I hope you liked it so far. Id really love some reviews =)