Chapter 1 1

*

"Brandon!" Brooklyn squealed and ran to her cousin. His eyes widened, but he laughed and caught her as she jumped up and hugged him. "I've missed you!"

"How you doing, Brooklyn?" Brandon chuckled and placed Brooklyn safely back on the floor. "You've grown!"

"Surprisingly, people grow over a period of two years," Brooklyn said cheekily and Brandon rolled his eyes. "Joking. I'm going to grab my bags from the car."

"I got it, B," Brandon said, walking out onto the concrete path and over to the taxi that Brooklyn had arrived in. He easily hauled Brooklyn's bags out and nodded to the taxi driver. "Cheers, mate," he said and Brooklyn took one of the bags from Brandon who was starting to struggle from the weight.

"I'm a big girl, I can carry my own bags, Bran," Brooklyn laughed and followed Brandon into his house. "Where's Lisa and David?" She wondered as they walked down the hallway. Brooklyn scanned the pictures and smiled when she spotted a family photo.

It had been taken years before, back when her parents were happy and could be in a room without arguing. Brandon and Brooklyn were seated on the floor in front of the adults who were all grinning and holding glasses of wine. If it were now, her mother throw the wine at her father and smash the glass over his balding head.

Her parents weren't on speaking terms.

It was why she had moved to stay with her aunt and uncle. The divorce had gotten too messy and Brooklyn moving between her mother and father was apparently too 'stressful' for them. So now she was with her aunt and uncle in a small town in the middle of nowhere.

Brooklyn already found it strange. She couldn't hear the loud hum of city traffic and there was no random person yelling that could be heard.

She was used to city life. Business and chaos.

Not... Peace.

"Brooke?" Brandon said loudly, snapping his fingers in front of Brooklyn's face. "You listening?"

"Oh, gosh, sorry," Brooklyn apologised and grinned sheepishly. "I completely zoned, what were you saying?"

"I was just saying that mum and dad are at work, but they'll be home later," he chuckled and shook his head. "What were you thinking about?" He questioned as they headed up the stairs.

"How different this place is to home," Brooklyn mused. "It's going to be weird not being woken up by car horns."

"I can come and yell in your ear if you want," Brandon grinned and Brooklyn rolled her eyes.

"I will beat you with my shoe if you do," she said and Brandon laughed, kicking a door open with his foot.

"Home sweet home!" He announced and dropped Brooklyn's bags to the floor.

"Home," Brooklyn repeated and sighed. "Home."

*

"Auntie Lisa! Uncle David!" Brooklyn exclaimed and jumped up from her bed and hugged her aunt and uncle. "How are you?"