Wings

By M. Roberts

First loves are a big deal, especially for Courtney Mason, a seven-year-old in a new town living next door to a cute, goofy eight-year-old Jason. He was the best thing that could have happened to her. But when he told her that they couldnt be friends anymore in sixth grade that was the worst thing that could have happened to her at the time. Ten years later, they are pushed together again and forced to face the feelings they have been suppressing for so long.
For most of the senior class at Centennial High in Denver, Colorado, winter break was a blast, and the graduating class cant wait to move on with their lives. But Courtneys life has been put on pause. She was the only one from her family who survived the plane crash from Hawaii. Back in cold, wintery Colorado, she is now living with her god family, the Stepps. Courtney struggles to fit back in with her friends and at school. The spunky Stepp twins, Amber and Denali, help Courtney come to terms with her new life, new friends, and new love. With the advice and support of the twins and the school counselor, Courtney combats the demons inside her head and in the hallways and fights for her life.
But will the pain of her past be too much to bear? Or will she overcome her current ordeal and rise on new wings?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 8, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524512477

M. Roberts

M. Roberts is a young author. She is a college student pursuing a degree in English and also exploring minors in journalism and creative writing. She is very involved in various campus clubs and activities. She is a member of the literary fiction review club and a copywriter on the yearbook staff on campus. Apart from school activities, she is an avid social media user, Ariana Grande fan, runner, and lover of nail polish. She has a positive outlook on life and is excited for her debut as an author. She enjoys writing about romance, love, family, and friendships. With the incredible support of her parents and mentors, she is presenting Wings as her first published novel.

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Copyright © 2016 by M. Roberts.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 07/01/2016

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Contents

Chapter 1    In The Office

Chapter 2    Home

Chapter 3    First Day of School—for Me

Chapter 4    Crashes

Chapter 5    Week 2 Back at School

Chapter 6    Week Three of School

Chapter 7    Let’s Go Shopping

Chapter 8    Caught

Chapter 9    Games

Chapter 10    Whatever?

Chapter 11    Fridays

Chapter 12    Saturdays

Chapter 13    So

Chapter 14    Party People

Chapter 15    Anniversaries

Chapter 16    Running through my mind

Chapter 17    Give Me Wings

Chapter 18    Games

Chapter 19    Let’s Fly

Chapter 1

In The Office

Two seconds was all it took. Two seconds for the plane to fall out of the sky. Two seconds for me to say good-bye to my mom, dad, and brother. Two seconds that changed my entire life.

Courtney Mason?

I am snapped out of my flashback by the voice of a stressed secretary in a black suit. Black is the perfect word to describe me right now. I am completely alone in this big world. I am completely in the dark. I have no idea what to do or where to go. My family is dead. So are my grandparents. My mother was an only child, and my father’s brother is in no shape to look after me. He’s in jail. The house isn’t even mine. We rented it. I have no one. No one. The social worker and the secretary can’t even find my paperwork. They say that I have to stay with a legal guardian. I don’t know why though. I just turned seventeen which means I’m almost eighteen which also means that I am fully capable of taking care of myself. I cried the whole taxi ride over here, but that is not the point. I am fine. I am totally mature and responsible. I’m fine.

Hi, Ms. Mason. My name is Torrie Anderson. A woman approaches me and introduces herself quickly as she bids me to follow her to her office. I examine her messy desk as she sits down and shuffles through papers. I’m your social worker. I am going to assist you and try to make this process as painless as possible.

I am still standing in the doorway, waiting, hoping that this isn’t my new reality.

Oh, please have a seat! She begins to settle in, and I do too, as much as I can. So from what we have found, your mother and father have appointed you a god family. Uh, the Stepps. Jennifer and Wesley Stepp. Do they sound familiar to you?

Uh, yeah. They’re my old neighbors. Family friends, I say with a breath that I didn’t realize I have been holding. The Stepps. I take another deep breath as I prepare to dive into a past that I am not ready for.

Well, Torrie says with a growing smile, obviously pleased for already having resolved my situation. They have agreed to let you live with them for as long as needed. Mrs. Stepp should be here soon to fill out some paperwork and then after that, she types away on her computer, you are free. Free to leave this dreary office and be with your god family. Free to start over.

She breaks eye contact. I sit there, stunned. Free? I’m not free to do anything. My whole life has been taken away from me, and now these strangers are forcing me to go live with these people that I haven’t seen in who knows how long. I mean, they do live across town. I’ve seen them every now and then, but other than that, I’ve tried to steer clear. Our families have grown apart.

I know one thing for sure: I am so not free.

Chapter 2

Home

Mrs. Stepp arrives with a plate of homemade cookies and a big hug for me which was unexpected and very overwhelming. She was my mom’s best friend. They went to the same college, got married at the same time, and even had kids at the same time. They literally did everything together. She even kind of resembles my mom a little bit. I notice when she pulls away from me that her eyes are puffy and red. Now I realize this is difficult for her too, considering the fact that she was my mom’s close friend. Maybe I’m not alone.

Oh, I know this has been hard, she says as she wipes away tears. My eyes begin to water again. Do not cry, do not cry. The girls will be so excited to see you. It’s been so long. You are so beautiful and grown up.

Mrs. Stepp makes small talk on the way back to their house. I nod and smile politely. I can’t look at her though. Everyone’s been so nice to me since the accident. Even kids I knew in kindergarten have sent me e-mails and text messages saying I’m sorry and It will all get better soon. One girl even told me she knew exactly how I was feeling because her dad had died in a car crash.

First of all, a car is totally different from a plane hurtling full force back into the earth.

Second of all, the rest of her family is, for the most part, intact.

Third, she has absolutely no idea how I feel. She has no idea what it feels like.

Everyone is trying to make me feel better, but nothing has helped. I just want to feel normal again. I need someone to be real with me and tell me the truth. I need someone to tell me that yes, it hurts but you can get through it and not just that it will all get better soon but I’ll walk with you through this.

Alrighty, we’re here, she says as she pulls into the driveway of their comfy looking, vaguely familiar home.

I suck in an uneasy breath as I look at the house. How will it feel to be a part of someone else’s family?

She hops out of the car and comes around the back to open the door for me. I slowly climb out of the car, clutching my bag close to my chest. As I walk up the front steps, I wonder what their family is like and if they have changed at all. I hope nothing has changed much.

Their house is oddly clean. They must have known that I was coming. The living room looks cozy but untouched. There are no body-shaped lumps in the pillows on the couch. Newspapers and books are stacked neatly on the coffee table. Family portraits hang on the wall. All smiles and loving embraces. Nothing is out of place. Actually, one thing is out of place. Me.

Let me show you to your room. She smiles and heads toward the stairs. Her smile looks pained. She is a small woman carrying too many large bags.

I can take one, I say as I slide one of my duffel bags from her fragile hand. I turn and take one last look at my new home and then follow her upstairs.

*   *   *

The guest room. Light-blue walls. Matching bedspread. Just like I remember. We used to have sleepovers together. We’d hide under the covers and tell each other jokes and secrets. We made promises. So many things never left this room.

But then we changed. I let my bags fall to the floor. He’ll