The Locket

Chapter One

We're stopped at a red light and the whole time we're stopped, I'm just in disbelief. Did I really just graduate high school? Am I really going to be going to Columbia University in the fall? It is so hard to believe that I will soon be leaving this town. I have lived here my entire life and have never imagined what it would feel like to leave; in a few short months I'll know.

My parents are talking in the front seat, telling each other how proud they are that I was eighth in my class. "Honey, do you realize that no one else in our family has ever attended college?" my mom asks.

"Yeah mom, you remind me like every day." It's true. She tells me that I'm the first to attend college, which means, I'll be the one to make a name for our family.

"Don't forget, while you're at school I'm taking over your room. I have many plans for it," my little brother Wyatt says from the seat next to me. Ever since I started my senior year, Wyatt's been telling me the plans that he has for my room when I leave for college. He wants to turn it into some sort of game room, or whatever thirteen-year-old boys like. I'm sure he'll be slightly disappointed when he realizes that I'll be back in the winter and summer and would need my room.

"Keep dreaming on that one," I say.

"Tonight will be fun. It'll be nice to visit with Brooke's parents and reminisce on the days when you girls were both so young. I still can't believe that you both are going to be going to New York City," my mom says. Even though I'm in the back seat, I can see the tears in her eyes. I know they're happy tears but they still make me uncomfortable. I've never been great with emotions.

"At least, they will be going together. We won't have to worry about Charlie being alone," my dad says. I can see my mom relax with that statement. Having both of us going together makes both my parents and Brooke's parents feel better about it.

"Do you know what Lena is doing about school yet?" my mom turns and asks me. Lena is my other best friend. I haven't known her as long as I have Brooke, but she is still one of my closest friends.

"I have no idea. I think she's thinking about taking a year off from school and traveling or something," I say. My mom just smiles at my answer and turns back around. Lena has always been sort of a free spirit and my mom has always worried about my friendship with her. Every time my mom brings up something about my friendship being a bad idea, I just tell her she's crazy. Lena's a great friend and a great person too; she never judges anyone and that's what I love about her.

Tonight the town is more busy than usual. Everyone is out and about with their family, celebrating the senior class. I think the excitement from tonight makes this red light feel like an eternity. I'm staring at the light; silently counting in my head, wondering which number will be the lucky one. As I'm about to give up, I watch as it changes from the red to the bright green. Finally.

My dad starts pulling into the intersection but something's not right. My mom and dad are yelling but their shouts are masked by this loud noise. It sounds like some kind of horn or something. All of a sudden we are careening to the side, a direction a car is not supposed to move. I can feel my body being jerked around and I'm pretty sure Wyatt's arm smacks me in the face. I think our car might be slowing down but I feel a pain in my head; then...darkness. This darkness is consuming me, it's taking a hold of me and I know there's no way I can fight it. I have to give in; it is too strong. I let it take me...

I find my way back to the light. I am in this white, seemingly sterile room. There are wires attached to me that are coming out of a machine that keeps beeping. I try to move and take the wires out but I can't. I realize then that I am in a hospital room. How did I get here? Why was I here? Where is everyone? I look in the corner of the room and see my two best friends. Lena and Brooke. Lena is reading a book and Brooke is curled up on one of the chairs, sleeping. I want to get up and go to them, but I can't; my body hurts. I accidentally let out a sharp breath when I try to move and I end up startling Lena.