Joe and Kandie…Beginning

Joe and Kandie
Chapter 1
(Note: I know things in this story NORMALLY definitely would not happen but I wrote this six years ago and it would be TOO HARD to change it all now. I will change some of it but not all of it.)

    “Ready, Josey?” I asked my best friend. We crouched in the bushes outside my house. Tonight was finally the night. We were running away.  I pushed my dark brown hair back out of my face. I had been waiting to leave home since my parents stopped paying attention to me and more to my seven other siblings.  (Note: I might change the reason).
“Ready.” Josey nodded, her dirty blond hair shined with the light coming from the window behind us. “Three…” she started to count down, “two…..” she held up her fingers, “one.” We broke from the bushes and ran into the woods.  I tried to keep up with Josey, but it was hard in the dark woods. I wasn’t as fast or sporty as Josey so she often got ahead of me.
    “Come on, Kandie!” Josey called for me.
“I’m coming!” I yelled after her. In the dark I couldn’t see the tree root in front of me. The toe of my tennis shoe caught the root and I fell to the ground. Quickly picking myself up I looked around for my friend. “Josey!” I called not seeing her. “Josephine!” I screamed. She didn’t respond. I started running in the direction I last saw my friend going. I called for her as I ran. I turned around hearing the sound of leaves crunching. “Josey?” I whispered my heart beat quickening.  No reply.
    A hunter stepped out from behind a bush. “What are you doing on my hunting land?” He asked in a gruff voice.
“I-I’m sorry. I lost my friend.” I stammered.
“Get out!” The man fired his gun into the air.
I turned and ran deeper into the woods. Far away from the hunter and his land. I kept running, still calling for Josey.  I broke into a clearing and looked up at the sky.  I couldn’t see any stars it was too cloudy. I then heard thunder. I ran harder into the woods as lightning flashed through the sky. “JOSEY!” I screamed. I stopped as I heard a familiar howl. Trimsy. My wolf. I grasped the small silver whistle that hung around my neck, raised it to my lips and blew. No sound came. No sound should have. The whistle was meant to be heard by animals, animals that I  alone controlled. Many wild animals. (note: not quite sure yet how I received it) Only a few seconds past, fifteen at the most, before a gray wolf stepped out from behind a bush. “Trimsy.” I spoke the wolfs name. The large animal looked up at me and seemed to have a question in her eyes. “I want to do this.” I told her.   
    Trimsy rubbed her head against my leg. “I know.” I patter her fur. “I’ll be safe in England.” I assured her. If I can ever find Josephine. I thought. Our plans were to fly to England. Well my plans were to fly to England and live with a family I knew there. Josey was planning on moving in with her boyfriends family. She hated the foster home she was in.  Trimsy growled as me. “Let me go.” I turned and ran away from her. I knew she could catch me if she wanted to. I heard her running beside me but let her stay.
    The rain came then. Pounding through the trees it soaked me in a matter of seconds. I was beginning to get tired. I tripped often but continued running. I wanted to be as far away from home as I could get. I broke through the trees soon. I looked up a hill and saw a mansion at the top. I ran up the hill hoping I could ask for directions to the Airport.  As I stepped into the yard of the house I noticed two boys standing on the porch of the house.
“Joe.” one boy spoke to the other.
    The other boy, Joe, turned around and noticed me. His gaze stayed on me a look of familiarity flashed across his face. He ran out to me. I looked up at him as he reached me. I meant to speak but couldn’t. I recognized the boy but I couldn’t remember how. His dark chocolate-colored eyes looked at me.
    “Mrs. Guyer!” The other boy called inside the house as I crumbled to the ground unconscious.  Joe caught me before I could hit the ground.

I blinked my eyes open some time later. I didn’t recognize where I was.
“Hello.” A soft voice spoke.
I turned my eyes towards the sound. The boy who had run out to me sat in a chair by the bed. 
“Are you OK?” Joe asked. “You fainted in our front yard yesterday.” His silky brown hair fell across his forehead.
I nodded in reply. “I-I’m fine.” I muttered sitting up in the bed. I noticed I had on a pair of lounge pants and a t-shirt.
“I’m Joe Guyer.” Joe said. He looked to be about fourteen or so.
“Katherine Bryson.” I felt odd sitting in an unfamiliar bed, talking to an unfamiliar insanely cute boy. “But people call me Kandie.”
“Kandie.” Joe repeated my name. “I like it.”
“Thank you. So do I.” I said.
“What were you doing out in the rain?” Joe twisted his fingers around each other and looked away from me.
“I was running away from home with my friend Josey.” I said shyly.
    “Oh she’s awake.” A voice sounded from the doorway.
“Yes, Mama.” Joe spoke to the woman who stood in the doorway.
“Joe, why don’t you leave for a minute while I talk to her.” The woman told her son.
Joe hesitated. “Yes, ma’am.” He stood and left the room.
I watched as Mrs. Guyer moved more inside the room and took the chair her son had been sitting in. “Now, what is your name?” She asked.
“Katherine Bryson.” I replied. I now felt embarrassed under her gaze. “Kandie.” I pushed the blankets back off of me.
“Any relation to Sarah Bryson?” Mrs. Guyer leaned closer.
I didn’t reply at first but then I decided I better not lie. “Yes. My mother.” I replied. I slid off of the bed and headed towards the window.
“Of course! I haven’t seen Sarah in five years but you look exactly like her!” Mrs. Guyer smiled. “What were you doing out in the rain so late at night?” She came up next to me.
I flinched. “I am running away.” I whispered.
Mrs. Guyer looked shocked. “Why?” She asked.
“Because I am always looked over. No one ever pays attention to me. Except Sarah, my twin.” I said it quickly so afraid of getting in trouble. I looked up at the lady.
“That doesn’t sound like a good enough reason to me.” Mrs. Guyer crossed her arms over her chest. (note: as I try to find a BETTER reason I will edit the details and such).
I felt the tears welling up inside my eyes. “I know it’s not.” I heard my voice crack.  “I guess I am tired of being at home. In such a big family. I want to get out.”
“Where were you planning on going?” Mrs. Guyer asked. She tilted her head in a way that made me feel like she really cared about me.
“England. I have friends there.” I looked away from her stare.
“And you have friends here as well I am sure.” Mrs. Guyer said. “I know Joe and you use to be great friends before we moved to England five years ago.” She smiled. “And I know he missed you.”
“But he doesn’t remember who I am.” I argued.  Not that it mattered.
“He does. He just doesn’t recognize you.” Mrs. Guyer said. “I am sure your family would miss you. I know they would.” She touched my arm. “And you know that too. Otherwise you would have run out of this house the second you woke up.”
“I know.” A tear fell down my face.
“We need to call your mother.” Mrs. Guyer told me.

I nodded in agreement. “OK.” I said.
“Stay here. I’ll let Joe come back in. Do you still have the same number for your home?”  I assured her we did then Mrs. Guyer squeezed my arm before leaving.
“Hey.” I heard Joe’s voice behind me.
I didn’t want to turn around and look at him. I hated crying in front of people. “Hey.” I muttered back turning to look at him.
“Is everything OK?” Joe stood at the end of the bed his hands in his pockets.
“Yeah.” I nodded. “I’m going back home.”
“Why are you crying?” Joe asked.
“Oh, don’t worry about it.” I shrugged. “I’m a girl. We’re emotional.”
“I know.” Joe teased. I noticed that his voice was slightly higher than it should be.
“We’re going to get a Christmas tree today. I wish you could come with us.” He said.
“It’s OK.” I sat down on the window seat. “It would be nice though.”
Joe moved over to me and sat down next to me. “Maybe you still can.” He smiled at me. A dimple appeared in his right cheek.
“Maybe.” I smiled back.
“I love going tree hunting. My family does it the old fashioned way.” Joe explained. “We go hiking in the woods looking for a big tree to put in the living room. Then my brother Jonah and I cut it down.” He pushed his hair back off of his forehead.
“Sounds fun.” I admitted. “I wish I could go.”
“What are you talking about?” A girl entered the room. She looked about my age, thirteen, with light brown hair and sparkling hazel eyes.
“Tree hunting, Jane.” Joe replied. “Kandie, this is my sister Jane.” He introduced.
I smiled a the girl, I barely remembered her. “Hello.” I greeted.
“Hi.” Jane sat down in the floor cross-legged. “Tree hunting is so much fun. We go hiking, and then when we get home we eat hot-chocolate and cookies!” She rocked back and forth.
“I wish I could go.” I said. And I truly meant it.
“You are going.” Mrs. Guyers’ voice sounded from the doorway. I looked up at the lady she was smiling at us. “I called your mother and told her where you were, she said they would come get you but then I asked if it would be all right if you came Christmas tree hunting with us and if you just spent the night. I am sure Jane would love to have you over.” She said. “Sarah said that was fine.”
Jane nodded. “Sweet!” She clapped her hands.
“Oh, well thank you, Mrs. Guyer.” I said happily.

 

 

 

Hope you like it!!