In my earliest memory, I slide across the mud, a wet and helpless thing, with a darkness gnawing at my ribs. I'm cold. So cold, I'm shivering. And alone. A face that I cannot remember emerges from the fog and leans in close. I'm raised off the ground with gentle hands and cradled against a warm chest. Words I do not know rumble against my ear. Though I don't yet have language, I understand they are declarations of love.
I didn't drink my smoothie this morning and ended up destroying the Coffin Ridge High School gym.
No, I didn't set the gym on fire because of low blood sugar.
No, I didn't drive a truck through the wall in a fit of hypoglycemic rage. I don't even have a driver's license as my state, California, stupidly doesn't allow you to have a license until you're sixteen, which means I have another month. Also, we don't even have a truck. We have a minivan, which I wouldn't be caught dead driving.
And no, I didn't find a sledgehammer in the equipment room and think, 'hey, if I can't have my recommended daily allowance of vitamins, I'll just go on a rampage.'
I was doing yoga.
What else? This is California!
I know what you're thinking: Rowen Keckilpenny-Brown, almost-16-year-old girls minding their own business in the middle of corpse pose, do not cause literal tornadoes in high school gyms.
Okay, it's true, there is the occasional metaphorical tornado in the gym, like during basketball playoffs, P.E. class, or cheerleading practice, but before you call me a liar, (which I most certainly am, just not in this case) hear me out.
For you to understand the entire story, we'll have to time-travel to this morning's smoothie incident. Luckily, when you're telling a story, time travel is easy. If only time travel existed in a real-world setting! I could go back, drink my smoothie, and spend the rest of my life in ignorant bliss about who I am.
What I am.
Though a part of me has always known. *Cue ominous music*
Thank you so much for reading my new story! New to you, that is!!!! I've been working on it off and on for about six years & I'm so happy to finally share it. I promise it is going to be a fun ride and also very heartfelt. All votes, comments, follows, and offerings of mulled wine (or even unmulled wine) are appreciated!
Dedicating this chapter to iamRodneyVSmith because he made such an amazing cover, and he is a dear, dear friend. Make sure you check out his incredible stories on Wattpad. Thank you, Rodney!!!