Preface
I had never really thought about love before, it was just one of those things that had always been just a word. An abstract feeling that never flowed through my veins. Like most people in the world, one of those things that just creep’s up on you, without a warning. You want it to be perfect, flawless and everything you ever dreamed of but if you never dream of anything I suppose that’s what you get.
At one point in your life you must come to a crossroad that determines your fate. A situation where you are stuck between the safe bet and the risk, it shows what kind of person you are and your strength of character. This was mine.
Chapter One
‘I haven't ever really found a place that I call home
I never stick around quite long enough to make it
I apologize that once again I'm not in love
But it's not as if I mind
that your heart ain't exactly breaking’
A doctor and his maid stood waiting for me at the terminal. Smiles pasted on their faces and one hand frantically whisking the air. There was a foreign feeling in the pit of my stomach, maybe it was the aeroplane food or the fact I had had enough food now to taste the bad from good. Or maybe it was that term they use, butterflies in my stomach when in fact it was just the acid crashing against a fleshy cage.
I was nervous though, I mean people like these must have preconceptions of what a homeless 17 year olds’ should look like. My face was perfectly clean, clothes simple, figure slim however the doctor would probably say malnourished. My hair a neat yet wavy strawberry blonde and I had a small bag of belongings. The maid over talked, I was expecting one of them to. To cover the awkward silence between complete strangers that now found themselves living together. Their kindness was almost patronising, shouldn’t a criminal like me be punished, not rewarded? Then I realised, they felt sorry for me. The sympathy vote, great!
Her name was Pamela and his name was Sean Carter. She looked at me ask if I couldn’t understand what she was saying. I have no tolerance of people who undermine me like that but I’m guessing she thought because I had been living on the street for just over a year I had forgot how to communicate, like I was some wild animal.
She talked for the whole hour car ride, I didn’t talk much and Sean asked closed, yes and no question which, in turn I replied quietly. This then sparked Pamela off on her own little speech. We didn’t arrive at the house until the sun had set and the street lamps blazed twitted in the blistering darkness. It was the most beautiful house I’d ever seen. It was crisp white, like freshly fallen snow, 3 stories high with a veranda on each level. The grass outside was perfect; it all seemed to be that way. I curiously walked ahead of the other two, stepped into the front door, and observed the spacious, open plan rooms which had very sparingly furnished.
Pamela lead me up to the top floor of the house, throughout the walls were neutral colours and soft carpets. My room was stuffed with things I never thought I’d possess in my entire life. I traced the post of the bed with my index finger and wondered why someone as small as me would ever want a bed this large. My mother would have laughed to see me in such an expensive and beautiful room. She would have found it comical that someone that use to share a single bed from a tip could ever have her own 4 poster bed. It made me smile thinking of it too.
I think Sean sensed this when he came to check if I was Ok. I was just sat on the oversized bed looking at my bare feet and getting use to the feeling of carpet under them. He simply sat next to me and looked at the floor as well. He must has been mid to late 30’s and had hazel nut hair. He was quite handsome for an older man and had a good build, like a ruby player however his eye were empty. He seemed lonely and incomplete; I wondered why he wasn’t married. He was so many women’s dream guy a handsome, obviously well off doctor. I came to two conclusions he was even one – a workaholic or two – he had ‘issues’.
‘I know you’ve had a tough time but it will get better, I promise’ he said sincerely.
‘A promise is only a promise once it can be guarantee’ I commented bitterly
‘My grandfather told me something once that seemed very wise. Time passes. The good and the bad all comes and goes. You never know, Grace, this could be your time to make a life for yourself’ he seemed optimistic; I wish I could be to. This was a beautiful place, perfect house and seemingly nice people. I was expecting to wake up back on the cold floor behind some bins and realised that I had just dreamt of the house and the breath taking sun set. I didn’t want to get too attached to this idea that I could actually make a life here. I couldn’t get attached to Sean, or this house, or the way the sunset so gracefully over the trees. I was alone. I’d accept it and to change that would be to change everything I know about the world and about myself.
I sat in silence. Looking at all my new belongings.. My mum would have liked Sean. He knew when to talk and seemed genuine in his intentions to help. I was glad when he left. I didn’t like to be alone but that’s the way I always find myself.
I showered, making the most of the unfamiliar warm water passing over my skin. I stepped out and wrapped myself in a towel that smelled of soap and coconut. I stared at myself in the mirror. It didn’t seem like me, the last time I had looked at my face was in the shop window. The dirty, tired face that I saw then didn’t glare back at me anymore. A soft, elegant face stared back. A girl with sparkly green eyes and oval shaped lips. Miss Grace Harvey.
“Grace” a voice breathed from the other room. A male voice, not Sean’s. It was almost melodic, like church bells or a piano. My body froze, I wasn’t scared, I recognised it but it was too beautiful to be anything but fantasy.
I stepped through the archway. The French doors leading onto the veranda were swung open and the drapes danced in the wind. No sign of anything but a single white feather lay on my carpet perfectly still, like it was hypnotised so the wind couldn’t whip it away. I picked it up, studied it. Must have just been a bird but yet that voice was so clear. My mind obviously playing tricks on me, in such a big room I wouldn’t be surprised. I locked the door and settle into the over sized bed.
I couldn’t sleep. The bed was warm and foreign. Having a duvet and pillow just seemed completely unnatural. I went on the veranda and lay down. I wrapped myself in the duvet and let the wind brush through my hair. I soon fell asleep and dreamed of a guardian angel who had visited me that night. A beautiful, blonde haired, blue eyed boy with stunning feathery wings. Of a warm faced family sat around a kitchen table in an overcrowded room. For a moment I felt a part of it, at home and then I realised. Just a vivid yet distant dream
Charicters: You could have described the other two more, but you did well on the MC's description.