Everything Changes

Chapter 1

Addy POV

I wake up crying, again. The same thing happens every night. I dream of the night my mother died. I finally find my way out on my bed and stare into the empty fridge. I go to the empty pantry next. I don't understand why I have to live like this. My Dad isn't even present anymore! I grab my backpack and stuff the few valuable items that I have in it. I shut the lights out as I walk out the door.

Walking the streets of my little town is not exactly the safest especially Jeffco Blvd. Arnold is a small little town in Missouri just south of St. Louis. We are identified by our big green ugly water town, or at least till our mayor decided it needed to be changed. I pass my high school. I debate weather I should stop or not but then I see a man across the street. I know who he is almost instantly. Scott Hoying! Then I look to the side to see one of the many gangs we have around here. They really aren't gangs, but they like to think they are. Really all they are are just a bunch of teenagers high on some kind of drug and they have guns.

They approach Scott. I look at their mouths to try to see what they are saying.

"Hey! You got stuff for us." One of the boys say. Scott looks confused and shakes his head.

"Get away from me." Is his simple response. Then the boy whips out a gun. I run over there as fast as I can. I have been around gun fights like these for as long as I can remember. I push Scott out of the way.

" Stop!" I shout. The boy looks at me.

" Who do you think you are, lil girl? " He laughs. I roll my eyes. I know this sass thing down to the foundation.

" Someone who is doing the right thing. He did nothing wrong to you. You are the one who walked up to the wrong person." The boy does some signal with his hand, then I have two guns to my head.

" You shouldn't have gotten into this." The boy says, getting in my face. I glare at him.

" Yes. I did." I say and spit in his face. By that time Scott is on his feet and on the phone with the local police department. When he gets off the phone I hear the police.

" Better run boys, your enemy will be here soon." As the boys with the guns to my head load the chamber with a familar click. I know that somehow I have to get out of the hold I am in. I swing each knee up in turn.  One knee makes contact with someone's stomach, the other hits an arm.  A gun goes flying across the sidewalk. I run over and pick it up. I disable it and leave it lay on the ground as I throw the bullets into a nearby trashcan. 

The sirens get closer and the boys run. Scott is on his phone yet again. This time when he hangs up a Arnold police officer steps out of the car.

" Where are the boys." He asks. I point over toward the trailer park down the road. He gets back into his car and takes off. I sit down on the edge of the sidewalk shook after what had just happened. Scott sits down next to me. 

" Shouldn't you be going home now." He looks at me with sincerity. I look down to the dirt on my too small shoes. 

" I don't have one." Is all I can manage to say. I feel my eyes tear up. 

Oh, no. Not now. Stupid emotions. I think

" Mitch will be here in a minute, we'll take you home with us, I mean you did just save my ass- I mean, butt, there." Scott tells me. I look up at him and smile. Just then Mitch pulls up. I climb into the back seat and buckle up. Mitch looks back at me and smiles. 

" Oh my goodness! She is so beautiful! You what you had said was an understatement." He says. I blush. 

"Thank you." I say in a shy, small voice. When we get to the house that I guess is theirs Scott runs around the house showing me where everything is. I stop when I see Wyatt their cat walk out of one room. He comes and looks up at me. I smile and reach down to pet him. 

"Awe! He likes you!" Mitch says as Wyatt purrs.  I laugh. 

"He is so cute!" I say. That night I sleep on the couch. 

When I wake up the next morning on the couch I smell bacon. I let my nose follow the sent to the kitchen. I see Mitch in front of the stove. He grins when he sees me.

" Hey, Hun! I cooked scrambled eggs and bacon. I hope you like it." I laugh. Any food sounds good right now.  He puts a plate on the table and before I get a bite in Scott comes in and takes a piece of bacon from me. 

My jaw drops. "Hey." I say as Scott puts it back down in front of me laughing. Mitch turns and smacks his arm. 

"You're so stupid!" He says. Scott playfully looks offended. 

"Yeah. " he tells Mitch. Mitch just rolls his eyes and sits down by me at the table. 

"I'm sorry about him. He is a dork. Lets get to know some things about you!" He tells me. I shrug, not knowing what to say. 

" There isn't much to know about me. I'm 14, my mom died, my dad neglected me. I attend the high school up the road, and I have a friends, maybe. I listen to you guys at school on the laptops. You guys help me through all the bad things that happen to me through your music. I also think you two on YouTube are really funny. I have had a lot of bad things happen. But I'm fine. I'm still a happy person. I think." I sadly smile, then laugh. Scott gives me a hug. 

" I will love you!" He says. I laugh. I hug his arm that is wrapped around me. 

"I hope you mean it." I say under my breath. 

"I do." He tells me.