The New Neighbor

Chapter 4: Family and Genus

Author's Note:

If you have previously read the first three chapters, please note that I have edited and replaced the text. There is a significant change to the story in Chapter 3, so I suggest going back and rereading that one. Otherwise, it was mostly grammar fixes.

I'm repeating the author's note from the edited Chapter 1 here for my previous readers, so skip to the story if you read it already :)

I posted the first three chapters of this book a long time ago. I recently finished writing it offline, so I'm ready to post it regularly and give you the whole thing. It is guaranteed not to be put on hold or discontinued.

My plan is to update this story every two weeks. However, I can be bribed to update earlier with substantial comments (opinions, questions, complaints, suggestions, ideas). I post here hoping to get feedback, so please let me know what you think. I take criticism very well and use it constructively, so please don't be afraid to let me know you don't like something :) If you cause an edit, I'll post another chapter right away. That might be a question I want to answer in the text, a complaint where I didn't get across what was in my head, or a suggestion I think is wonderful. I seriously don't mind posting the whole book within days if people are helping me make it better with feedback. 

Thank you! 

– V. B.

 Chapter 4: Family and Genus

November brought regional cross-country competitions that meant overnight trips. Mellie performed very well, getting top rankings, and she was hopeful for a track scholarship. Thanksgiving came and went. Mellie and her dad cooked a small turkey together and ate turkey sandwiches for days afterwards. They had found a nitrate free turkey, thankfully, otherwise it could have set off a migraine for Mellie. It still came. The first week of December, right in the middle of Environmental Science, on a Thursday, a migraine erupted. Pain shot through Mellie's skull just above her left eyebrow: the nail. She closed her eyes as the nerves behind her eyes caught fire from the fluorescent lights, and her stomach rebelled. Her hand shot up and the teacher said, "Yes, Melanie?"

She had to open her eyes to look at him and squinted. "I'm feeling very ill, Mr. Branson. I need to go to the nurse."

He frowned at her with concern and nodded. "All right."

She stood, grabbed her backpack, and started to walk to the door. Mr. Branson was walking over with a hall pass. She tried to hold her eyes closed most of the time, just taking peeks, but she had to watch where she was going as she navigated through the desks. Suddenly, the fluorescent light refracted inside her left eye causing her to almost scream. She stumbled and fell to her knees. Mr. Branson shouted, "Melanie!" and rushed to help her. His hands went to her shoulders, and he called out, "Someone call 911."

Mellie's eyes were closed, but she heard Jax shout, "No!" He rushed up and explained, "She gets these terrible migraine headaches. I've seen it before. I've helped her before. She lives across the street from me. She'll be okay. I think the nurse knows and has her medication. We just need to get her there. May I take her?"

Mr. Branson said, "All right. Yes. Here, take the hall pass."

The next thing Mellie knew, she was being picked up with strong arms at her back and knees. She kept her eyes closed as they travelled through the halls, and Jax whispered, "It's going to be okay, Mellie." She turned her head against his chest. A couple of minutes later, he said, "Nurse, this is Melanie Caden. She's having a migraine headache. Do you know about these and have her medication?"