ONE

Have you ever experienced that weird twist in your gut when you look at a place and a warning bell goes off in your mind? You know, the feeling where all you want to do is sit down and hold your head between your palms to control the ache in it? That's what I felt when I first saw the town of Kingsville. My parents; a beautiful couple that was still so in love that my perception of love was just as I saw them, had decided to move here with me once I got into the Kingsville university. They had told me that we used to live here back when I was a toddler so adjusting wasn't a problem for them.

I, on the other hand, was still new here with no memories of when I used to be a toddler. The place wasn't repelling in any sense, it was just a feeling in my subconscious that asked me to stay away from it. Of course, I couldn't listen to the voice in my head, mom and dad had already made their decision. Besides I was going to attend one of the best colleges around that too on a fifty percent scholarship so it was a win-win for all three of us. The house dad had bought was a two-story mansion at least fifteen minutes away from campus but I didn't really care about the distance. It could be used as a good opportunity to explore the town.

It was a greyish stone mansion that looked far too expensive from the looks of it but I had heard mom say that it was a deal too good to be let go of. Mom and Dad had their room on the ground floor and for privacy that wasn't all that needed, I was going to stay on the first floor all by myself. My room was quite spacious and considering I was the only person using it, I found the space unnecessary.

Right now, I was sitting on a white indoor hammock that I got as a birthday gift from Mom. It was set facing the window in my room and I could feel my skin breathe the gentle breeze in. The town was lovely and calm regardless of the 'vibes' I got. I closed my eyes and let my head loll back with a sigh. Moving from New York to Kingsville was a decision as big as it was tiring. My back was all cramped up from picking up heavy boxes with dad but right now, sleep was about to overcome me so I didn't bother complaining about the position I was in.

"Sweetheart, it's almost time for lunch," came my mom's, shrill but sweet nonetheless, yell. I groaned and then clicked my tongue in distaste. Just when I was about to fall asleep.

"I'll be down in a minute Ma," I replied and jumped up from the hammock to close the window. When I leaned in to grab the handle, I felt a whoosh of cold wind down my back and coiled back with a shiver. Instantly, fear instilled in me and I turned on my heels to check for anybody.

The room was as empty as it was when we got here. I frowned deeply. Maybe it was just the breeze? Shrugging my shoulders, I moved quickly to get out of the room and down the stairs. The dining table was set, and my mom was in the kitchen with her back to me. Dad was helping her clean the countertop. Ours was a perfect family.

My parents were as gentle as they were loving which is why I had no problem with them accompanying me all the way here for college. I would've missed them. "Good evening mom, good evening dad, is there anything I could help out with?" Two heads turned to me with faint smiles and both of them shook side to side in denial.

"Just sit and enjoy, you must be exhausted from all the moving," Dad yawned a little, one palm patting over his face while the other wiped down the remaining flour dust.

I hummed but then said, "You guys must be just as exhausted though."

"We don't have college tomorrow morning," Mom asserted with a clean white crockery plate in front of me. Her statement meant the end of the discussion. Sometimes, it made me sick just how good they were to me but at the same time, I couldn't be more grateful. I had seen many broken families in the past. You know, friends, friend's friends, and parents' friends but each story made me thank god for putting people like my parents on earth.

"Where's your head, Ariella?", when I hummed in question and snapped out of my thoughts, Dad was frowning in my direction with the serving spoon full of pasta raised away from the bowl and towards me. I shook my head left to right and picked around the pasta with my fork once it was on my plate. Ariella Hill, that's my name.

Ariella Hill, a twenty-year-old, first-semester student in Kings' College under a scholarship. Ariella Hill, daughter of Dakota and Johnathan Hill, new in town. That's who I was.

The three of us had dinner in silence like we always did. There were no friendly or awkward smiles shared, it was no formal dinner after all. At first glance, one would say we were distant even as such a small family of three however this is just how it was for us for years. I had grown accustomed to silent, awkward dinners and even more awkward dinner parties.

"Good night you two," I mumbled with a little smile, half excited at the prospect of meeting new people the following day. Mom and Dad both returned the words before walking off to the privacy of their bedrooms. When I was kid, I had complained about sleeping away from the two of them but that too, had developed as a habit over the years.

I didn't like company at night anymore. The idea of sleepovers was only good until it was actually time to sleep. Besides, four girls curling onto any platform they deemed comfortable? No thanks, I'd rather climb out the window after everybody's asleep like I did once.

In my room, my phone was lying upturned onto the bed and I crashed right on top of it in fatigue. With a groan, I finally turned on my back and scrolled through Instagram while I waited for sleep to come. Tomorrow was the college orientation program and a week later was the first day of lectures.