Chapter 1: Prolouge and the First Two Days

A Chapter by supersparks

Font from www.1001freefonts.com, dandelions in the spring.

April 28, 2003

It’ll take you forever to get over it. Another forever to forget it ever happened. To forget his face, the orange light of the lamppost on his cheekbones. To forget the way he smelled: like mint and old books. To forget the thousands, f**k that, millions of things he could’ve meant when he said those words.

To forget the things you could’ve meant when you said them back.

The local news gave him nothing but a paragraph.. One hundred words to try to sum him up. They mentioned you, too: “Joseph Miller died in a car accident. He was driving with another man by the name of Finn Charlston…”

You’ll never be able to look at a Kia ever again.

December 31, 2002

You hate New Year’s Eve; you always have. It’s a new year, so what? They’re pointless and idiotic. You always point all those things out to Chloe every time she goes to this stupid party, to which she always says “You don’t have to come.” It’s not true though. She’s your sister; of course you have to come. She’s only eighteen, but she could pass for twenty-one, easy. And besides, nobody gives a s**t at these stupid New Year’s Eve parties. You here shouting from the living room, and slowly, you walk towards the archway connecting the kitchen (where you’re at) and the living room itself. As soon as you walk into the room, Chloe grabs your arm. “C’mon,” she says, “It’s almost midnight!” She pulls you towards the TV.

You join in the cheering with the rest of the f*****g idiots.

January 1, 2003

“I feel drunk,” Chloe giggles as the both of you walk towards your car. She’s stumbling a bit.

“How can you feel drunk?” you ask. “All you had was ginger ale.”

“That’s what you think.” At your angry look, Chloe laughs. “Oh, loosen up! I was kidding!”

“Someone could’ve slipped something into your drink,” you say. You’re worried…what would you mother do to you if she found out Chloe got drunk?

“Don’t be an idiot. It just tasted like regular ginger ale.” You’re ignoring her now, though; you just realized that someone is blocking your car in..

“F*****g idiots,” you mumble. The car blocking you is an old red Kia.

“Sorry,” a guy says, coming up behind you. “That’s me.” You glance behind you. It’s dark, so you can’t see much: just that he’s very tall. You shrug.

“Joseph,” the guy says, holding out his hand, “but call me Joe.” You shake his hand quickly.

“Finn.”

Joe grins. You can’t see the smile itself, but you can see his cheekbones jutting up, and his eyes narrowing. “Cool name. I’ll move my car now.”

He steps in the car and it tears out of the driveway. Reckless driving equals reckless guy. He rolls down the window. “See ya later, Finn.”

“Bye.” You nod curtly. Chloe behind you is desperately trying to flirt with the guy; flipping her hair and batting her eyelashes, but the guy-Joe-doesn’t seem to notice. You’re glad; he’d have to be a total dick to hit on someone five, maybe six years younger then him. He rushes off down the street, but he catch a glimpse of his hair in the streetlamp.

Raven.

"C'mon," you say to Chloe, "get in the car."