XOXO, Rachel Finch

one

When I was four, my sister fed me a dandelion. Apparently, Ronnie Queller told her that if someone were to eat the whole flower at three pm exactly, they would die immediately.

Shocking as it may sound, I did not die. I did, however, grow a fear of dandelions until I was twelve. Ish.

My sister upped her game, and spiked my orange juice with mouthwash the next week. It didn't take much to get her sort-of-confession. The moment I took a sip and said it tasted funny, Ellie spilled her evil plan right in front of my face. And my mom's.

After a call to poison control and a stressful evening, I was in the clear. Ellie was not, but don't worry- she had a scapegoat: the cat. Seriously. My ten year old sister blamed it on the cat.

Eleanor Powell, contrary to popular belief, is not a maniac. At the time, she may or may not have had a loose screw, but she didn't really think she could kill me. This is thanks to my Grandma Rose, who told a story while babysitting us that i still knew word for word. She told the story every time she babysat, and over the years it became imprinted in my skull.

"Once, there was a lightening girl," she started, her crystal eyes widening in anticipation.

Grandma Rose was in love with story telling, mostly because of the reactions she would get from her audience (in this case, my sister and I). According to Ellie, she would bring in one story from the library, and then end up caving in to my sister's requests and reciting the legend of the lightening girl.

The story was basically about some girl who was invincible, immortal, and used her lightening when ever the world went dark. Very touching stuff, but the only part Ellie focused on was the fact that I had a pair of pajamas on with a lightening bolt pattern.

Grandma Rose later told Ellie that I was the lightening girl, and this ended up being a vital mistake. My sister adored Grandma Rose, and believed absolutely everything Grandma told her.

Thus began the "Kill Rachel" trials. Said trials lasted a full week, and ended shortly after my parents finally broke the news that I was not the lightening girl. This didn't just devastate Ellie, but she also felt a guilt so deep that up to this day I can still manipulate her with.

Not that I see her enough to fully use the guilt trip. See, in sixth grade we moved out of Ohio and into Washington, which soon followed Ellie leaving Washington and going to Ohio for college. She must have really liked Columbus though, because her four years at OSU were followed by a job, a husband, and a now two year old child.

They now live across the street from the old house that my family once did, which I guess is a little weird but none of my business. And even though I miss my sister, it's not like I was really trying to go back to our old town.

It was quite and smaller than ever, which is why everybody knew everybody's business. Everyone knew about the day Kelly Oakley was caught with weed in her room, and everyone knew about my parent's hatred for the Wester family. This included my hatred for their son.

It's not that kind of playful hatred either. Back in Ohio, the only thing I wanted to do more than leave was kill Noah Wester. He was a dick, and that was that.

My friend group back there was alright, but then again I can't really say much for them now, since the last time I saw them was middle school recess.

Anyways, back to the town knowing everything about everything. February of sixth grade, everyone was beyond excited for Valentine's Day. Personally, I was only anticipating the candy hearts I would be able to enjoy.