West Virginia

Chapter One

CHAPTER 01
BRYNLEE

Today, I woke up, feeling as great as yesterday. As always, my morning routine stays the same: I wake up, take a bath, brush my teeth, change into my ripped jeans and red and black flannel shirt, slides in my black old boots and assemble this black bushy thing which serves as my hair into a ponytail and I'm off for a beautiful, refreshing day alongside my dearest friend, nature.

Still, I tried to make myself believe that this summer would be like every other summer, but it doesn't feel like it, not after Elle's arrival two days ago.

Elle is utterly different from me, physically and mentally. She likes hip hop and R&B; I fancy country music. She can't go a day without wearing a dress, I can't stand dresses. She adores heels and sandals, whereas boots and sneakers are the only shoes I possess. Elle's a beauty freak. I have only one shampoo and one conditioner. One shower gel for my body and two or three bottles of perfume. She has a thousand beauty products.

Also, the biggest difference between my little sister and I is the fact that she despises the countryside but loves the city. On the other hand, I despise the city but I'm in love with the countryside.

When she decided to go away for her studies, our relationship paid a heavy price. As kids, we used to always be together, trying our best to deal with what the other needs in order to survive in a world that has always pushed us apart, but as we grew older, she put a gap between us. A gap none of us want to close.

"Bryn." I'm about to walk outside from the back door when dad's voice surrounds me.

"Can I have a conversation with both of you?" He asks as he takes a seat on the couch.

Elle is already plops on the couch in front of dad, her legs underneath her, and her phone in hands. I give one last look outside and regret not going out through my bedroom's window. It would have spared me what's about to happen.

"What is it?" I ask as I make my way towards them, then I sit on the arm of the couch next to Elle.

Morning talk makes my head aches and dad is well aware of that. I can't concentrate when I haven't got my dose of vitamin N— which stands for 'nature'. But just because my mother gently asked me, or rather pleaded me to be more present in the family, I decide to be kind and listen to whatever he has to say.

"So, your mom and I talked about it, and we decided my good friend, Bill, will come stay with us," he says with a huge smile.

"Bill Hanks? Your high school best friend?" Asks Elle, portraying dad's smile.

"Yeah, remember him, Bryn?"

"Oh yes, I do."

Bill Hanks and dad can't go a week without calling each other. At some point, I started to ask myself if this wasn't a third wheel thing, because there was a time he used to talk more to Bill than to mom, but mom never saw that suspicious, so I stopped paying attention to that. High school best friend Bill Hank is a nice guy, I can't lie about that. He offered me my first leather boots when I was six years old.

"Why is he coming? I mean, he never came to stay before." Dad looks at me, and I can see the sudden discomfort on his rosy face.

"Well," he scratches the tip of his nose. "I haven't told you everything yet."

He looks at me, then at Elle and back at me. All of a sudden, Elle's face lights up as if a bag of new brand dresses has been dropped in front of her, but I don't like where this is going. The way dad is looking at us is the same way he looked at me before he told me Elle was going away for her studies. He knew I wouldn't understand, and right now, it feels like something I won't understand, too.