A Thorn In A Game of Roses

(Evenlynn’s POV) Trees…Trees… that's all I saw while sitting in the passenger seat of the car as my father drove us to our new home. We recently moved and were heading to our 'new home', even though nothing will compare to where we grew up and adored, I was from New Jersey. I loved being there with friends and family, but life decided it wasn't in our best interest to be happy. My mother had gotten sick with cancer, and it changed our little family. My sister and I stayed home and did schoolwork from there as my father worked a full-time job. Meaning that my sister was taking care of my mother all the time. Still, we didn't mind it as we had to watch each day take a toll on her, each day was eating her alive and we didn't know how long she had, she would be fine one minute but than the next day she would be worse and in a lot of pain, it was taking a toll on her body and the bills were killing my father. I pulled up my big girl pants and got a part-time job to help out as much as I could; my sister took in babysitting to try and help as well. We all pitched in because we loved our mother so much and were determined to give her the best treatment, but nothing in the end was working, and it ended up taking her life. It took her in the worst time too, my father was at work and my sister was gone babysitting which leaves me alone with her, Everything was fine as it was just like every other day, waiting on the day nurse to come and take care of her while I got some things down around the house, but life had other plans, As I went to fill her tea up I noticed her chest wasn't rising and falling which made me freeze and panic, as I moved to her side I placed my finger under her nose and noticed she wasn't breathing and she was cold. She had passed in her sleep and wasn't in pain anymore. But finding her like that stays on my brain till this day as I can't get that image out of my head, nor get over the fact that I never got to tell her goodbye, or how much I loved her. I never got to make her proud. She never got to see me fall in love and get married. I was going to miss out on all that because life was a d**k and took her from me. After everything, the funeral to the awkwardness between us all my father decided a good move will do us good and even told us he had a job offer in Kentucky that he couldn't say no to as we were backed in bills that needed to be paid, So I bit my lip said bye to my friends and packed the car up and left New Jersey. We've been driving awhile as my sister wouldn't dare fly and I don't blame her as I was afraid of heights so we were on the same boat, so my father made it a car trip and it was a fun one, We laughed and talked tightening that bond that was lost, but even that has its takes as it would get awkward reliving memories with her gone, He would choke up and go into his shell and the care would get quiet and the fun died down. Now, with the quietness filling the car, I was getting annoyed with seeing so many damn trees passing the window as I looked out. I gave a sigh sitting up in my seat with my legs on the dashboard, my long dirty blonde hair was pinned up in a messy bun and out of my face, my blue eyes looking at the radio as I tried searching for some good tunes anything to break the ice in the car since we had maybe an hour left being stuck in here together. I looked back at my little sister who was sound asleep with headphones on, it was taking a big toll on her as well as she was shutting us out, she would keep to herself and would want to be alone allot, Which everyone grieves differently, but I suppose it just made me worry about her even more because I didn't want her to get to far in that dark space where she can't come back from it, I've been there and I'm still there but I remain with a fake smile once in awhile to hide what Im really feeling. "How much longer? I don't want to stop, but my bladder is going to explode." I groaned gently, turning back to face the front as I looked out the windshield and to the road, as my father grunted some before replying to me. "Almost there, these roads are killer, huh?" He started a conversation with me as I wanted to dismiss, but I swallowed that lump and continued. "More like too many trees, I feel like we're surrounded by forest and woods. I bet bears will be an issue where the house is?" I asked him, side-eyeing him as he gave a small smirk, nodding. "I heard it can be, but nothing we can't handle. We just have to make sure we're inside a certain time and not to freak out or run if we do see or encounter one. They have weird trash can containers, I heard about. My boss said it's better to keep the trash secured, as that's what they will go for. So, I have to build one." He smirked, eyeing me as we stopped at a light and waited. "You… build? That will be funny to see." I smirked at him as he chuckled and drove off when the light turned green. "I know, but it will be done to ensure our safety, as it's illegal to shoot them where we are." He told me as I raised an eyebrow and shook my head. "Yet, they can damage our property and maybe kill us, but we get jail time. Makes a lot of sense." I said sarcastically, making him smirk as he pulled into a long road with a bunch of annoying turns that made me feel so sick, but I sighed and ignored it as he finally pulled into our trailer. It didn't look bad at all, but it was home, so who was I to judge a roof over my head? "Here it is. Home. Our new start." He said, unlocking the doors as the movers were already here putting furniture inside. I sighed and turned, shaking my sister awake as I unbuckled and got out of the car The breeze was sharp, and the trees swayed with the breeze. I put some hair behind my ear as I eyed the house and around, as we were surrounded by woods. How welcoming. I thought to myself and turned my head as my sister got out of the car and made a noise, stretching as she looked at the house, then me as I gave a small smile. "Great, looks like something from a horror movie." She groaned, shivering, and she rubbed her arms as I snickered at her comment. I pointed across the street, where we had one neighbor, so we weren't completely alone on this street. "Maybe that's the killer, huh? Prays on young, stubborn girls." I smirked at her as she swatted at me, huffing. "Not funny." She whined at me as we both started walking down the path past workers, and we made our way inside the trailer and looked around. It was in good condition and wasn't bad looking inside. My sister took off first to find her room before me, as I smirked, shaking my head, following behind her. "Perfect, I'll get this room and you that one, and we'll share the bathroom." She says, looking around the medium-sized room, then to me. I nodded my head. "Dad's room is on the opposite side of the trailer, so it gives us privacy," I told her, shrugging as I moved into my personal room and looking around. The bed was set up and the dresser. I moved to the window, looking out as I had a fresh look at the woods. Creepy, I thought, as I definitely would cover it with curtains. I gave a small sigh, looking at the many boxes I needed to unpack and make this dull room into my room for the next few years. I have to stay here. After high school, I wanted to get into college, but while in high school, I wanted to get the best grades and get a scholarship to get into a good college. I wanted to be a nurse as I loved helping others a lot. Hell, I felt like a nurse taking care of my mother for all those years. I had amazing grades in my old school, and now I was starting a new one. The New Girl title would be mine for a bit, and I was gonna wear it on my sleeve with pride, as I didn't care for drama or friends, though friends would be nice, so I wasn't marked as the socially awkward girl in school. But I wanted to focus on my work and passing to get what I wanted to achieve, and no one was going to get in my way of that ever. My sister poked her head in my room while I was sitting on my bed, unwrapping boxes and organizing crap on my bed. "Dad is gonna order pizza because we have so much to do, and well, we start school tomorrow, and he wants it to be an easy night." "That and we literally have no food in this house till we go grocery shopping," I smirked, looking at her as she nodded her head, agreeing. She leaned against the door with a look, as I tilted my head, waiting for her to continue speaking, as she looked like she wanted to say more than she was giving off. "What's up, Sam?" I said using her nickname. "I'm nervous about starting a new school. Jersey schools are s**t, but what if being here is worse and the bullying continues here?" She whispered to me as her eyes met mine, her blonde hair falling against her shoulders. I gave a small smile as I stood and hugged her while she returned my hug, sighing and relaxing in my arms. "You worry too much. Every school is different. Besides, being the new girl is never easy, but at least we're in the same school and can look out after one another, hmm?" I smiled, poking her sides as she chuckled, nodding her head. Sam was bullied a lot in our old school, as she had an issue with sounds; she didn't like loud sounds and was hypersensitive to a lot of things, and that made her a target around high school boys and girls. The girls were the worst as they always picked at her and made her life hard, but I was always there to support and protect her. We always had each other, that's how it always was. But being there was like stepping on eggshells around everyone, as they always had something up their sleeve to bother her, so maybe a fresh start is good for her. Being away from bullies and meeting new faces. But it was also very nerve-racking, so I can agree on the nervous feeling, as I too was feeling a bit of it, not wanting to start over and make all new friends. "Maybe you're right and I am overthinking again." She said, pulling away and tying her hair up in a ponytail as she smiled at me. "You do that a lot." I mocked as she smacked my arm. "Pizza is here, girls!" My father called out as he set it down in the kitchen, and Sam took off running to grab a fresh hot slice with the gooey hot cheese. Listen, a fresh hot cheese pizza was the way to everyone's heart. Shame on people who didn't like pizza; they were missing out big time. After getting our food and sitting at the table, the movers finally brought in all of our stuff, and my dad signed, and they went on their way, leaving us here in silence but our bellies full in delight. "Do you want to take the bus or take the car?" My dad asked, looking at me as he chewed his food. "If you don't need the car, I'll take it and drive us to school. She shouldn't be around a loud ass bus with loud ass kids." I said simply as I raised an eyebrow at him, even offering for us to take the bus, knowing one of his daughters was hypersensitive. "Right, sorry. I'll leave the keys by the door. I am getting a work car so it can be yours to use when you need it. I won't be home much, as I have to work many hours, but you have my number. Tomorrow is a big day for me." He said, sighing as he grabbed another slice. "I have to work, but then my boss invited me over for a meal, which you're both attending." He said, eyeing us. I groaned while sitting back in the chair, annoyed and stubborn. "Do we have to?" Sam asked, chewing loudly. "Yes? I want my daughters with me when I have dinner with my boss and his family. It won't kill you two spending time with your father, hmm." He asked, eyeing us. I badly wanted to reply with something cocky, but I bit my tongue and remained silent as I nodded my head, giving in to what he wanted. Besides, free food? "Fine." We both said, looking at him as he smiled, nodding our heads. "Perfect, after school, I'll be home to get you girls. Dress nice." He told me while grabbing another slice of pizza and standing. "I have to unpack some before heading to bed, and I think you two should do the same! Big day tomorrow, girls." He chips walking away and toward the back of the kitchen, past the small laundry room where his room was in the back of the house. My sister and I finished our food and went to our rooms to unpack what we could and get some sleep in for the night, though I feel like I didn't get a wink of sleep from the darkness of the room to the weird noises outside. —----------------------------------------------- As morning rose, Sam and I were already up and inside the car heading to school. I wore simple jeans and a band shirt, while she wore black skinny jeans and a hoodie. She left more safely wearing a hoodie, so she didn't stand out much. As I got to the school using the GPS, I parked the car and looked at many of the students arriving by bus or car as I turned and looked to my sister giving her a reassuring smile as we got out the car, I locked it and we moved up the path to the main entrance and to the office as we stood and waited to collect our schedules in silence as the chatter of students filling the school filled the air, I could see my sister tense beside me as I took her hand and held it gently in mine, she side eyes me and sighs before relaxing some. The woman handed us the schedules, telling us the rules and our locker combination codes. I thanked her and walked out the doors and into the big hallway with many students talking at their lockers. "Okay, let's find our lockers," I said, looking at her as she nodded her head, and we headed down the hall, getting looks from some of the students, but they simply looked away, not caring or into their own conversations to care. I moved to the numbers written on the paper and gave her the paper that had her classes and information on it. "This is your locker. Get what you think you'll need for the first couple of periods and leave the rest inside, don't lose this paper, Sam." I said, looking at her as she nodded, taking the paper and opening the locker, and doing what I said. I moved away from her as my locker was a few down from her and did the same, I slid my phone in my back pocket while putting my bag inside the locker and grabbing a notebook, pen and pencil and calling it that as I would come back and get what I needed, I didn't get any books yet but soon this locker would be filled with crap that I needed on a daily week of school. "My first period is upstairs. Yours is close around here. You'll be okay, just get to class, and we can meet up at lunch. Text me if you need me, and I promise I'll come find you." I told her as she stood at my locker and sighed, nodding her head at me. "Right." She whispered, her voice small and scared. I smiled, rubbing her head before turning my head as commotion broke out down the hall. I pulled my sister near the lockers as a fight actually broke out in the hallway! I watched as the two boys wrestled around, throwing punches at one another, while some boys were trying to break it up. Where the hell was the teacher or principal, I thought as I watched. Talk about the weird first impression of the school, there were already boys trying to kill one another. One of the boys with wavy black hair was pushed against the lockers beside me and my sister as I pulled her behind me and watched in horror, The boys lip was bleeding as he smirked gently before his eyes flickered to mine, His emerald green eyes met my baby blue eyes as we stared at one another before he looked away and went back at the blonde boy who he was fighting. "Break it up!" The principal finally yelled, appearing before them and putting the two apart with an annoyed expression on her face. "Noah, Mateo. My office now!" She screamed at them both as they were huffing and puffing. They straightened their clothes and walked off to her office. The boy with black hair looked at me one more time with a smirk as he licked his bleeding lip before disappearing into the office. "The rest of you, get to class!" She shouts as the crowd disperses into the hall, and everyone goes their own way to get to class. I looked at my sister, who looked like she was on the verge of passing out. I took her hand and made her look at me as she nodded, calming down before sighing. "I'm fine, I'll see you at lunch. Meet me at the doors," She whispered as I nodded my head at her and watched her walk off, clutching her notebook as she moved to her class. I sighed, shut my locker, and went up the stairs to find my own first class. This was gonna be a long day already, and the day literally just began.