The Leap [✔]

Chapter One

"Look who finally decided to come out of hiding," Quinn, my fourteen year old brother says, his lips twisting into a hateful smirk. He's slapped on the back of the head by Aidan, my older brother. I flip Quinn the middle finger and keep walking. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Aidan throw the ball and jog over to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder.

"Get your sweaty arm off of me," I say, throwing his arm off.

Aidan laughs but grabs my arm, forcing me to stop and face him. His brown hair is drenched with sweat and I curl my nose up at the disgusting stench coming off of him.

"Where are you going? I thought I was seeing a ghost when I saw you come out of the house," Aidan says with a laugh. He's joking, but I see the concern in his brown eyes.

"Mom said I had to get off my ass and do something, so I'm going for a walk," I say, shrugging and begin walking again.

"Do you want some company?"

"No," I say, not turning around.

"Alright, be safe," he calls, and I wave to him over my shoulder. I leave the rest of my brothers and their friends behind, opening the fence gate to the main street we live on.

We, meaning my family and I, live in a large white house that has two storeys and a few acres of land in the small neighborhood of St. Albert, Alberta. Its on the fringes of Edmonton, nice considering it only takes a half an hour to get into the city.

I am the only girl in the Taylor household, except for my mom, and sometimes that can get a little frustrating having to live with eight boys.

My oldest brother, Daniel, lives in Toronto where he goes to university but he's home for the summer. Jude, who just turned twenty three, lives in an apartment in town where he goes to university, but he hangs out home more than not.

Especially since the beginning of summer. 

Everyone else lives under the same roof.

"Good afternoon, Emma," a voice calls and I glance over to see Mrs. Finch, our next door neighbor waving as I pass her house. I give her a friendly wave but continue on my walk, not wanting to be bothered with simple conversation.

Once I come to end of the street, I cross to the other side. A sudden pang makes it's way into the pit of my stomachs at the emptiness the park, a feeling of sadness. I consider stopping and turning back, but I keep going, ignoring the feeling and enter the park, which is nearly empty.

An elderly couple sit on a bench by the pond, their arms wrapped around each other. The older woman holds a bag of bread in her hand, throwing it to ducks near by. A few feet away is a playground with two small children occupying the swings, a man and woman watching over them.

I walk past them, up the trails and into the woods.

Instead of turning around and fleeing back home into the comfortableness of my bed, like I want to, I make my way up the familiar ragged paths, sniffing the scent of the summer air that fills with trees and flowers. I kick at the stones, remembering the first time I was ever here.

I was six and Dad brought me. We went fishing in the lake that was a few miles ahead. Since then, it had become my favourite spot. I love the nature and beauty of it and have come everyday since.

I was twelve when my parents had let me come by myself for the first time.

"Don't be gone too long, and make sure you are home before supper!" My mom shouts after me as I grab my shoes and run out the door. My brother's are at baseball practice or in the basement playing video games, so I can easily get out without one of the bugging me. It only takes me five minutes to get to the park by running.