Chapter 2

"It's okay, I'm Alanna."The cash register said.

"Maddy". I took my change and my coffee."

"Are you new in town?"

"Is it so obvious?"I asked.

"England?"

"Florida."

Suddenly, I had the impression that I was being watched and not the girl behind the counter. Once again, the hair on my neck dressed and a shiver ran through my body. I was starting to think that I was catching cold.

"I have the impression that you will like being here." She smiles.

Making a face, I shrugged my shoulders before leaving. It was weird. There was really something different in this place.

"Twizzlers Maddy, really?" I closed the car door, I smiled. My grandmother knew how addicted I was to sugar. I handed her the coffee and looked at the gas station while we walked away. Four men were standing outside and looking directly at our car."Yes, because it was not uncommon."

"I like sugar, " I say, laughing and putting another Twizzler in my mouth. "I swear that sugar is the best thing that has ever been invented."

"You won't say that when you have cavities." She warns by accelerating the pace. "How do you really feel about this place?" 

"Ask me this question in a month." I couldn't tell her how I felt, because I didn't want to upset her. She thought it was the best thing to do for us, so I was going to try to make it work.

"I know you weren't very excited about moving, but I promise you that you will like it here. Texas is beautiful, the people are friendly and I think we will integrate perfectly."

I know she was trying to convince me, but I wasn't sure. I never liked to move anywhere. That's all I've ever known. I was afraid of having to start all over again and having to integrate. I was going to be the new girl wherever I went and I'll be forced to integrate.

"I'm going to try, but don't push me."

When the car began to slow down, I became aware of what was around me.

Trees, trees and more trees.

"Will we live in the forest?"

Laughing, she put her hand on my knee and squeezed it.

"We will be there in a few minutes. That's how we go."

"Where are all the…" I stopped talking when I started seeing houses.

A street.

"We live in the middle of nowhere? Great!"

I sigh and pass a hand over my face as she stops in front of a house around the corner. I looked up and smiled when I saw that the main room had a balcony, just like mine.

 "This is your room."

I was surprised. The house was beautiful from the outside but a little old, as if it had been there since long ago.

 "Do you want me to start unloading the car?"

My grandmother told me that I should only bring the things I really needed. She told me that she was going to buy everything new. She was not rich, but she had money.

"You do that, darling, and I'll see if I can't run the heating."

"There is no heating either." I roll my eyes and head towards the car. The situation could not be worse. With half of my body in the car, I didn't hear anyone approaching.

"Do you need help?"

Wait, it was...

"Allanna?"

"Are you moving in?"She asked me when she got out of the car. "Did you buy this house?"

I already had the impression that something was wrong.

I closed the door with a kick and looked at her. This girl also had something weird. I swear that my senses were on alert tonight.

"Is something wrong with the house?"I asked.

"No, of course not, it's just that it's been empty for a while. I live at the end of the street with my brother and my parents live a few houses away."

"Why has it been empty for so long?"There, I'm curious.

"I'm not sure. Let me help you."She took the box from my hands and headed towards the entrance. I didn't know if we were going to become friends or not. I still didn't know if I liked her.

"Maddy, I managed to get... oh, who is it?" Asks my grandmother, taking the box from Alanna's hands.

"Alanna lives a few houses from here with her brother. This house has been empty for years, are you sure you don't want to look for anything else?". I didn't want her to devote all her time and money to this house if something went wrong.

"Maddy!" She said to me, and that's all I needed to keep quiet. 

Once she was determined to do something, nothing and no one could make her change her mind. "Go empty the rest of the car while I make hot chocolate. I found a kettle."

She smiles.

"She looks nice," smiles Alanna, taking another box.

 "Yes, she is kind, but she is also fierce and fearless.""Thank you for the help, but I can manage from here."

I didn't understand this girl. I didn't know if she was nice because she wanted something or if she was nice because we were her new neighbors.

" I don't care,"she said, shrugging her shoulders and taking another box. "In addition to this, my stupid brother has friends at home and I would prefer not to be there."

"How old is your brother?"

"He is 24 years old, but you might think that he is older given the way he acts and that he is a little stupid."

"How is that possible?" I was inquisitive, but I was curious and ready to accept all the information I could get.

" I'm sure you'll meet him one day and discover him by yourself. And you, do you have brothers and sisters?"

"Only child."

As I went up, I stumbled on something and fell. The box being in the air, I put my hands down to cushion my fall. "Shit" I whistled while grabbing my knee. I lifted my jeans leg, I was whistling while removing the stone that was laid in it.