Chapter 1
Coming Home
I slipped on my sunglasses and stepped out into the thick, humid Charleston air. Great. I had my reasons for leaving this quiet boring town. No ones dreams here go beyond a white picket fence and a husband with and a minimum wage job. For me that just wasn’t enough. I refused to accept the idea that I’d never amount to anything, that I’d eventually die one day without making a mark on this world.
Music for me, since the beginning, has always made sense when nothing else did. I struggled through school because I could never make sense of what I was being taught. My parents and teachers at a young age all thought I was either lazy or stupid. It was only years later they realized I had a severe learning disability. The constant disappointment I was to my parents and my sense of failure in school drove me to music. I needed an outlet. And with music something I studied finally did make sense. I understood what notes sounded good and in what arrangement and key they could be placed. So I packed up my life and moved to Los Angeles, California.
Before I knew I was signed to a record deal and my life was rushing by so fast I could hardly keep up. I was ecstatic that I was able to do what I loved for a living but it started to become much more then I’d ever bargained for. The constant swirl of nasty rumors, always being told to change, everyone taking pieces of me and the fact that I’d become someone so awful that even I hated myself was too much. All of this is what lead me to make that life altering decision, a decision that almost cost me my life. There is no going back I made my bed and now I must lie in it. I did something I knew was wrong and now I’m here.
I left a lot of things behind when I left one of them being Noah. It all started five years ago at the Fourth of July annual carnival. Noah was two years older then me and played college football for the university of Texas. He was one of those people that you just had to like. He never really got angry and I doubt he had a bad bone in his body. People used to constantly say that there were people who wouldn’t give you the sweat from their armpits but Noah Williams would give you the clothes of his back. Naturally I knew almost everything there was to know about him and I doubt he knew the first letter of my name. But that night I was particularly miserable.
I’d had a huge fight with my parents of my lack of motivation in school and been convinced by my friends to go to the carnival. I was at the ring toss getting increasingly more frustrated that none of the rings would catch on the bottles that I threw one hard enough to bounce of a bottle and go flying. From behind me I heard a deep voice exclaim, “ ow! Well You’ve got quite the arm on you QB”. I turned around to face Noah and was utterly mortified.
I let out a jumbled apology and then attempted to make an escape hoping to avoid further embarrassment. Unfortunately, Noah other ideas and grabbed my arm to stop me. I shivered from the contact but then promptly shook off the feeling. I looked up at a smiling Noah who said, “ You just tossed a ring at me and I don’t even get a name?”
“Olivia”, I mumbled quietly looking away from him so I could focus on forming words. I just couldn’t believe I’d practically threw a ring at the gorgeous and beloved Noah Williams. “Well, Olivia”, Noah grinned, “ How about you make it up to me by letting me take you out for a Drink?”
I was brought back from reminiscing over the past when the pilot came on the speaker informing we had landed safely and the seatbelt sign had now been turned off. I got out of my seat grabbed my things and exited the plain.
The hot Texas air hit me like a force field as I walked through the boarding gate towards the airport. Great. Nothing like the uncomfortable Texas summer weather to remind me where I am. Just then my phone started to ring. “Hello?” I asked not bothering to check the caller I.D. “ Hey Honey”, My mother answered, “ We are waiting Just outside the airport doors for you.” She sounded nervous, almost as if she was worried she’d say something wrong and I’d finally fall completely off the rocker. “Great jus waiting for my bags, I’ll see you soon.” I hung up the phone and grabbed my bags from the baggage claim walking towards the doors. But before I could exit I heard some behind scream
“ Oh my goodness its Olivia James!” Before I knew it cameras were flashing and people were shouting from every direction. I hand reached out and pulled me away from the crowd and out the doors. Mickey. My brother looked down at me with concerned eyes and asked if I was all right. Not able to speak I simply nodded and looked back at the door where my parents were coming out with my bags. My mother dropped my bags and wrapped her arms around me careful not to hold me too tight as if I was a piece of fine china. “We’ve missed you sweetheart.” I smiled at my parents not able to tell them I’d missed them too because I looked at them I was reminded of how much they resented by inability to succeed in my studies, something they believed to be incredibly important.
“Hey Liv”, Mickey called as he loaded my bags into the trunk, “whats in these bags? Rocks?” I’d adored my older brother for as long as I could remember. We’d always been close and he was the one person in my life, aside from Noah, who loved me unconditionally and didn’t think I was unmotivated or dim. He knew exactly how hard I studied to simply get by at school and tutored me each night regardless of the things he had to do in his own life. Mickey hated when people picked on me for being stupid was constantly protecting me. I worried a lot that Mickey would start to resent having to always look out for me but Mickey disregarded any comment I made when I hinted at my fears.
When we arrived at home I was not surprised to see the house looked exactly the same. Nothing here ever changed and that though only added to the misery I already felt about coming home. Mickey helped me bring my things up to my old room and once everything had been dumped in the corner I looked around my child hood bedroom and sighed. Home, sweet home.
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So.. This is my first story. I've been playing around with the first chapter for a while and I finally feel its ok to put up. I would appeciate any feedback you have on the story because I would love to improve it! Thanks for reading! :*
