Chapter One

"Packed and ready to go." My dad said, patting the hood of the car as the last of my boxes were packed into the back of the worn out red pickup truck. His voice lacked its usual enthusiasm, and he sounded sad even though he was trying his best to sound happy for me, excited. It's not that he wasn't...well the whole family wasn't excited, it's just that...

I sighed.

Ever since my acceptance letter from the North Seattle College came in, there had been this blanket of sadness over the whole family. They wanted me to stay and go to a local college, and then help them on the strawberry farm, or at least use my degree in Business Administration to run the shop, and I honestly didn't want that. I wanted more than strawberries and little shops, a small town with a handful of people that you see everyday, I wanted more.

I didn't know what I was going to meet out there in Seattle, but I knew I wanted it, and I was ready to go, my mind was made up.

"Promise me that you'll be fine, Rosie." my mother came close to me, brushing my hair with her hands and gently running her hands down my arms, like her warmth will convince me to stay. Her eyes held mine in silence, communicating her desire to have me change my mind, eyes that were a mirror to mine, green like the leaves on fresh strawberries.

"I will, mom. I will be fine. I can take care of myself, and I will take care of myself." I assured.

"Call and text everyday, I want to know you're alright all the time." She stressed, eyes laced with worry.

" Mom, I will be in school. I will call and text whenever I can. I promise to." She was about to make me promise something else, I just knew it. But before the words could form, I beat her to it.

"I love you, mom." I smiled.

Tears formed in her eyes, and before I knew it,she was hugging me tightly.

"Oh Rosie, my beautiful angel! I love you so much, we all do." She sobbed,holding on to me like this is the last time she was ever going to see me.

My dad soon joined in on the hug. Enveloping both of us in his big strong arms, I savored the feeling of having them both close to me, I inhaled, taking in my mom's strawberry scent and my father, he smelled like the forest after rain. I loved them so much. And despite my desire to leave,I knew I would miss them terribly. I struggled to hold back my own tears.

When they pulled away, my mother with tears streaking down her cheeks and my father with dry cheeks but teary eyes, I smiled at them. I'm sure my green eyes were teary as well.

"I love you both so much, and I will miss you. Please take care of yourselves,as will I. I've gotta leave, or I will be late, but I'll let you know when I get there. I love you" I moved to sit in the car, and one I turned to look at them through the window, my mom's face was buried in dad's chest, bawling her eyes out, and the tears in my father's eyes were definitely leaking now. But when I waved at them once my older brother, Felix, started the car and pulled out of the driveway, they both waved at me with huge smiles on their faces,smiles that matched my own.

~~~

It was a four hour drive from my town to Seattle,so I settled down with a novel that the librarian gifted me. I didn't have much friends back at home, and seeing I was so in love with books, I spent a lot of time at the local library, helping out when I could and whiling away time by reading, in all that time I became friends with the librarian, Lizzy. Even though she was well into her fifties, she still wanted to be called Lizzy because she said it made her feel young, I didn't argue with her on it.

Lizzy just like my parents was heartbroken when I told her I'd be leaving for college, and as a farewell gift, gave me some books. I know she was sad because she always believed that one day I would take over the library from her seeing she was growing old and I loved books so much, but seeing I was currently on my way to Seattle, I doubted that that was possible.

" Honestly Rosie, I hope you actually make time to study and not bury yourself in fictitious books all the time." Felix scolded once I begun reading.

I rolled my eyes.

" I never would have graduated as top of my class if I wasn't studying, Felix."

" Maybe, maybe not. I'm just telling you cus you're gonna be on your own over there. You wouldn't have either Mom or Dad or me telling you to go to bed or study or anything. You are on your own, and even though you might think of it as freedom, it can become a prison once you don't make the grades." I knew what he was telling me. It was loud and clear.

Don't be like me.

Felix had dropped out of college because he couldn't make the grades. He was busy with...well, other things, and before he knew it,his grades were dropping and he just couldn't catch up,so he dropped out and started helping my parents out on the farm, and he didn't want that for me, he wanted something better for me, always had and always will. I loved him, and I made sure to tell him before going back to my book.

"I love you too, baby sis. Be careful out there, and call whenever you need help." I smiled at his words, I definitely would.

Soon though, I fell asleep, and before long, Felix was shaking me awake. I was a heavy sleeper. Something he didn't like at all.

"We're here, Rosie. NSC...your dream school." I looked out the window, everything was different, there were people everywhere, and the place was bustling with life. I was already growing excited and couldn't wait to fully be a part of this school. I beamed at him.

"I love it!"

He scoffed in response, "of course you do."

We were soon out getting to my dorm room and then packing my stuff inside. I hugged him before he left after getting the last box in. I hugged him tightly, and he hugged me right back.

"I love you, Felix. So much."

"I love you too Rosie, take care, and remember to call and text. Always." I smiled up at him.

" Will do."

" Good." I saw him off, and once the familiar worn out truck was out of sight, the heavy feeling in my chest that I'd been ignoring all morning returned with a vengeance. He wasn't even out of Seattle yet and I was already missing him, them. This would be a long year.