One

***

When I was ten years old I watched my father walk out of my childhood home, leaving my mother, older brother and I behind. He moved out of Texas and into a small town in Canada. One year later, he stated he no longer wanted contact with my brother and me, claiming he had a new family and was no longer interested in the broken children he had left behind. For months I found myself depressed, wanting nothing more than my father to call on the phone and tell me he still loved me. It never happened. Eventually, I became accustomed to a life without a father and when I was twelve my mother introduced my brother and me to a man named Alejandro Gonzales. She was pregnant with his child and had been seeing him quite a while but wanted to wait to introduce us. They got married only a couple months later and my house became full again... at least in a sense. That was three years ago. I now have a three-year-old little brother by the name of Mateo and a sister, Natalie, who just turned six months old. My older brother, Maverick, moved out a year ago when he turned eighteen. He claimed he needed space and moved to Canada with our father. I didn't even know they had been in contact. I am now a thriving fifteen year old, confident with who I am becoming. That being said, as many people my age, I feel as though something is missing. As if a part of me isn't found yet... if only I could find that part of me. Maybe I'd finally be complete.

"How are you possibly okay with this?" I ask my mother, standing in front of the woman who is currently spooning the last bit of baby food into my sister's mouth.

Now, this is one thing I'd be completely okay without.

"Hadlee, this is a good thing," she responds, giving me a soft look. "You cried for months when your father said he no longer wanted contact with you."

Have you guessed yet?

"Mom, I was eleven. Of course, I cried. I didn't think my father loved me anymore." I tell her, rolling my eyes.

"And what do you think now?" she asks, throwing the spoon she was using to feed Natalie in the sink and placing her in her play area.

"I know he loves me, well, I think. But, I don't need the validation. I've grown used to not having him around. I really don't want to get my hopes up and crash. I'm doing so well." I tell her honestly, crossing my arms over my chest, lifting my cleavage without purpose.

My mother sighs, giving me a knowing look. "Is this about all the plans you and the girls have this summer?"

I let out a breath, tilting my head back before straightening it again, looking at her and shaking it. "No, mom. I mean, yeah, I'm obviously upset about it but I don't wanna go to dad's this summer. He didn't want me three years ago, why the hell does he want me now?" I ask, becoming frustrated.

"Maybe because he regrets letting you go? He is your father, Hadlee. He loves you, he always has." she says, sending me a small smile.

"So, you're saying I have no choice in the matter and whether I like it or not, I'm going to Canada for the summer," I state, nodding with my lips pressed into a firm, disapproving line.

She nods. "Yes. You're going to your father's for the summer. Maverick will be there. You guys can catch up. You'll get to meet his wife finally and your little brother who I'm sure will be very excited to meet you."

I sigh, shrugging. "I guess."

"You're not even excited to see Mav?" she asks, laughing lightly. "You two were so close before he left."

"Before he left being the key words in that statement," I tell her, sighing heavily and shrugging. "Other than comments on Instagram I haven't heard from him since he left."

She frowns sympathetically. "Me either. But, hey, maybe that'll change when you go see him."

I nod. "Yeah, okay. When do I leave?"

"Sunday," she informs me softly, giving me a weak smile.

"Three days?" I exclaim, shocked.

She nods. "Last day of school was last week, he wants you there as soon as possible but I wanted you for at least a week."

I let out a dramatic sigh, turning on my heel and dragging myself up the stairs. Once making my way to the bed, I plop down carelessly, sending out an SOS text to let the girls know we need to have coffee in the morning.

Summer's gonna suck now.

*

The next morning, I wake to the sound of my alarm I had set, groaning and sitting up immediately so I don't drift back into my comfortable slumber.

Time to break the news.

After making my bed to perfection and slipping on jeans and a band tee paired with black converse, I jog down the stairs to my home, exiting the house and starting down the road.

Arriving at the familiar Starbucks coffee shop on the corner two blocks from my home, I enter the business, looking around to see if my friends have arrived. A smile spreads across my lips as I see them, striding over to the table and taking the coffee they had purchased for me in my hands.

"Hey guys." I grin, licking my lips and taking a sip of the warm espresso drink.

"Hey." the three of them answer in unison.

"Okay, so when do our summer festivities begin?" Daniella asks, giggling.

"Yeah, you two have hung out a couple times but this is the first time we've all been together." Paislee asks, a smile playing on her perfectly pink painted lips.

"Sorry guys, we just needed to do a few things by ourselves. But of course, we're gonna get started doing our group this right away." Camila tells them, her straight white teeth giving them a wide smile. "Right, Lee?"

I clear my throat, feeling the lump come back immediately. "Actually, about that, I need to talk to tell you guys something that's gonna change a lot."

"Don't tell me your mom planned a surprise family vacation or something." Daniella complains, giving me a look.

I sigh, shaking my head. "No. But my dad contacted my mom a couple weeks ago and convinced her that it would be a great idea for me to go visit him for the summer."

"I thought you weren't in contact with your dad?" Paislee asks, her brows furrowed as she sips her frappuccino.

I roll my eyes. "I haven't spoken to him since I was eleven. I don't know why he wants me to visit him all of a sudden. I tried to convince my mom to change her mind but she thinks this is a good thing which means I have no choice."

"That makes no sense." Daniella comments, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Wait, that means we're not gonna get to do everything we planned this summer!" Camila realizes, sending me a pout.

I nod. "Yeah, unfortunately, I leave Sunday so after that our summer has been stolen by my father."

"That's so not fair! He hasn't been your dad in years, he can't be your dad now!" Paislee complains, getting upset.

I laugh lightly, though humorlessly. "I know but there's no convincing my mom to change her mind. It's made up."

"It's already Friday though." Camila states, frowning in disapproval.

I nod. "I know. I'm gonna be packing today and tomorrow too so it's not like we can really do anything unless I stay up all night to pack and use daytime to do things with you."

"Or maybe you can convince your mom to let us stay the night tonight and we can help you pack and spend time together all at the same time." Paislee says, throwing out the idea with an excited grin plastered on her lips.

I nod, a small grin spreading across mine as well as I pull my phone out. "Yeah, let me call her."

Dialing the memorized number and tapping the green circle, I place the phone to my ear, having a short conversation with my mother before hanging up and smiling at the girls. "She thinks it's a great idea."

"Awesome." Cami nods, smiling wide.

"So, we'll all meet up at your house in an hour?" Daniella asks, furrowing her brows.

My head instantly nods, almost without my brain telling it to. "Yeah, I'll see you guys then."

After we disperse, I step inside the front door, furrowing my brows at the weird smell engulfing my being.

"Mom?" I call out, receiving no answer. "Mom?!"

The shattering of glass sounds from upstairs, causing my brows to furrow as I set down my drink on the table beside the door and silently make my way up the stairs. Once making it to the top, I hear scrambling until a floorboard below my foot creaks, giving away my presence. Entering my bedroom as a man climbs out of the window, I quickly jog over, watching as the man cloaked in black stalking away from my house and into the woods.

"What the hell?" I whisper, shaking my head and twisting on my heel before my eyes catch sight of the destruction of what has become of my room. Letting out a shaking breath, I dial my mother's phone number, putting the phone to my ear and waiting for her voice to create a sense of peace in me.

An hour later, as the girls arrive to the front door, police scatter the house, talking to my mother and trying to take fingerprints from my room. Looking over to the front door, I notice Camila arguing with an officer, although politely, making my feet move before I could think twice.

"They're here for me. I asked them to come." I inform the officer, giving him a small smile and pulling the girls inside.

"What the hell happened?" Paislee asks, her eyes widened as she looking around my perfectly clean living room.

"Someone broke into my room and destroyed it. It looks like they were looking for something. Only I can't think what they'd be looking for." I sigh heavily, distress weighing me down.

"Oh my god!" the three of them gasp in unison.

"Did they take anything?" Daniella asks, her mouth slightly gaped in shock.

I shake my head. "No. That's what I don't get."

"That's weird. But thank goodness." Paislee comments.

I nod, not knowing what else to say as the girls take a seat on the couch and I find myself standing in the entry hallway, staring at a small crack in the floor from my brother and I playing when we were little.

Before I realize, my mother is walking the officers out of the house, thanking them before turning to me and gently touching my arm.

"You alright honey?"

I take in a breath, nodding as I exhale deeply and fake a smile. "Yeah, um, I'm just gonna take the girls upstairs and clean up my room then start packing."

She nods, giving me a sympathetic smile. "Okay, if you need more help let me know."

I nod and gesture for the girls to come with me, which they do, going up to my room and sighing while looking at the mess yet again.

"Holy shit." Camila says, not thinking twice.

Stopping myself from letting my eyes roll, I lick my lips, asking them to help and walking over to my dresser to start straightening up the papers that had been thrown elsewhere.

Once the room is spotless and vacuumed to perfection, I pull out my suitcases, arranging them on my bed and looking over to my friends.

"So, you guys know what I wear and what I would wear. Just, let me fold everything and get them in these suitcases. Once it's done we can actually enjoy some time together before I'm shipped off." I tell them, sighing heavily and picking up a shirt I had on my dresser.

"Are you sure you don't wanna wait and pack tomorrow, Lee?" Paislee asks, biting her lip.

"Yeah, I mean, a lot happened to you today. Maybe you should relax." Camila agrees, sending me a sympathetic smile.

I hate sympathy being thrown my way.

"I'm fine." I say, squeezing my eyes shut in frustration and mentally counting to ten. I then exhale, opening my eyes again. "I'm fine. I just want to get this packing over with."

They nod silently, starting to pick and choose clothes that they know I'll use, folding and placing them in the suitcases as I asked.

After a few moments, I turn on music, not wanting it to be dead silent as we do the work we need to do. Not to mention I don't want to talk to anyone right now. The only thing my mind can possibly think of is why the hell would someone break into the house and only destroy my room?

***

Duh Duh Duh!

Here's Chapter One!

I'm super excited for how different this new version is!

Anyways, thanks everyone for reading!

much love,

shan:)

QUESTIONS (as promised):

1. What is your first impression?

2. Who do you think broke into her room?

3. What was your least favorite and favorite parts?