Aqua (book 1 out of 3)

"hillo"

The thought of me moving from the place I grew up in, really scared me. I left almost everything behind. Yet, here I am, sitting in the passenger seat of my aunt Brook's car. Mom sat in the back, feeding a warm bottle to my cousin.

I'm Ariadne Bayou, I'm 15 years old. I lived with my aunt Brook, mom, cousin, and older brother, Jessie. As you can tell, I am already not normal. I guess it was sort of my fault. My mom was already struggling with money when Jessie unexpectedly arrived. My dad left a while after that. he came back, apologized, took advantage of my mom, than poof. There came little old me. My mom was forced to live with my grandmother after that.

I never really knew why, but she really despised my mother, Jessie, and me. eventually she died of cancer, gave all her money to aunt Brook. that's when we became desperate. so there's my life story.

we moved from California, I'm guessing aunt Brook just couldn't handle the bills anymore. We decided to move. Of course she chose South Carolina, who doesn't like the slavery history air?

"Are we almost there yet?" Jessie groaned.

"Shh! I just got Gabby to sleep." mom hissed. I rolled my yes, and aunt Brook pulled into the driveway. It was an old house, probably built in the 1860s. I slung my book bag over my shoulder, getting out of the car.

"Ari, can you hold Gabby for a second?" My mom asked, handing the sleeping baby to me. I gave the baby to Jessie, who started to make silly faces, he knows she's asleep, right?

I grabbed some bags, walking inside the creaky house. I walked up the flight of stairs. I took the first room I saw, I wasn't that picky. I set down my bags, going downstairs to get help with my bed that was in the moving truck.

I helped the movers until I was satisfied. I guess the room wasn't that bad. it had blue flowered wallpaper, and a bay window at the far end. I started to arrange all my stuff; hanging up my clothes and such.

I walked over to the bay window, my feet making the floor creak. I looked outside to the neighborhood. A bunch of kids were walking down the street. Suddenly, I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"Ah, still a stalker, huh?" Jessie teased. I shoved him playfully, looking back out the window, the group of kids were gone.

"Mom said that we have to register at the school today, and we start tomorrow." Jessie mentions, sitting on the bay window.

"Go lounge in your own room." I ordered, sitting next to him.

"We're going to be in the same school." he said. I shrugged, an answer worthy of the situation. We didn't fight like other siblings. Not anymore, anyway. When we were around the age of 8 and 10, we fought all then time. Eventually mom would have break downs; she just didn't know what to do. That sure snapped us out of it.

"Greeeaaat. that's just what I needed. An obnoxious, over protective, annoying brother attending the same school as me." I say sarcastically. He didn't reply, he just looked out the window. I guess our relationship was pretty tight.

"I can't wait until I'm 18." he stated, looking down at his fingers. Ever since our mother moved in with my aunt, and everyone treated us like shit, Jessie had his plans on moving when he was 18. He said that we didn't need the drama, and that he was taking me with him.

"Don't we all." I murmured, hugging a pillow. Jessie shifted uncomfortably, looking out the window again, examining our so called new home.

"Want to take a walk?" he asked, standing up.

"Take a walk with my older brother? Now that is some serious bonding, right there." I smirked.

Jessie had strawberry blonde hair; our parents genes making some serious colour. My dad was a blonde, and my mom had naturally red hair; like me. Jessie and I both carried moms eyes, electric blue.