• Chapter One

    Finally, the dirty old green truck pulled up to the train station. A tall man got out of the driver’s side, while a woman got out of the passenger’s side. They walked into the station looking around for the girl that was supposed to be their new foster child. Minutes passed and soon a tall, skinny girl appeared through the crowd.
    “Are you Jess?” The woman asked eagerly.
    “Yes; so are you my new parents, George and Linda?” Jess asked.
    “We are, indeed. Come now, let’s go back home to Oakdale,” the tall man called George said.
    The drive to George and Linda’s home was long and quiet. They lived in a small town, far from any large city.
    “That’s Oakdale High. You’ll be attending school there,” Linda said. Jess looked out the window at a large, one story brick building that look like it would fall apart at any moment. “School starts in a couple weeks, so we better get busy on your school shopping,” Linda continued.
    George looked away from the road and back at Jess. “You okay?” He asked.
    “Yeah, just nervous I guess.” It was true. At last home Jess lived in she was the outcast at school. The one everyone made fun of and nobody wanted to hang around. She knew with such a small school, it would be even harder to find friends that actually liked her.
    “Well, were almost home,” George said as he turned into a small back road.
    True as George said, in moments they turned into a long driveway and drove up to a large ranch home. It was white with a large porch. The house had a large front and backyard that any little kid with an imagination was sure to love.
    “Wow,” Jess whispered.
    “Come on, I’ll show you your room,” Linda said as she got of the car and grabbed Jess’s two small bags out of the trunk.
    They walked into the house. Inside was not as large as it seemed from the outside, but still very big. Linda took Jess upstairs, down a long hallway, and into a room.
    “Here’s your very own room!” Linda said. Jess looked around. The room was large and beautiful. There were two windows that overlooked the backyard. The room was furnished with an oak dresser, and large bed and decorations. It was a loving atmosphere that Jess adored.
    “Will you be needed anything? I’m running out to the store this evening.”
    “Um… I don’t think so. But thanks, Linda.”
    “You’re very welcome. If there’s anything you need just ask; you’re part of the family now.”
    Jess smiled. It had been a long time since anyone was this nice to her. She walked over to the bed and opened the first bag. In it were some clothes, but not many. She opened the next one revealing all the things she loved and adored. Mostly little thing she had stolen from her other homes and things she kept from her parents. Jess’s parents died long ago in a car crash. Ever since then she has been bounced around from one family to the next.

    “Wake up Jess! I’m taking you school shopping today!” Linda said brightly and she shook the blankets off Jess.
    “Okay, okay. I’m up. I’ll be ready soon.”
    “Don’t worry about breakfast; we’ll pick some up on the way.”
    Jess tumbled out of bed and walked into the bathroom to get ready.
    “All ready?” Linda asked as Jess walked downstairs and into the kitchen.
    “Yeah, but I don’t have any money,” Jess said quietly. George, who was sitting at the kitchen table, began to laugh.
    “Jess, you’re family now. We can buy your clothes and things for you,” he said with a smile. Jess smiled back. No one had ever been this nice to her.
    “Come on now; let’s go before the breakfast rush beats us!” Linda grabbed her car keys and started for the door.
    “Bye!” Jess and George said at the same time. Jess ran to catch up with Linda who was almost out of the door.
    They climbed into the same old truck as yesterday and started down the driveway and into the small town. The ride was quiet as Jess eagerly looked around at the new place she was living. Linda glanced over and smiled. In a few minutes the pulled up to a little diner. Linda turned the truck off. They both hopped out and went inside. They found a booth by a window.
    “This is my favorite place in the whole town. It just has the greatest breakfast anyone could ever ask for!” Linda said excitedly as she read the menu looking for something to order.
    Jess, however, was looking around when all of a sudden she caught a boy staring at her. She stared back for what seemed to be like forever.
    “Miss? Can I take your order?” The waiter asked Jess.
    “Jess?”
    “Oh, um… I’ll have the same thing,” Jess said quickly before the waiter got even more annoyed.
    “Do you even know what ordered?” Linda asked. She turned around, “Ah,” Linda saw the boy that kept on staring at Jess, “That’s Joe Winston kid, Brendon. They live about a mile down from us. I guess you could say they’re nice but they sure are weird.”
    “Does he go to Oakdale High? And what did you order?”
    “I ordered my usual, blueberry pancakes and home fries. And why do you care?” Linda smiled back.
    “That sounds good. I care because he seems nice, regardless if he’s weird.” Jess did indeed have a crush on Brendon. He was tall with black hair that covered his face. He was very skinny, even though he was eating a massive pile of pancakes with someone Jess couldn’t see.
    “He does and that would be nice if you two become friends. Now, what kind of clothes do you need for school?”
    “Just jeans and t-shirts, that’s what I’ve always worn to school.”
    “Well, in town are just some little stores. If you’re up for the ride we can go to the city and shop at the department stores there. Ah, finally!” Linda exclaimed as the waiter set two plates that looked exactly alike on the table.
    Jess and Linda talked about where they wanted as they both ate. Though Jess continued to glance over at Brendon who was still staring at her, Stalker, she though. Linda and Jess finished up their meals, paid the bill and walked out. As Jess climbed into the truck she looked back into the restaurant to see Brendon still staring at her.
    Linda and Jess took the long drive into the city to shop at several different stores. They bought everything they needed and even did a bit of early Christmas shopping. It was a fun day, that both of them enjoyed.
    “Thanks Linda,” Jess said as they were driving back home.
    “Your welcome. I had a great time. We should do this again sometime.”
    They drove back into the little town, down the same back road as before, and into their driveway. Jess took her bags, Linda took hers, and they went inside.
    “Where’s George?” Jess asked looking around.
    “He’s probably out back or went into town with some friends. He’ll be back soon,” Linda explained.
    “Okay, then. I’m going to go hang my clothes up.”
    Jess walked upstairs and into her room. She carefully laid all her new clothes on her bed and examined them. This should be plenty to have somewhat of a good reputation at school, Jess thought. Her wide variety of American Eagle and Hollister clothes might help Jess at not being a loser in her new school. She opened the closet and took out some hangers and hung the up in her closet. The closet was huge and certainly could not be filled up with just the clothes she had.
    “Everything all right?” Jess jumped as Linda walked into the room.
    “Yeah, I think I’ll have enough for school,” Jess said as she looked at her hanging clothes and shut the closet door.
    “Well, you still need your notebooks and things,” Linda said.
    “Yeah, we can get those sometime later though.”
    “Yeah; I call George on his cell phone. He just ran down to his friend’s house to help with something. He’ll be back around dinner.”
    “Cool,” Jess said. Linda smiled and walked back downstairs. Jess walked over to the window and looked out. The windows provided a beautiful view of the backyard and woods.
    “That’s Joe Winston’s kid Brendon. They live just a mile down from us,” Jess remembered Linda telling her this morning.
    Jess ran downstairs and into the kitchen. “I’m going to go for a walk around town. You know, just get to know the place a little better.”
    “That sounds like a good idea. Just remember to be back in time for dinner!!”
    “Bye!” Jess said and walked outside. She started down the driveway and turned up the road toward Brendon’s house.
    She walked for a while, when she came upon a pure white mailbox with the name Winston on it. The driveway was surrounded by woods. She walked up the driveway until she saw a perfectly white house with blue shutters and a huge porch. It was beautiful. Jess crept into the woods to get closer to the beautiful house. She went around back and saw Brendon and a man sitting on picnic table.
    “You can’t go wandering off with Justin and Luke anymore, you hear? You’re too young to control yourself!” The man told Brendon sternly.
    “Dad, I’m sixteen. Normal kids get to drive and stuff at sixteen,” Brendon whined back.
    “Sixteen yes, but two years old as a daemon. You could get hurt, even killed!” Jess was filled with shock. A daemon? She was definitely dreaming.
    “Dad, you worry too much. Let me talk care of myself!” Brendon got up and looked directly into the woods where Jess was hiding. His eyes got very wide and he ran into the house. Jess knew she was spotted and started to run back to the main road.
    She stumbled out of the woods by the white mailbox to see Brendon standing there.
    “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” He yelled.
    “Uh…” Jess was at a loss for words as she looked at Brendon’s perfect face.
    “My father is already mad enough at me!”
    “Sorry,” Jess mumbled.
    “Get out of here, it’s too dangerous this late,” he said. Jess looked into the sky through the trees and realized it had to be almost dinnertime. She looked one last time at Brendon. A daemon, he couldn’t be. She took off running back to her new home, to afraid to look back.
    “I’m sorry,” Brendon said as he watched Jess run.