Fall

chapter 1

The brisk breeze of fall blowing through my knit sweater felt great.  After a sweltering hot summer I am finally enjoying my favorite season.  I was walking home from school, headphones on listening to some music. 

I enjoy walking home by myself on days I dont have after school cheer practice. It is a nice change of pace from the usual hustle and bustle of my life.

I live about twenty walking minutes from school on a cul-de-sac.  It is an enormous house for just the four of us, My mom, dad, myself and the maid.  You see my parents work non-stop.  I was an accident and they have treated me as such.  I see them for 2 hours on Sunday for brunch, and even then they always have friends over that way they dont have to pretend to be interested in me.

I finally reach my street I have 2 blocks left.  I look to my left and see a guy, possibly the same age as me, but he doesnt look familiar, and two little girls playing around in a pile of leaves that must have just fallen.  I smile and do a small wave as I walk by.  I see who I assume is their mother unloading groceries from their mini van. I couldn't help but wonder what that life was like. You know, where you have siblings to play with, and a mother who enjoys the motherly things.  I day dream about how my life could be different when I am snapped back to real time.  I hear "watch out" being screamed just in time to trip over a tricycle on the sidewalk.  Ouch!

I look down at my hands and knees and see them scratched up.  I start to stand up when a hand reaches out to help me up.  I look up at the face as I take their hand.  It was the mother unloading groceries.

"Are you okay? Oh dear, your knee is bleeding.  Quick come with me I will fix it all up."  She was sweet and compassionate.  She was petite to my taller stature, her hair was darker colored and up in a tight bun.  Her clothes were worn out looking. 

I looked down at my knee and realize I actually had a tear running down my cheek.
"Ace get the girls cleaned up for supper while I help out this one here." She points to me as the boy nods his head and follows the girls inside.
"You dont have to help me out, i am fine honest. I just have a little further to go." I didnt want to impose on their supper. 
"Oh please, dear, dont be silly.  You are going to follow me into the house and I am going to clean you up before I send you on your way." She was stern with me, as she walked away she was muttering under her breathe "I just have a little further to go, as if I cared or asked where you lived..." she trailed off as i slowly followed her to the kitchen. 
Their house wasnt big, it was a normal ranch house, you enter through the living room, and walk your way through to the kitchen.  I sat at the table as she danced her way through the kitchen making sure she had all the first aid items necessary to clean up my cut.
"Thank you for helping me, I really do appreciate it ma'am."
"Mrs. Huntsman will suffice." She was really short with her words but they still came off warm and welcoming.
"It is nice to meet you, my name is Austynn."
After she finished up I grabbed my bookbag and was headed on my way.  Mrs. Huntsman wasnt having that.  She served me dinner with the rest of the family.  I enjoyed meeting the entire bunch.  Mr. Huntsman was a tall, skinny man. He had slightly darker hair than his wife, that was kept short and styled.  His shirt was tucked into his pants and still wore his tie.
Alyssa was the oldest girl at 12.  She had long hair that matched her fathers, smooth, and straight. Her and her older brother Ace bantered back and forth throughout the dinner. Ace was actually two years older than me at seventeen.  He was tall, seemed to have some muscle tone from what I could tell in his arms. He had lighter brown hair like his moms, that he left unkempt on top of his head. The most striking feature though was his green eyes, the couple times i caught them I was in shock.  The light would flicker in them anytime Autumn a two year old would say anything.  She was adorable and seemed to resemble more Mrs. Huntsman and Ace more than the other two.
I helped Mrs. Huntsman clean up from dinner. "Thank you for the meal, but I really must go.  It is getting late and I have homework to get to."
"Wait right there just a minute." Before I could even respond to her, Mrs. Huntsman was out of the room. She returned after a couple minutes with Ace beside her. "Ace is going to walk you home, no woman will leave this house after dark by herself."
"Oh no, you have already done so much for me, I can make it home. It is late and I dont want to keep anybody up."
"See mom, she doesnt want me to walk her home. You heard her she is a big girl." Ace spoke with sarcasm and annoyance. The typical teenage boy act.
"You both hush and be on your way." She was pushing us out the door before we could object.
The walk home was  nothing enjoyable.  I would try to talk with Ace but he would shut me down.
"You dont have to walk me all the way home you know.  I know how to defend myself and could listen to music instead of you huffing an puffing."
"Oh, she has jokes, who would have thought a peppy, little miss perfect, cheerleading, blonde brat like you would have a sense of humor." I looked at him astonished. He looks over at me an winks. "What? Did I hurt your feelings?"
I start to walk ahead of him hoping he would just turn around and go home.  Almost there, I can see my unwelcoming home ahead of me.
"Ugh, fine, you have seen my mom, she would kill me if she knew I didnt walk you all the way home.  I just dont feel like talking.  Can you at least slow down so people dont think I am chasing you?"
I look back defeated, was that a smirk? A very cute side smirk, but i think it was. I can handle a little side grin for the trouble of dealing with him.
"Well, mr. Brooding, dark, wants to be mysterious, lonely guy, some people just enjoy knowing who the person is they had dinner with and is walking them home.  I usually dont take a guy home on the first date."  I winked at him mimicking his previous wink, and instantly regretted everything. The rest of the two minute walk was done in silence.
Once we hit my red door I started to search for my keys.  "I got it from here Ace, thank you sir for your service." I looked over at him an smiled.  A growl came from deep in his chest. Had I upset him in some way?
A little more frantic I searched for my keys feeling his hot gaze on the back of my head. Found them!
I look up and put my keys in the lock and unlock my door.  I got to turn the knob when I feel his hand on my shoulder.
"Sorry for upsetting you, I hope you have a good night." He starts back towards his house.
"Wait, can you walk me in? My parents aren't home and I hate being by myself." I give my best pout face.
He doesnt look back at me as he continues walking away. "Goodnight Ace."