The Girl Who Feared Men (SAMPLE)

Chapter 1: Ellie

Ellie

"You have to remember to call me every day!" Angie's voice booms through the speaker of my phone.

"Okay, okay," I smile, amused by her persistence to keep in touch. I can't really blame her; her best friend was moving two thousand miles away.

"I mean it, Ellie! Because I know you'll forget. I have soccer practices every Tuesday and Thursday so I created a schedule  we can use for our daily calls: Mondays from 4pm-6pm, Tuesdays from 7pm-8pm, Wednesdays from 4pm-6pm, Thursdays from 7pm-8pm, Fridays fro-"

I cut her off with a frustrated groan, "I can't believe you actually made a schedule. How the hell do you expect us to be on the phone for two hours every day?"

"You're right. I should've made it three."

"No," I say firmly. "You know I love you but I would rather take a bullet to the skull."

The sound of her laughter fills my ears. I can't help but smile to myself and I can't suppress the low chuckle that bubbles up my throat. I'm really going to miss her. She's been my rock, my constant. The only person that has truly been by my side through thick and thin. We basically grew up together and the thought of living so far away from her makes my heart ache. She knows me better than anyone ever will.

Nobody knows why I am the way I am better than she does. But I suppose that's only a matter of coincidence, she's the only person that's known me before and after...

The incident.

A story for another time.

I trace my hands along the bare walls of what used to be my bedroom. Truth is, I haven't stepped into this house since I was seven years old. The house just became too disturbing to live inside. Although the house was scrubbed clean years ago, I still see bodies lying on the hardwood floor and spatters of blood on the walls, I still hear the siren wailing, and I still feel... scared.

My older sister, Jessa, and I have never found the courage to actually sell it. We both wanted to forget the horrible memories we have of this place without really letting go of the place entirely. Because we grew up in this house. Our family was whole in this house.

But our family was also destroyed in this house.

I shake my head, ridding myself of the events that took place years ago. I force myself to only think about the move. My brain can only focus on one stressful thing at a time and moving to San Francisco is already filling that spot. Ever since Jessa told me we were moving for a "fresh new start," I have been skeptical because it's not the first time she's made us pack all our things and hitchhike to a new location. We do it quite often actually, it's become somewhat of a family tradition to move schools every year for the past seven years. The only difference this time is that the new school isn't in the same vicinity as this house.

Also, this time, I won't have Angie's warm embraces and welcoming home to comfort me when things go horribly wrong.

I wince, realizing I can't think like that anymore. I can't be cynical anymore. If I really want to cure myself of this phobia I need to stop feeling sorry for myself- as hard as that may be- and I need think positively.

What's that saying again?...  A healthy body first starts with a healthy mind? I need to live by those words.

Besides, I agreed to this. I knew what I was getting myself into. It's too late to back down now. Not when the movers have already moved 90 percent of our items into our new condo and I start school at Westprep in a few days.

"Ellie..." Angie says, her tone becoming less lighthearted.

I almost forget that she's still on the call.