Then There Was Maverick

Chapter 1

September 3rd, a month and two days after my eighteenth birthday. It was finally move-in day. The day that I have anxiously awaited all summer. The day my father has dreaded since I received my acceptance letter. I rolled out of my bed and practically skipped over to my closet, slinging the doors open to pick an outfit for the day from what was leftover from my packing frenzy the week before. After I had dressed, brushed my teeth, and fixed my curly hair into a messy bun, I grabbed my glasses from my nightstand and took one last look at my room before walking out and shutting my door. It felt as if I was shutting the door to my childhood. While I had an amazing upbringing, I didn't want to look back. I promised him I wouldn't. I couldn't break that promise.

As I walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, I smiled at all the memories these halls held. Pictures of Tommy and I lined the walls, my personal favorite hung at the end of the hall. It was my seventh birthday, I was blowing out my candles while Tommy stood over me with the proudest smile I believe I had ever seen. My brother was my favorite person, my rock, my go-to person for secret telling. Although I knew he would end up letting the truth slip sooner or later, he always knew the right things to say. He was "wise beyond his years" as my mother said the day he graduated high school. Tommy was two years my senior. Until the accident, that was.

I shook my head, disregarding the gruesome memory, and entered the kitchen. My father sat at the head of our kitchen table, surrounded by his worn-out Bible and numerous pieces of wadded up paper from sermon notes that he deemed "unsuitable for God's word." Pastor Callahan is extremely particular about the words he speaks unto the impressionable ears of the people of his congregation. He cared a great deal for his congregation, sometimes too much if you ask me. My mother was standing over the stove, holding a skillet full of eggs. "Bacon and orange juice are on the table, sweetheart," she said without looking up from the eggs, "I wanted you to have one last meal at home before you had to eat the food out of that cafeteria."

"Morning Daddy," I said before kissing him on the cheek and taking my seat at the side of the table.

"Morning Princess," he replied, finally looking up from his Scriptures. "It's not too late to change your mind, you know," he continued, "I can still call Dean Ezell over at the community college down the road. He said they would love to have you."

"Robert," my mom began, "we've discussed this. If Katie wants to go to Redding University, who are you to stand in her way?"

Clearly agitated, my father nodded and glanced at me before returning to his work. Dad was having a harder time with my moving away than Mom. He wasn't too fond of me being three and a half hours away from home without anybody to look after me. "Besides," my mother began, "Mason goes to school up there. He won't let anything happen to her."

My father scoffed, taking off his wire-frame glasses, "And that's supposed to make me feel any better? Mason Maverick has about as much sense to him as a bull does. I wouldn't trust that kid as far as I could throw him."

Mason Maverick. Just hearing his name brought back so many memories. He was Tommy's best friend since birth. He and Tommy were thick as thieves, the ultimate dynamic duo. On the football field, they were a force to be reckoned with. In the hallways, they could have any girl they wanted, but they never abused that power. Mason was much different now, though. After Tommy's accident, his personality did a full 360. He has always been the guy every girl dreamed and fantasized about, but now he indulged in many of the girls that chased after him. He has become quite the player since I talked to him last. The boy who had always been like a second brother to me disappeared out of my life at the blink of an eye. I had forgiven him a while ago for abandoning me after Tommy's death. It was probably just as hard for him as it was for me.

I snapped out of my reminiscent daze when my mother sat down in front of me with a bowl full of eggs. She served herself some, passing them to Dad who scooped some onto his plate and handed them to me. I allowed myself a hearty serving of the protein, as I knew this would be my last homecooked meal for a while. As we ate, Mom brought about casual conversation as if I wasn't about to move into college a state away from my home. She was dreading this day as well. It had been years since my parents were alone in the house, and here they were, moments away from becoming empty-nesters. I finished my breakfast and took my plate to the sink to rinse it off. I walked back over to the table and looked at my watch. "Its 8:30," I said, ending the silence that had fallen upon the room, "I better start headed towards campus if I want to make it to orientation on time."

My mother gave my father a look of sorrow and stood up. She embraced me in a tight hug, a couple of renegade tears escaping her eyes. As she released me from her grip my father put his arm around my shoulders and began leading me to the front door. Once we were outside of my house, my mother grabbed my hand. My parents lead me to my car, stopping just before we reached the driver's side door. "Are you sure you have everything?" my mother questioned, trying to waste time.

"Yes, ma'am," I answered.

"Is your bible still on the dash?" my father asked.

"Always," I replied. I always kept a Bible on my dash, yet another trait I inherited from my elder brother.

"Well," Dad began, "I guess you better be on your way. Don't want you to be late. First impressions are key, you know."

I chuckled at his reoccurring infamous statement. This is something Mom and I always picked at lightheartedly. I looked at my parents one final time with tears in my eyes and embraced them in a hug. "I love y'all so much," I choked out. I released my family and turned to get in my car. Before I shut the door I heard my dad say, "Drive safely and text us when you get there!"

"We love you so much, sweetheart," Mom said as I shut my door.

I put my keys into the ignition and started my car. Shifting the car into drive, I slowly pulled out of my driveway and down the street. As I was driving away, I took one last glance at my home in the rearview mirror. The last thing I saw before turning onto the main highway was my parents waving at me with tearstained faces. Excited to begin a new chapter of my life, I merged onto the interstate and headed North to Redding University.