Missing Star

Chapter 1

I moved through the gathering as quietly as possible. The last thing I wanted was to be heard or seen, it was safer that way. There were only a few times that I got to be alone without someone yelling for me to cook, clean, or help with the younger ones (not that I minded with the little ones). But somehow, I managed to make my way to the barn. I climbed to the top rafters where there was a hidden space that I could crawl through to reach the roof. This was my personal heaven, where I could be alone and look over all the property and a clear shot to the stars above.

Here I was able to breathe and be me even if it was just a short time. I removed one of the old roof panels to find my pillowcase. There I had my treasure, a few letters that I had cherished for years, and photos of my mother and her family. They were tattered and the edges were slowly peeling from age. God, I missed her and wished that she were around. My last memory of her was dropping me off with my father for his mandatory visit. Then the crash happened, after that my life was never the same. My grandparents tried to stay in touch but after a few years, the letters just stopped.

I stayed there looking at her photo. She was in an old school mustang, windows down and her hair blowing in the wind. Her eyes were light gray and her smile was so pure. My heart got a ping and a tear slid down my face.

“MARISSA!!!” Hearing my name made me jump and reality set back in. I cleaned the tear from my face, looked over to the gathering, it was my father’s mother and she was pissed. Putting my pillowcase back. She was looking around the crowd asking for me at this point and again yelled “MARISSA!”

I know I need to move quickly. I got off the roof, jumped from the rafters to the floor, and took off at a dead run back to the gathering. As soon as I turned the corner I hit something that sent me flying backward landing hard on my butt with a thud.

When I looked up all I saw was a pair of dark blue eyes looking at me. Tearing my eye away I was able to take a good look at him. I was tall, coming in at 5’9” and 170 pounds, but he was bigger than me by almost a foot and jet-black hair that almost looks purple in the light coming from the gazebo. He wore a simple button-up shirt with tan slacks. Definitely not from the country that was for sure.