Todays the day I'm moving into my new home. I wanted a change in my life. I started to hunt down cheap houses for sale in a different town. I got lucky when I came across a small brick home that just went up for sale.
The owners ended up moving away, and the son wanted to get the house sold quickly. I bought it for 80,000 dollars, not too bad, right? I couldn't believe my luck but I came down last week to sign the paper work and grabbed the key from Victoria.I didn't just come up and decide to move away from my home. I'm 24 years old and needed a change in my life after all the heartache I have been through. My parents got into a car crash two years ago and sadly they both passed away that night at the hospital due to a drunk driver. I was the primary on both of their life insurance which is what I had used to buy me this new home. At first I had absolutely no thought of moving away until one night I came home from my shift from the 911 operation company to my boyfriend of three years having sex with my best friend.In our bed.I did not cry, I did not scream I had just asked them calmly to both leave my house. That night I packed up all of Brad's shit and tossed it out my bedroom window onto my front lawn.That night it had ended up raining while I was curled up on my sofa shoving ice cream into my mouth and cried my eyes out. The only happy thought going through me was that all of his things had gotten soaking wet.He begged me for weeks to take his sorry ass back and I refused to. My best friend well my now ex best friend kept blowing up my phone apologizing saying it was the first time. They would never do it again.Yeah, like I would actually freaking, believe that.I told them to both get lost and to both lose my number, I will not lie though losing my best friend like that fucked me up pretty good. Stacy and I had become friends way back on our kindergarten class. That was a long ass time to keep a friendship and I never thought she would be the one to betray me like that but sadly she did.I didn't curse her out like I should have, I told her that I wish her and Brad the best and to forget about inviting me around either of them again.My relationship was over.My friendship was over.That was okay, I mean it wasn't but what else could I have done? Acted the bitch and screamed their heads off? Bashed them in public for being a cheater and a horrible best friend? No. I don't like drama and that definitely would have gotten me some.I was fine at first going about my life but when I would set foot out of my house everyone's eyes were on me. Pity filling their gaze and everywhere that I would go someone would ask me how I was.It was like I was the laughing stock of the small town I lived in and that's what I could not take anymore. I wanted to get away and start freash and my parents' house was holding too many memories. I decided one day that I was going to move and I started to hunt down other small towns and found one that seemed to be perfect. The name is Darlington, South Carolina. It is actually only 6 hours away from my previous home. I definitely did not want to leave the state just wanted to start over somewhere that nobody knew my fucked up story.That's where I am now, driving my car loaded down with clothes, photos and little bear decorations that my mother loved and a few of my father's tools. I did not pack much at all. I wanted a complete fresh start and ended up putting my parents house up for sale with all the furniture because luckily that's what the owners did for my new home.I have a bit of money saved up but I will need to get a job sooner rather than later. I have a interview already set up at the locol nine one one center tomorrow I have enough years from my old job that with my experience, I should definitely get hired if they have a position available of course.I must have been lost in my many thoughts because when I looked up in my rear view mirror. To see that I am apparently being chased by a cop car, the red and blue lights flashing brightly behind me."Shit. I did not even make it fully into town yet and I'm getting pulled over. Just my damn luck," I grumbled to myself as I slowly drive my car onto the side of the road, throwing my car into park and waiting to be giving a damn ticket.I lean my body to the side a bit looking through the car mirror on the drivers side, watching the cop car door open and a handsome man steps out. Not even bothering to close the door as he begins to walk my way.Holy shit.This man is freaking gorgeous.Tan skin, dark black hair and muscles for days covering his body making his Police officer uniform stick tightly to his arms.Don't freaking drool Avery.God that would be so dang embarrassing."License and registration," the handsome man grunted out, bringing one hand to his face taking off his sunglasses before looking down at me.I don't say anything for several seconds, his eyes hold me captive, the words struggling to come out to ask what he pulled me over for."Maam?" he asked his tone, turning hard. "License and registration."I mentally shake my head and the thoughts of how good he looked from my head. Slowly picking up my purse and digging my wallet out. I plucked my drivers card from it before holding it out with my shaking hand.I have never been stopped by a cop before.I hope I dont go to jail. I don't even know what he pulled me over for."Avery Scallan?" He asked, raising one of his dark eyebrows."Y-yes. Can you tell me what you pulled me over for officer?" I asked softly, leaning over my passenger seat, opening the glove box and grabbed my insurance and regeneration out."Speeding. The speed limit is 45 and you were going 55," he said as he snatched my paper work out of my hands."Oh? I'm sorry. I'm not familiar with the road. I actually just moved here. Today. I did not notice the speed limit change," I rushed out, hoping my explanation will make him let me go with a warning.I obviously did not mean to speed, I just really did not see the damn sign."Hold on," he grunted at me before stepping back from my car, and headed towards his. Probably to run my name and plate number.Good luck buddy.I have never been given a ticket before.Several minutes I wait, feeling nervous as shit and I have done bit my fingernails to the meat while waiting for the officer to come back to my car.This is definitely not a good start in my fresh life, getting pulled over by a cop on my way into town, I haven't even set foot inside my new home yet.This is great, just freaking great.I have the worse luck apparently.Parents dying.Boyfriend cheating.Best friend being the woman my boyfriend cheated with.This is all just a sick joke and I'm not laughing."Here," the officer's rough voice breaks my mind free, jerking my head up I see that his handing me my information back."Am I free to go? I promise now that I know the speed limit I won't speed again," I tell him, hoping he will just let me get on my way now."You are free to go, but I will be giving you a ticket. That's 10 miles over the speed limit, Mrs.-," he starts, but I cut him off. For some damn reason I did not want this cop to think I was married and definitely not married to my cheater of an ex-boyfriend."Miss," I tell him, harshly."Miss Scallon," the officer said before giving me a weird look."Can't you just let me off with a warning? I'm sorry, but it's my first day in town. I just moved here," I tell him once again, explaining the situation."You want me to let you go when you was going 10 miles over the limit?" he chuckles out making my temper flare up, I'm not a red head for nothing."Yes, officer," I started, but paused to hear his name before I continued any further."Officer Chandler," he adds raising up that damn eyebrow again, placing one hand on the hood of my car and waited."Well, officer Chandler. I have had a rough few years and I would appreciate it if you just gave me a damn break. I'm sorry for speeding. I really am. I did not see the sign " I snarled out, tossing my paper work into my passenger seat without taking my eyes off of him."That will not be happening, Miss Scallon," he grunts out, raises his clip board up and begins writing me a ticket.Wow.Asshole.I understand I was speeding but for the love of god I did not even know it, he could at least let me go with a warning."If you don't want tickets, then I would suggest slowing it down. It's not my job to give people breaks when they break the law," he says as he hands me over the paper, he wrote on.My ticket.Fantastic.I don't even know where the damn police station is to even pay for the thing. Hell I don't even have that much left over in my savings after buying the house. My parents' house has not been sold yet, hopefully it will soon be."Fine, whatever," I tell the officer, as I move my hand to the shift, ready to be on my damn way."Welcome to Darlington." Officer Chandler chuckled before walking back to his police car, I shoved my car in drive and got back on the road to my new home.The handsome asshole of a cop following me the whole way into town.This place is very beautiful. I'm driving slow as I approach the beginning of the small town so that I won't get another ticket for speeding from that jerk back there. When I look around, I can't help but think that this is exactly why I decided to come live here: the little town is filled with family-owned businesses that line the streets.Rocking chairs and book shelves can be found inside the windows of a bookstore called Bookland. It sounds like a great idea to curl up in a chair with a good book, and I wouldn't mind doing that at all right now.When I drive by the flower shop called Sweet Stems, I receive a strong whiff of all the flowers since they are displayed in pots that are hung all around the outside of the shop. They have such a pleasant aroma. Even though I'm sitting inside my car, I can still smell the roses, tulips, and sunflowers.I adore little communities much like this one. Everyone is familiar with one another, and the majority of the time, everyone behaves cordia
I step up to the door to my new home and take a shaky breath. I had been so brave up until this point. I can't believe I uprooted my entire life. I knew I wouldn't be able to stay in my hometown, not with everybody knowing all my business. They felt pitiful for me, sorry that I lost my parents, bad that my best friend betrayed me, and apologetic that my man cheated on me with my best friend.I couldn't take the sympathy look any longer.Even though I was not in the wrong, everybody was treating me like I was made of glass. I could tell they all had wanted to speak up about what had happened, but they avoided it like the freaking plague.Sometimes I wish they had, then maybe I wouldn't have felt that I didn't have any other choice but to move to just be able to live my life freely once again.With a shaky hand, I dig my new house key out of my pocket and unlock the door. Regret settles inside the pit of my stomach when I think about what the state of the interior may look like.I was
The next morning, I woke up with extra pep in my step. Normally, I am not much of a morning person. Usually, it takes me a good thirty minutes to fully wake up. But today, I have to get a shit load done.I have to go for my job interview. I sent a brief prayer up to the lord last night that I would nail this interview. Settling in a new town is already stressful enough, but settling in a new town without a job would be even worse.I absolutely have to nail this interview.Find a cell phone store and start up a fresh plan and get my different phone number. Not that I actually have anyone around here to talk to, but having a cell for emergencies at least is a good thing. I'm hoping to make some friends soon. Stock up my fridge and kitchen cabinets with a run to the nearest grocery store. I am a decent cook, but I'm a freaking outstanding baker, not to brag about myself.When I was little, I used to bake with my grandmother all the time. She taught me all of her little baking secrets an
After I finished eating my toast, I put on a pair of brown heels. They have a little bow near the toes, and I found them to be adorable as soon as my eyes landed on them at a store called Marshall's. They were even on sale for twenty dollars; they were normally fifty. It was a steal.And of course, my grandmother's pearl necklace she left me. I always wear it on important days. when my grandmother first passed away and those beautiful shiny pearls were set onto my palms, I had never wanted to take them off. Until I was at school and a boy named Jake tried pulling on them. I was so terrified that they would break. I took them off and never wore them to school again.Now, they stay safely in my jewelry box until I need my grandmother's good luck and today's that day. It was my first day out into my new town. It may not be a big deal for some, but for me, it was a huge deal. I wanted people to like me, smile, and wave at me in the stores. I never had problems making friends before. My p
I quickly sent a small prayer up and climbed out of my car. I had waited a few minutes until it calmed down. It was just drizzling now, so I took that as the perfect time to enter the 911 center without having to get soaked again. I certainly would look like a wet poodle.The building is smaller than the one back home. It's also right next to the police station, makes me feel a little safe to leave, and be able to walk to my car safely.I double-check to make sure that I locked my car before heading inside. I probably shouldn't have eaten this morning. I'm too nervous. My stomach feels like butterflies are flying around it, and it's not as pleasant as some would think. It's making me nauseous.I pull open the door, and I see a guy typing away. They don't keep the 911 operators in the main room. They have their office so that visitors do not disturb them. This guy must be the secretary.Plastering a small smile on my face, I head towards him. He is either too busy or being rude and do
I followed Mr. Whitlock into his back office. I'm having to fight the urge not to bring my fingers to my mouth and bite on my fingernails as my belly turns with nerves.I have a terrible habit of nail-biting. I tried everything I read to stop that habit, but it was sometimes, most times, out of my control. My grandma used to put hot sauce on my nails, thinking I wouldn't appreciate the taste. But it didn't work. As an adult, I constantly make sure my nails are painted because it helps a bit, I don't like the taste of nail polish, so I find myself not chewing on them as much as I once did.“Take a seat, Avery.” Mr. Whitlock swung his right arm out and gestured to the small seat in front of his dark wooden desk.I have the time to look him over. His once black hair is now thinning out and turning grey. His mustache has little grey hairs sticking out, but appears to be nicely kept. He is a middle-aged man that appears to keep him self in shape.“How many years have you served with the 9
I waved goodbye to Sean behind the front desk and walked through the front door. I felt my hands shaking as I dug through my purse, digging for my car keys. As soon as I unlocked my door, I slid inside, shut my doors, and let those tears fall for Rosie.That call had really messed with me. I spent weeks having nightmares about that night, only in my horrors. I was watching it all happen. Seeing and couldn't do a thing to stop it. It would have been easier. Easier on me if they hadn't shown the family pictures in the newspaper the next day. When I picked up that paper in my driveway before heading to work, I didn't think about their pictures about Rosie's picture being in that newspaper.I had faces to names, and that haunted me. Rosie's face as she begged for my help.I allowed myself to cry for a few more minutes. Rosie was a beautiful little girl. She had brown curly hair and her smile, god her smile. It was so huge. You could just tell she was a happy child. I never understood how
Later that night, I'm in my kitchen, making my grandma's favorite cake. She used to make that all the time when I was a little kid. It took me several tries before I actually got it tasting the way hers did. You needed flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, salted butter, instant coffee, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract.It was not an easy thing to carry out. It took almost three hours to make it. A few moments ago, I finished mixing the ingredients. I'm waiting on the oven to pre-heat as I'm scrolling through my new phone. I got a Samsung s22. I am more of an Android type of girl than an iPhone. They are just too basic for me; I don't know. I like how I can change my themes on them. Last Christmas, I had this cutest little Grinch theme going on.It had taken me around an hour at the phone store. The sales agent kept trying to sell me the new iPhone, but I stuck to my guns and got the phone I went in to buy. I ended up finding only one cute case for i