Charming's Worst Kept Secret

Chapter One

(3rd Person POV)

As Taylor Hale watches out the window, leaving her old life behind, she wonders why her mom and step dad decided to leave Florida so suddenly, and without any notice. Her mom says it's because she misses her brothers, but Taylor thinks there might be something else going on. Her step-dad Mike, is being a huge douche-bag and making her come with, otherwise Taylor would be able to stay in Florida by herself, given the fact that she turns 18 in less than two months. Her mom was all for it but Mike somehow talked her mom into forcing Taylor out of everything she knows and into moving across the country to some Podunk town in California. Sure, she'd always dreamt of one day moving to the pacific coast, but she thought it'd be on her own terms and away from her mom and step-dad, not with them. 

"We're here!" Bailey, her mom, says excitedly to a sleeping Taylor in the backseat. Why they insisted on driving, instead of flying, would baffle Taylor forever. She rolls her eyes and tries to go back to sleep, but Mike reaches behind him and slaps Taylor in the thigh. 

"Ow, what the fuck, Mike!" She exclaims, sitting up in the seat.

"Language, Taylor." Bailey says in a warning voice. Taylor looks accusingly at Mike who has a smug look on his face. 

"Well, tell your damn husband to quit freaking hitting me!" She all but screams, seemingly at her mother but she keeps her eyes on her step-father the whole time. 

He chuckles, "We're here, I was just trying to wake you up." He winks at her. Taylor flips him off.

"Whatever, I was fucking awake." Bailey gives Taylor a pointed look that makes Taylor roll her -eyes. "Mom, I hope you realize your husband is an absolute douche-purse. I can't help but curse around him, he's an asshole." Taylor shrugs her shoulders, and her mom rolls her eyes laughing along with Mike. 

What Bailey doesn't understand is that Taylor is not joking at all. She hates Mike, and he knows it. It's almost as if he does stupid and hateful shit just to piss her off, even more than he already does. Much like slapping her in the leg, to "wake her up." She can't wait until she turns 18 and doesn't have to deal with his dumbass anymore.

The car comes to a stop and Taylor opens her eyes, expecting to see the house she would be staying at the next two months, instead she finds herself in front of a police station. What the fuck?  She thinks to herself. It all starts to make a little bit more sense when she sees her uncle David walk outside, followed by her uncle Jacob. Jacob is in a suit and tie, while David on the other hand, is wearing a Deputy's uniform. Shit.  She forgot he was a cop. 

Taylor isn't a delinquent, but she definitely isn't a poster child, and she's sure her uncle wouldn't approve of. She had a feeling the next two months of her life were gonna be hell. There's nowhere she's seen so far in this little town, to party. And Taylor is a bit of a partier. She would sneak out all the time with her friends in Florida and sneak into night clubs. She was absolutely positive that there are no night clubs in Charming. 

Her mom jumps out of her car, and into the arms of her brothers. She looks so happy, Taylor thought. Maybe I can deal with this for a couple months. Taylor, however takes her time getting out of the car. She's never really spent a lot of time with her uncles. Sure she's met them, but she doesn't necessarily know them. 

About the time that Jacob is done hugging my mom, and Mike is getting done shaking David's hand, David looks at me. "Taylor! How are you kid?" He asks happily. He doesn't try to get her to hug him, which Taylor appreciated greatly. Jacob, on the other hand, runs up and gives her a big ole bear hug, while Taylor awkwardly pats him on the back. 

"I'm good! How are you guys?" She asks, after Jacob finally lets her go. 

"We've missed you guys!" David replies. 

"Gosh, you've grown so much! Look at you!" Jacob exclaims. Taylor smiles shyly. 

"She'll be 18 in a couple months, Jake!" Bailey informs her older brother.

"Wow! That's crazy!" Taylor kind of chuckles and looks down at her feet.

Jacob offers to take them all out to lunch and  gracefully accepts. So next thing she knows she sitting in an old school diner and listening to them all laugh and catch up.