Ace of Hearts

4

"There's just one issue with your little dream world, Jay. We're probably never going to see them again."

"Not necessarily. I have a feeling about it." There's a short pause as she looks over her shoulder towards the diner where we parted ways. "I think we'll be seeing them again."

. . .

I sigh as I look out the car window. After a whole summer of adventures, new experiences, and meeting new people, the idea of coming back to the starting point feels—ridiculous. It also causes another wave of panic to start clutching my lungs. Being home means facing my parents—my mother, who will expect the summer to have been enough, and my father, who I will have to inform that I didn't change my mind.

Everything seems to point me back to New Orleans—to the only place that felt remotely like home. No matter how hard I try to focus on something else, I feel the cold metal that rests under my collarbone from the leather strap, catch a glance of something in the mirror that makes me curious, or have another 'accident' that makes me wonder—what do I not know about myself?

I can still remember the first time the glass vase on the counter shattered when I was upset, the carpet started to burn, or a door slammed shut so hard it broke the frame. It's always been like this for me. Anytime I get upset, anxious, or out of control, the inexplicable happens, and my parents would make some silly explanation before pretending like it never happened. I honestly thought I was crazy until Jade saw it happen. It's another point on my list of reasons to find my birth parents.

The car lurches to a stop in front of the grand brick building that I call 'home.' "Thank you, Peter. Don't forget to give the wife and kids my love." I inform the driver who simply nods with a kind smile and rushes to open my door for me.

"It's good to have you back, Miss Mitchell." He tells me as he hands me my suitcase.

"I wish I could say it was good to be back." I whisper to myself as I force myself to head inside and prepare for the next world war that's about to start in there.

It was over an hour before I could get more than a sentence in between the shouting, and even then I was still cut off—repeatedly. "I'm going to live with Jade off campus. If it really means that much to you, I'll take a couple classes, but I'm not enrolling full time." I try to explain to my mom, but she's having none of it, and my dad sees through my lies as to why I'm not enrolling. "This is something that I need to do, and it's my choice to make."

That's the last words I say to either of them for the next few days, and as much as it hurts me to not talk to them, I keep up my silent protest. Unfortunately, it all comes crumbling when my dad comes into my room with red-rimmed eyes. "Lee, there's something I need to tell you." His voice threatens to crack with every syllable, and he collapses on the bed next to me. "You're mother and I—are going to separate for a little bit."

I sit there in shock and fear. Frozen in place as I watch my world slowly fall apart around me.

Everything is muddled and distorted. I can barely make out the words that continues to pour out of my dad in a tangled mess. "It's not your fault— been building up for a long time now—doesn't really change much."

"Why? What's going to happen now? Who's going where?" The question leave my lips faster than I can think them up. "Are you moving? Is mom? Or are both of you just going to pack up and split? Does this mean you're getting a divorce?"

"Not at the moment, no. We aren't planning on getting a divorce, but I am going to move down to my writing apartment for the time being." He sighs and stares down at his fidgeting hands. I swear, in this moment, my dad looks ten times his age with a burden worse than Atlas.

"Dad, is this because of me?" I question tentatively as I rest my head on his shoulder.

"No, bean, this isn't because of you. This is something that has been coming for a while now. I just didn't see it sooner."

"I'm sorry, Dad. Is there anything I can do?"

"Don't worry yourself about it, bean. Just focus on what you need to do." His smile is soft but guarded. I don't even think as I wrap my arms around him and hug him tightly.

"So, where exactly is your writing apartment? I think I might want to stay there with you for a little while to help you settle in."

"Oh, it's just in a small town with a peculiar history." There's a tiny glint in his eyes at the mention of it, like he can sense the stories brewing beneath the surface. "It's called Mystic Falls."

...

"There's nothing that's going to make this better, Jade." I whisper into my phone as I sit on the fire escape outside my room. Even from here I can still hear the arguing going on inside. "I'm going to stay with him for a little while. If I know my dad, which I do, this is going to break him. He's gonna need me for who knows how long."

"I know, and the apartment will be ready whenever. I'll be fine on my own for a bit." There's a pause, and I can hear her taking a deep breath through the phone to keep her voice from cracking. "So, where is this apartment?"

"It's a small town called Mystic Falls. My dad was telling me all about the weird history there. Apparently it's been the rumored home to vampires, werewolves, and witches since the late 1800s." I feel my shoulders relax as I tell her all about the weird things that have happened there. I even crack a few jokes about playing supernatural sleuth. Although, even that doesn't bring my spirit up much.

To say the next few days were torture would be a vast understatement. Neither my mom or dad could speak more than short sentences to each other, which I found out had started shortly after I left for the summer. Every moment with the two of them and the tense silence is maddening. The only thing that kept me screaming into my pillow every night was wondering and researching Mystic Falls and my birth parents.

Each day, I would dig deeper and deeper, but I usually came up with nothing, which only intrigued me further. How is it that a whole town's history is buried and only rumors float around with any promises of information? I never expected to find much on my biological parents. Especially since I only knew that they were in New Orleans at the time of my birth and the inscription on the silver band I wear on my neck. Answers on them were bound to be scarce.

Still, every morning, I would wake up and drink my coffee while I dig into the poorly designed sights, and the sinew that clutters them. For that hour every morning, the world was irrelevant. My sole thoughts were trying to find real answers, which made me more anxious to get there and search in person. I kept a mental countdown of exactly how long until I would enter Mystic Falls. It was as if some unnatural force was pulling me towards it—closer to the town and to the mystery.

All around me, things slowly started leaving their usual homes and into boxes to be taken to my dad's apartment. I even start doing the same in my room as I add a few extra items from what I had originally planned to take to Jade's and my apartment. It wasn't much, a couple pictures, an extra coat and clothes, and any small things I like to keep with me wherever I live.

Then, before I knew it, my room was down to a little more than a skeleton, and my dad and I were bound for Mystic Falls.

. . . . 

Dear readers,

thank you for taking time to read this story. it means more to me than words can explain, and i appreciate every single one of you for it.

i wanted to let you guys know, i'll be updating twice a week or once a week (depending on how my schedule goes. also, i don't own any of the characters except for lee and her family/friends, and the plot line will be a mixture of the tv shows and some surprises i throw in to keep you on your toes. thanks again.