Four Elements Book 1 - Hidden Powers

Chapter 1 - A new start - part 2

Isabelle shook it. She was very pretty, Andie noticed as she looked at her. Short wavy blond hair that came down to her shoulders, large bright blue eyes, smooth white skin and a medium build. Andie was more or less the same, if a tiny bit taller and her hair was shorter, reaching just below the ears. Her mother always had short hair and had insisted her daughter do the same.

"It's so much simpler and more practical," she would always say. "And very modern."

Now Andie didn't disagree, she thought to herself as she closed her locker. When you were a lawyer or a doctor, you didn't want your hair using your precious time. But she was neither, nor was she going to be. But her mother had kept her hair short all her childhood, and now it didn't seem to want to grow anymore. It was frustrating. But she didn't want her hair to be a constant bother, so she tried not to think about it too much.

"I have to head home, are you okay getting back on your own?"

"It's okay, I'll take the bus."

But just as they reached the parking lot, the bus was turning the corner.

"Oh, drat! Now, what...?" Isabelle groaned. "My Dad's out of town, my mom's working late and I have to take care of my sisters!"

"I'll give you a ride, don't worry." Andie said. "C'mon, my car's just over there."

She led Isabelle to a shiny Ford in the corner of the parking lot, which was now virtually empty.

"Sorry..." Isabelle said as Andie started the engine.

"I'm the one who made you miss your bus, it's the least I can do. Where d'you live?"

"On Herman Road, just outside Chambers Lake Park."

Andie turned out of the parking lot.

"I used to go to that park when I was younger!" Andie said with a smile.

"You grew up here?"

"Not really. I was in Denver until I was eleven and then I moved here. But I was a bit of an oddball in my middle school. It took me a while to make friends." Meet in Middle school.

"Oh, those two girls I saw you with earlier?"

"Jessica and Emily, yeah. I'll have introduce you guys tomorrow."

"Well..."

"Don't worry, they won't bite. Well, Emily won't. Jess is a bit more of a wild one." She smiled. "But she's nice. Crazy as they come, but let's face it, who isn't?"

Eventually, they reached the Woodland residence.

"Nice house," Andie said as she parked the car.

"Thanks. My parents fell in love with it and bought it. Come on in, I'll show you."

"I don't want to be a bother."

"Don't worry about it."

"Okay."

"Oh, you're probably busy..."

"My mom's home, she can take care of my sister. I'll just tell her I'll be a little late."

So she did, and followed Isabelle inside. It was elegantly decorated while remaining inviting and warm.

"Wow..."

"Yeah. Courtesy of my mom, she's an interior decorator. She's just starting up her business, so she's really busy."

"What does your dad do?"

"He got hired at a law firm. Swanson Law, I think it was."

"You're kidding? That's where both my parents work!"