Old Memories

By Amy-Beth

Madeline has had a pretty normal life before new guy Mathew Taylor moved in next door. Now her past, which had been locked away, slowly comes back along with powers she never knew she had. The more she learns about her past, the more questions she has. With everything going on around the palace. She must tackle learning to be a Braxel princess and sneak around to find out the secrets no one wants to tell her. What she learns will alter her life even more than it already was. Join her on an ad

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 13, 2020
• ISBN: 9781644244319

Book preview

Chapter 1

I wake up from that stupid dream again. It’s never the same exact dream, but I always seem to be running from something. I never know why, just that I need to keep running and that I can’t let them get me. I ponder the dream for a little bit and then try to go back to sleep. Just my luck, I can’t seem to settle my mind to get some more sleep, so I grab my phone to see what time it is, and it is only 5:00 a.m.

I don’t have to go to school for another two and a half hours, so I decide to get some fresh air. I practically scare myself when I look in the mirror with my shoulder-length brown hair all over the place. I manage to brush my almost curly hair, and when I look at the mirror, I remember the argument my mom and I had when she saw my hair one night when she came home late after work.

She was mad because she didn’t want me to cut my hair, so I got my friend Britney to take me to get it cut. When Mom saw it, she flipped. She said that I was starting to look like a straight-up dike with my short hair.

Plus, the fact that I always usually wear pants, a tank top with an unbuttoned plaid shirt over it, and black combat boots. I never saw anything wrong with what I wear. I mean it is all appropriate, and I didn’t show any boobs or butt like most of the girls around my age.

I am pulled back to reality when my dog, Spirit, barks outside. I rush to the front door to quiet her down. I manage to get her to be quiet, but I take her with me to make sure she doesn’t wake up Mom. As we walk, she ends up dragging me after a squirrel she sees.

I finally get her to leave the poor thing alone, and then I notice a moving truck in the neighbor’s driveway. I guess someone is finally going to move into that empty house after all this time. I remember when the Nidermaiers lived there.

They were so nice to everyone, and they were so cute together. They got together ever since she was eighteen and he was about twenty. My mom got them to babysit me when I was younger because she worked a lot.

They were a lot like my grandparents, especially since my mom’s parents died before my mom adopted me when I was almost five. They told me a lot of stories of all the places that they went to, and it always made me want to get out of this town I grew up in. We were so close, so naturally I was so devastated when they both died two years ago by a drunk driver hitting them on their way to the store.

When I get back to the house, Mom is still asleep. So I sneak Spirit into my room to make sure she stays quiet.

Okay, baby, I need you to stay quiet if you want to stay inside, I say to Spirit.

Once I am sure that Spirit is going to stay quiet, I start to get ready for school. I grab something quick to eat and then head to my closet to throw something on. I just grab my basic lesbian clothes. Before I head out the door for school, I make sure that I put Spirit back outside. I get to the bus stop, and no one is there as usual.

I guess it’s just me this year again, I say aloud to myself.

What do you mean? a voice says from behind, scaring me in the process.

I turn around and see this guy I’ve never seen before standing a foot or two away. He is about five inches taller than me with medium brown hair that is just a little bit long, but it looks cute on him. He has beautiful hazel eyes, and he has freckles on his face that are just light enough that you could miss them if you didn’t pay attention. He has a little bit of muscle on him to where you could tell he does a lot of outside work.

He is attractive, so I know I would have remembered him if I have ever seen him around in this neighborhood before.

Ummm … I mean I thought I was the only teenager that lived in this neighborhood, I say, caught off guard at first.

Wait, I’m pretty sure I was. So then, who are you? I say to the stranger.

I’m Mathew Taylor. I just moved into that house next door to you.

Uh, how do you know which house is mine?

I saw you walking away from it when I was heading up to the bus stop.

Oh, okay, I say and turn around because I hear the bus pulling up.

Once we get to school, I look at my schedule to see my first class is Art 3. So I go ahead and make my way to the classroom.

When I get there, I see no one I know, so I sit in the far back. When class starts, Mr. Gilbert, the art teacher, just goes over the syllabus like every teacher on the first day of school. So I just space out and doodle in my sketchbook. I catch myself drawing Harmony, who is a bird friend of mine.

It was a stressful day, so I went to my secret place to clear my head because my mom and I had gotten into a fight. I asked if she would finally start letting me date, and she told me I wasn’t ready. I swear we have had this fight a million times, and she always has a different reason, like, You’re not ready, I don’t trust boys, Gradate first, You’ll get pregnant, Show me you’re mature enough.

I got furious because I swear I am the only one going into the twelfth grade that is still not allowed to date. I mean I haven’t even had my first kiss yet. So I just stormed out.

I was just lying on the ground, looking at the canopy of trees above me, when I saw this beautiful bird fly onto one of the branches. He had dark green feathers on his back and black on his stomach. He had a small yellow beak and royal blue feet. I started to whistle to see if he would whistle back, and he did. He flew down low enough so I could pet him.

It didn’t surprise me that much that he let me pet him because for some weird reason, animals always just seem to come up to me like they know I am harmless; even if they were afraid of everyone else, they never seemed to be afraid of me.

I stared to sing a song, and he whistled along with me. So I decide to name him Harmony.

The bell wakes me out of my haze, and I go to my next class. The first half of the day is all the same—teachers introducing themselves and going over their syllabuses. On my way to lunch, I hear my name being called from behind me. So I turn around to see who it is, and I see that it’s my friend Britney.

Madeline! Slow your big but down, she shouts out, and I turn to look at my butt.

Hey, my butt isn’t that big, I say back.

Okay, keep telling yourself that.

I love you, too, Babez. I say to her sarcastically.

I’ve known Britney since tenth grade. I thought she was one of those mean girls at first. One day, we started to have a conversation, making us instantly click, and we have been great friends ever since. She has been the closest thing I’ve had to a sister, since I’m an only child.

Are you going to lunch? she asks me.

Yeah, I just got out of chemistry, which weirdly enough made me really hungry.

Me too. Well, the hungry part, not the chemistry, she says, laughing.

We get our food and sit at the nearest table.

So how has your first day been? Britney asks me.

As good as a first day full of boring class introductions could be.

Oh, mine too. I’m excited for JROTC to start drills and stuff, though.

Have fun with that, I say while shoving some of my chicken sandwich in my mouth.

No, seriously it’s going to be great. You really should have taken the class with me.

Nah, I’m much happier without that class. At least, I don’t get all sweaty and have to ride home on the bus like that.

Okay, miss girly girl.

Hey! just because I don’t want to go on the bus smelling bad doesn’t make me a girly girl.

Mmhm.

We start to talk about what we are going to do after graduation. Before we know it, our lunch break is over, and we must go to our next period. The rest of the day seems to just drag on because every class goes over the same stuff as the first half of the day.

Once the announcements for the end of the day come on, our last period teacher lets us leave. I go to the bus loop because even if my bus isn’t called, I know it would be here soon, like it was all last year, and sure enough, it is. I get on the empty bus and pick the first seat.

I put in my music and space out. Before I know it, we are at my stop, and I get off. I can already tell that this year is going to be as boring as last year. Just doing the same routine every day sure gets old after a while.

When I am walking to my house, I feel someone pull me around to face them. It’s Mathew, and I can tell that he is trying to talk to me, so I take out my music.

Hey, I was trying to get your attention once you got off the bus, but you never answered, he says.

Oh, sorry, I had my music in.

I see that now.

Did you need something? I ask him.

I just wanted to know your name. I told you mine earlier, but you never told me yours.

Oh, it’s Madeline, I say.

That’s a pretty name.

Thanks.

So how long have you lived here? he asks me while we continue to walk from the bus stop.

Well, my mom adopted me when I was six, so since then.

Wait, you’re adopted? That sounds cool. Is there anything fun to do around here?

Not really. It’s really boring here with nothing to do, I say to him.

I’m pretty sure we can find something to do?

We? I ask in confusion.

Yes, we, you can’t believe that I’ll let a beautiful girl like you stay bored in this neighborhood, did you?

When he calls me beautiful, I instantly get butterflies, and I start to blush. He sees this and starts to get a smile on his face.

I have to get home, so I’ll see you tomorrow, Mathew.

Okay, oh, and you can call me Matt if you like, he says when he is walking away.

Chapter 2

I get home, and Mom isn’t home as usual. She probably has just picked up another shift at the diner today. So I just grab a snack and go to my room to read some. A couple of hours pass, and I get a text from Britney.

Do you want to do something later?

I text her back with, I can’t, my mom isn’t home, and she would flip if she came home, and I wasn’t here.

Okay. See you tomorrow then.

I love you, babez.

I love you too.

I try to start back on my book when I hear a knock at the door. So I go to check who it is. Maybe Mom didn’t pick up another shift and she is just running late. I think of why she would be knocking, though. Maybe she lost her home key? I look through the blinds on the door window to see who it is. It’s Matt, but why? I open the door to see what he wants.

Why are you here? I ask him.

Well, hello to you too.

Oh, sorry, hello. What brings you by? Is that better?

It could use a little less sarcasm, but yes, I guess, he says.

So …

So what?

Why are you here? I ask.

Oh yes, do you have any plans for the evening?

Yes, I plan to read a good book and get some good sleep before school tomorrow.

I mean real plans, he says.

Those are real plans, I say, sounding slightly insulted.

Come over then, to my house, I mean.

I can’t.

Why not? he asks curiously.

You mean besides the fact that I don’t know you, and I’m pretty sure your parents wouldn’t be okay with you bringing home a random chick to their house.

You can get to know me, and far as my parents are concerned, I don’t think they would care because they have been dead since I was little.

I’m sorry about your parents. I didn’t know. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have said anything.

I didn’t expect you to know. You only just met me, but that’s why I want you to come over. To get to know me. I don’t know anyone around here, and it would be nice to have a friend.

If you don’t mind me asking, who do you live with then? I ask.

I live by myself now, but I used to live with my aunt in Florida. I inherited the house when my grandparents died, but I had to wait until I was eighteen to move in so I could get the trust fund my parents set up for me so I wouldn’t have to worry about money for bills and such.

The Nidermaiers were your grandparents? How come you never visited them?

They always visited me.

Wait, you play the piano, don’t you? I ask him.

Yes, how do you know that?

Ummm … they talked about how talented you are and how you were going to be a great musician one day. You don’t seem like a music kind of guy, though.

There’s a lot about me that would surprise you, and speaking of you, they talked about you a lot. You were like a granddaughter to them, he tells me.

He sees that I start to get a little upset from talking about them, so he changes the subject.

So, do you want to come over?

I can’t. My mom would kill me.

Really? How old are you? he asks, sounding exasperated.

Eighteen, why?

You are old enough to make your own decisions. Are you going to let your mom control you your whole life? Come on, what’s the worst that’s going to happen? Just say you were helping a neighbor out. I mean you are. You’re helping me from being bored.

Okay, fine, I say, and Matt’s face instantly lights up.

We go to his house, and it is so quiet. Usually when I go over to people’s houses, it is loud and cyanotic. It doesn’t help that practically all my friends have big families.

He takes me straight to the kitchen. It is a little weird being over here without the Nidermaiers being here.

Would you like a drink or something? he asks me.

No thank you, I’m fine.

Okay, just thought I ask, he says wile grabbing a can of soda out of the fridge.

How do you like your classes at Everly high? I ask him.

They’re fine. I had to miss some of them today so they could finish putting me in the system.

You didn’t miss much with all the first day stuff. It’s all the same in every class. Just going over the class rules, which are all practically the same, and the teacher introducing themselves. I spaced out most of the day myself.

Okay, well, at least, I made a friend already. So tomorrow should be a little easier, he gladly says.

Who is it?

I met her this morning. I don’t know much about her, though.

Why don’t you get to know her then?

I am, that’s why I invited her over here, he says, teasing.

We hear a loud bang at the door, and we both stand there in silence. It baffles me why Matt doesn’t go to the door to see who it is at first, almost like he is scared to see who it is.

Is that the girl you were just talking about? I ask him, hoping he says no.

No, you’re the girl I was talking about. I actually don’t know who is at the door.

Do you want to check it, or just hope they leave? I ask him.

I guess I should just go check it.

Do you want me to go with you?

No, stay here. I will be right back, he says to me.

He heads for the door, and I peek around the corner to see who it is. I can’t see much, but I can tell that it’s a girl with long black hair whom I’ve never seen before. I try to make out what they’re talking about.

Have you found her yet? the girl asks.

No, I told you I would inform you when I did, Matt says to her.

Okay, but just remember, she’s important. We have to find her before the others do, or we won’t get her at all.

I know, but why do you need her anyway?

I don’t need her. Savith does.

I know that, but do you even know what he plans to do with her? I know he seems to be all nice at first, but you haven’t seen what he tries to hide sometimes. I just question why he would need her.

It’s not your place to know, Bantrix, she snaps at him, and he winces like he is in pain.

Why are you guys always so eager to use that word? You know how offensive it is.

So you remember what you are and what your job is.

Oh, trust me, I remember. You guys never let me forget.

Just do what you’re supposed to and make sure I don’t have to clean up after you.

Fine, now can you go so I can get some peace, he says to her, and she then begins to leave.

Just remember your job, she says to him before she leaves.

Matt shuts the door and walks back into the kitchen. I try to think whether to try and get some information out of him or not, but then again, I don’t think he would say that much to a girl he just met this morning.

Who was that? I ask, trying anyway.

No one, just some random girl talking about someone that is missing.

I thought I heard her say something about you needing to find her?

Oh, she was just, uh, saying it’s our job as people to help find people that are missing or something like that. You know how some people are. He sounds like he is confused himself about what he just said.

Okay then.

I don’t buy his story, but it has nothing to do with me, so I just let it go. He comes closer and stands right next to me. He looks at me, and his eyes are so soft and kind. He brushes some hair out of my face, and I blush from his warm touch.

You’re so beautiful, he says, and I blush a little more.

No, I’m not, but thanks anyway.

I feel like I offended him by not taking the compliment because he looks away and backs off a little. He walks out of the kitchen and tells me to follow him. He takes me outside, and it looks like he is going toward the shed behind his house.

Where are we going? I ask him.

You’ll see, he says.

Okay.

We walk past the shed and into the woods. I get a little scared because I don’t think it is that safe