ruin | guy germaine

Chapter One

Laney Rose McKinley 🌹

As I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the airport bathroom, I had only two things on my mind; where my luggage was, and wherein the world my family was.

St. Paul International Airport was freezing cold inside. It was much warmer in Dallas, let me tell you that. I was so used to the heat that when we got here, it felt like winter. It was only the end of summer in Minnesota.

I snapped back to reality, seeing loads of people rushing around the airport, either trying to Catch their flight or just trying to find food. I wanted to find food right now.

"Laney, let's go!" I heard my snobby older sister, Summer, yell. She suddenly grabbed ahold of my hand and dragged me with her. Thankfully I had a tight grip on my luggage that was placed in front of me without my knowledge.

I didn't understand why my family was running around like chickens with their heads cut off, but when I remembered why I felt terrible.

My grandparent's who we haven't seen for ages were outside waiting for us and I completely forgot! They greeted us and everyone piled in the two cars they drove. I stayed on the sidewalk, helping my dad and my grandpa pack the bags in the trunks that my family deserted.

"Is there any room left for me?" I asked my grandpa once we were done. Who was going to take me? He looked around in his car to see all the seats were taken. He then went to my grandma's to see yet again, the seats were taken.

Man did I hate having a big family. I sighed and looked at my dad and my grandpa.

"Henry," my grandpa said to my father, "go ahead and drive my car and follow your mother. I'll stay here with Laney and we'll get a cab, okay?"

The two felt bad. My brother Connor and I were always the forgotten ones out of the ten children. A lot, I know. My parents were maniacs. My siblings will be spoken of later.

Eventually, we all got to the house. Grandpa and I last obviously. It was nice having the two of us alone though. I was always his buddy when they lived in Texas with us. But then they moved and it was like my whole life changed.

The taxi slowed down, and my grandpa had to stop our conversation and he smiled at me. He then pointed out the window. I slowly turned my head around and stared at the house in front of us in awe.

"Is that your house?" I asked in shock as I turned back to him. He shook his head.

"No, Laney, that's your new house," he told me. I covered my mouth with my hand, in even more shock. As we got closer and pulled into the long driveway, I noticed the U-Haul truck and people scrambling to put things inside. Those were my cousins!

"Am I sharing a bedroom?" I questioned. Yet again, he shook his head.

"This is nothing like your Texas house. Everyone has their own room, besides Matt and Freddie. There are eleven bedrooms, and I believe 6 bathrooms. I know for a fact you have your own bedroom," he explained to me, "your grandmother and your cousin Ryan have been working on a room for you and Connor. We know you two are always kicked in the dirt..."

I smiled and gave my grandpa a small hug, thanking him.

"But you know what's funny," he started as the car came to a halt. He paid the driver and we thanked him, watching as he sped off. My grandpa spoke up again, "everyone else has to fight over rooms."

I let out a laugh. We started making our way to the house. I noticed my two little brothers wrestling each other in the front yard, and my other older sister Rachel taking selfies by the front door. I chuckled, rolling my eyes and following my grandpa into the house.

"Laney!" I heard. I looked over to see Ryan and his little sister Chloe racing over to me. The two engulfed me in a huge hug and we soon pulled away, "come with me! I have to show you your room!"

Chloe grabbed my wrist and pulled me with her and Ryan to my new room. They headed over to the stairs, and I froze. The staircase went up, and it went down. How big was this place? I followed the two up the stairs again.

They passed the first floor we got to, but stopped on the second on and waited for me.

"There are 6 floors in total. You have your basement, you have your family rooms and such for when your friends come over, you have your actual family room, then there's a floor with 3 rooms, we're on the one with 4 rooms, and then there's one with another 4 rooms," Ryan explained. I looked at him in awe. Was he shitting me?

I looked to my left to see a huge window that gave you a view of the city. I noticed a pond out back. That'd be perfect for skating in the winter.

This was really my life now and I couldn't believe it.

We got to my room. It was at the end of the hall, right beside Connors. Connor was already in his room, laying on his bed with a smile on his face, I laughed and walked into mine.

It was amazing! The first thing I noticed was the posters hanging on my walls, and the fairy lights hanging around the room. There were posters of Queen, Motley Crue, Shawn Mendes, Pittsburgh Penguins, and many others.

I was amazed. I looked over to see Ryan crawling up to my bed and Chloe jumping onto the couch underneath my bed. I walked to what seemed to be my closet and walked inside. I could actually walk inside.

It's not like Texas where my few items of clothes were shoved in the closet with all of my other siblings. There were plenty of clothes and shoes in there, which let me know my older cousin Kayli was here.

I then heard something drop. I walked out of my closet and headed to another closed door, which suddenly flew open. There stood Kayli with a smile on her face.

"Why hey there, Laney," she said. I wrapped her into a hug with the biggest smile possible on my face.

That night, the whole family, my cousins and all sat at the large table. The adults were upstairs, and us children sat downstairs.

My first day of school was tomorrow, and I was beyond nervous. Everyone else was going to a different school than I was. I don't know why I was going to a different school. What was I going to do without Connor by my side?

"Laney, you're going to Eden Hall. It's the nicest school in the whole county," Kayli told me, "and it has the cutest boys," she added, sending me a wink. I laughed and shook my head.

"Why am I going there, but everyone else isn't?" I asked. Kayli shrugged.

"They have the best photography and writing classes, and one of the best hockey teams. The people that won the Junior Goodwill games last year go there. They're all your age, too," Ryan spoke up, "they're cool. I have a class with Luis, and he's funny. You'll like them."

"Is it expensive?" I questioned. I really hope it wasn't. My family couldn't afford all of this and I felt bad my grandparents and aunt's and uncles were helping us until we got back on our feet.

"Don't worry," Kayli laughed, "Grandma dated the superintendent in high school."

I let out another laugh. Here comes a start to a new beginning.