"You will fit right in here, don't worry." My social worker, who also happened to double as my psychologist, Daniel told me.
I looked around the endearing, private neighbourhood to get a feel of my surroundings. It was like a scene from a television series about rich kids and their divorced alcoholic parents that dwells into the daily struggles and scandals of the privileged. This is where I had to live? My parents die, I almost die and I get lumbered with my cousins. I shouldn't be here, I really shouldn't be here, I thought to myself continuously. I should be home with my mom and dad and my big brother but now I've no one. My big brother Tyler is out being successful in a different country and he left me behind. I just see myself as a burden to everyone and trouble.
Daniel knocked the door and as his fist touched that finely carved door, it swung open. I took a step back when my uncle and the man of the house, Marty answered the door. The next thing I knew I was lifted up, spun around and clung into a gripping hug. My arms flung by the side, I wasn't much of a hugging girl. Over the last few weeks since my parents death I had received more hugs than I ever have in 17 years of life but they were empty and full of pity. This hug from Marty was captivating and safe. From over Marty's shoulder I could see Daniel frowning at me for my deflated physical reaction, so I slowly hugged him back until he sat me down.
"Marley! It's been too long." Marty exclaimed.
"Yeah I guess." I sighed. It had been a while.... There was a time my cousins were my best friends but we drifted and I became me, a selfish, cold, lonely shell.
"Well come on in!" Marty took my wrist but I snapped it back as a sheer reaction. I didn't like being touched.... by anyone.
"Mr Callaghan why don't you go on inside and Marley-Rose will follow, I should say goodbye." Daniel said.
Marty nodded then walked back into his house, leaving the door open. I turned back around to Daniel who was smiling at me.
"I'm gonna miss you sport, you've been by far my most challenging, stubborn, arrogant yet loveable, funny and special patient I've ever had the pleasure of meeting." Daniel told me getting all emotional.
"You should know I don't take goodbyes very well Danny." I sighed.
"Well this isn't goodbye, officially, I'll still see you every week and if you're ever at the hospital and you've got my card for my practice." Daniel reminded me. "I just want you to be safe Marley-Rose."
"Yeah well I should go now, I'll see you around Danny." I smiled before walking into the house.
I prepared myself before entering the family room. I knew this was going to be crazy, not for me, for them. I haven't seen my cousins in years, they were a nice family, from what I can remember. I walked into the family room anyway where they were all standing waiting for me. There was uncle Marty and his five sons, Zayn aged 22, the twins Joseph and Jeremy aged 18, Jake aged 17 (the same age as me) and Matt aged 15. It's a family of all boys, their mum left when the boys were young but they all had each other and were all very close from what I remember.
"That's Marley-Rose?" Matt asked. He had grew up so much since the last time I seen home. It's crazy how people can change so much.
"Obviously, she's still got that scar on her shoulder." Zayn laughed and I touched my scar insecurely. That scar was courtesy of the boys.
"Well it's getting dark now, you should go unpack." Marty told me. "Jake, show Marley to her room."
Jake took some of my bags and led me up the stairs. We passed many rooms until we came to one beside a room with 'Jake' wrote all over it. Jake opened the door of my room and let me go in. It was a beautiful room, simple, quiet and just what I needed. The walls were painted blame white with rose gold bed sheets, Greg curtains, a grey mat and lovely white furniture. I assumed they had some help in decorating because from what I can remember these boys didn't know a lot about girls style. It was nice though.
"Thanks Jake." I smiled as Jake sat my bags down. "This is a nice room."
"Yeah but you don't have such a good view." He said going over to the window. "You can see right through to my best mates room in the other house. I have to remind him to keep his clothes on."
"You do that Jakey." I laughed
"At least we know you haven't completely changed, you still give your nicknames." Jake smiled. Jake and I used to be best friends because we were the same age but he was more like my twin brother. We used to be joined at the hip and I missed him. There isn't a lot of people in the world like Jake.
"Old habits." I shrugged.
"Ok well I'll leave you to it." Jake nodded.
"Actually I think I'm going to go for a walk, I saw a chapel not too far away, I thought I might go there." I told Jake.
"Oh ok, I'll tell dad, just make sure you're not home late, we've school tomorrow." Jake reminded me as we started making our way downstairs.
"Thanks Jakey, I won't be long anyway." I smiled at him.
Jake ruffled my hair then we went in different directions at the bottom of the stairs, Jake into the family room and me out the door. I walked down the street in the dark and cold weather hoping the chapel would be open but thinking it might not be. It didn't take long getting there. I pushed on the doors and they opened, that was lucky.
I walked inside the chapel and went up the stairs. Through my whole life the one thing I'm glad I have kept constent and dedicated to is my faith. Without it I couldn't be here now. I took a seat down beside the balcony railing and kneeled down then began to pray. Half way through the Hail Mary I was distracted by mysterious sounds. I opened my eyes and stood up. I looked down at the altar and saw five boys all dressed n black, stealing the collection money. What kind of sick world is it that people steal from a chapel?
The floors were I was standing creaked and the five boys turned to me. I was caught now, if these people were sick enough to steal from a chapel, God knows what they'll do to me. One of them shouted 'Get her!' so I legged it. I ran down the stairs but was trapped as there was a boy in my way. I quickly thought of something to do and ended up lifting my leg and kicking him full swing in his privates. He fell to the ground and rolled over. It wasn't my first time doing that, I had practise so I was rather good at it unfortunately for the stranger.
"Forgive me God." I said before stepping over the boy and running past the other four.
I ran outside but instead of running to the street like they would expect me to do, I ran behind the chapel to the graveyard. I couldn't hear footsteps following so I continued running. I ran until I tripped over a headstone and feel and hit my side of the cold stone. I lifted myself up then came face to face with one of the boys. He only had his hood up but I could still see his face and his mysterious eyes. He was the one I kicked in the balls, I wonder how he got to me so fast. He just stared at me, I expected him to grab me or something but he just stared.
I took a chance and reached up to pull his hood down but he grabbed my wrist and dragged me to behind the tall headstone. He pinned me against it and covered my mouth with his hand. Then with his other hand he put a finger to his lips to tell me to stay silent. He couldn't have been older than me but I just got lost in his hypnotic blue eyes. I wasn't scared, just interested in this stranger.
I was wondering what he was doing to me but then I heard a stampede of footsteps run in front of the headstone. The boy's body was now pinned against me so the other boys wouldn't hear or see us. He was protecting me. Why would he do that?
Once the footsteps died down, he let me go but kept a gentle grip on my hand which I didn't mind. I was so confused now, I didn't know what to say and usually around boys I've plenty to say.
"Why did you do that?" I stuttered, barely managing to get my words out to form a competent sentence.
"Don't ask questions you won't get the answer to." He told me in his slightly deep yet very clear voice.
"Ok well how about why did you steal from God?" I asked him now remembering what him and his friends did.
"I didn't do anything. You got that! Nothing happened!" He forced me back against the headstone, trying to intimidate me but I've been through worse and he would have to try a lot harder than that to scare me.
"Fine, you keep believing that, but you and I both know different." I sighed and went to walk away but turned back to him. "You must be desperate to steal from the one place you can have peace. But don't worry I won't tell anyone. Obviously money and greed mean more to you than justice and truth."
"I just saved your ass little girl, if you were anyone else you would have been dead by now!" He told me. "I'll cover up for your ass because if they find out who you are, you're a dead girl. Now get the hell out of here."
He pushed me out in front of the headstone but without noticing the four other boys where just up the hill. They spotted me and immediately started running after me. I cursed under my breath then started running. Luckily I have been heavily involved with running track for 8 years so I was fast, really fast. I made it back to be Callaghan house and ran inside. I slammed the door shut and leaned against it, breathing so heavy that Jake over heard me and came out to see if I was okay.
"Did they hurt you?" Jake asked me with worrying drowning his face.
I looked at him strangely. How did he know, unless he knew about them boys at the chapel which means he was friends with them. He was involved with what just happened. I didn't know my cousin at all.
"You knew." I shook me head then ran up to my room.
And that was it. That's how it all began....