Chapter 1

Ruskin, Florida.  Mid-May

  Lexa stepped out of the cab and looked at the place she would know call home for 3 months a year.  It was a brick house, two stories and absolutely humongous, at least from where she stood.  Of course, all the other houses on this road were as big as hers, if not larger.  The house next door to her even had a gate.  "Wonder who is so important that they think they need a gate around their house?," Lexa wondered aloud, thinking she was probably right about them all being snobs.
   "That would be the Carter family miss," the taxi driver answered her thought as he was taking her suitcase from the trunk of the cab.
   "Carter.  That name sounds really familar.  I wonder where I've heard it before."
   "Well one of their boys, Nick I think, is in a really popular singing group.  When he lived here with his family there were always screaming girls around.  Thats why the fence is up, some fans were getting a little too close."
    "Huh, maybe once I see him around I'll be able to remember where I heard the name," Lexa said as she handed the cab driver cab fare and walked up the driveway to her new home.  Even though she was spending a whole summer down there, she only had one suitcase.  She sent alot of her things down the week before and some was just going to stay in storage up at school.  The door was unlocked, so she just let herself in.  "Mom, Dad, Kayla?!," Lexa shouted as she walked through the living room and up to the stairs.  She climbed the first few steps and shouted again, "Anyone home?"  Still no response.  She came off of the stairs and walked through the kitchen and dining room looking for a back door.  Finally she found a slider door that led out to the pool, where she found her family.
   "Welcome home, honey," both her mom and dad yelled.
   "Hey Lexa," her sister greeted.
   "Hi you guys.  Could someone show me to my room so that I could unload this suitcase?"
   "Yeah.  Let me take that for you,"  her dad offered after he gave her a hug.  It had been almost four months since she had seen any of her family and she had to admit it was nice to see them. 
   "Thanks dad."  Her father led her in through the back door and once agin through the kitchen and dining room.  The kitchen had and island in the middle and it also had two ovens, something she had always wanted for a kitchen.  At one time, Lexa had even considered chef as a career, but ended up in the sciences.  That didn't mean she gave up on the cooking totally though.  The living room had much of the same furniture as the old one, with the addition of her mom's old rocking chair that ther was never enough room for in the old house.  Her father led her up the stairs and at the top took a left.
   ""Your mother's and my room is that way," he pointed to the right, "your sisters is the one at the end of the hall and yours is right here."  It was the first door on the right.  She walked in and the first thing she noticed was the bay window on the far side of the room.  "You share a bathroom with your sister," he pointed to the door in the left wall.  "And you got the only room with the bay window."
   "Thanks dad.  Its a really nice room."
   "Well I let you get your things unpacked  and get settled in. You probably won't hate it here as much as you think you will."
   "I didn't mean that.  I was just stressed and the move was kind of a shock."
   "Well its only for the summer.  Do you think you can bear 3 months of sunshine."
   "I think I'll deal."
   "Alright, we'll be out be the pool if you need us.  Oh and theres a BBQ tomorrow and you should probably go with us."
   "Of course I'll go.  I might come down later."
   "Okay."  with that her father left and Lexa  began to unpack her things.  She first unpacked her stereo and CD's, quite possibly the one thing she couldn't live without.  While most people wanted books or a tv if they were ona deserted island, Lexa only wanted some CD's and a stereo to play them on.  She finally got the stereo hooked up and she put in her Dixie Chicks CD.  The music filled her room as she continued to unpack.
   Mary-Anne and Wanda were the best of friends
   All through their high school days
   Both members of the 4H club, both active in the FFA
   After graduation Mary-Anne went out
   Lookin for a bright new world
   Wanda looked all around this town and all she found was Earl


Back to Chapter Index
On to Chapter 2