Lost But Found - Chapter One
Laney has a bad past. Her dad is moved to Downstream, Kentucky because of his job. She meets Noah. There pasts are both connected in ways they both had never imagined.
Chapter one:
When Laney Milano looked out the window all she saw were fields and what looked like horses, but they could have been ducks for all she cared. All she could think about was how she was really upset with her dad for making them move to Downstream, Kentucky. She missed the big city, even if she did complain all the time about how she couldn't go to sleep because of the San Diego traffic. The pilot came over the speaker in the worst southern accent she had ever heard "We are within twenty minutes of landing y'all, so get your things together. This is our only plane so we need to get every one out so we can start loading the next flight. Thank y'all for coming to Coldstream, we hope y'all will stay awhile." Oh we're staying awhile believe me. Try leaving your friends during sophomore summer. It's not that easy. This town has one high school and only three hundred seventy-eight students go to it. San Diego High which had a student population of three thousand was one hundred times bigger. But this is what you get when you have a dad who is an engineer. They want to build a nuclear plant here and so my dad, Steven, got transferred here to head up this building.
We left the "air port" which is probably the biggest building here, but I've seen bigger homes than it. We drove down a dirt road for who knows how many miles. All I know is that this place has so many horses, the horse population probably exceeds the people population. We pulled into a cute little two-story house with yellow shutters and two wrap around porches. There is a lake in the back of our house behind some woods. My dad actually bought this house because it's one of the few houses that have another house within a couple of meters of it. We are going to eat at the Youngblood's, our neighbors, house tonight.
I walked around to the back of the car and pulled out some of my boxes. The rest of the boxes are being driven here and will be here tomorrow. I heard my dad say the Youngblood's have a son, and two daughters. The son is two years older than me, 17, but got held back so he will be in my grade. And one of the daughter's is my sister's age,13. I and my little sister, Katherine, get along really well. "Hey, Laney after you unpack, want to go scope you the lake and woods"? " Sure Katherine, but I have two boxes of stuff and so it could take some time" I replied. I headed inside and realized that yes, I had two boxes of stuff but we didn't have furniture yet so it wasn't like I had to put things in a certain place, I just had to take things out of my medium-sized cardboard packing boxes. I took things out quite quickly because I really wanted to go outside. I couldn't wait for my piano to get here tomorrow. It's a white baby grand YAMAHA. My dad says I'm a musical prodigy, but I have taken for 12 years, so I may just be good. I yelled down the stairs " Katherine, I'll meet ya' outside in ten minutes, just let me change into jeans and boots". I stripped down and went through her small stack of clothing. I changed quickly and ran down the stairs and out the back door.
The backyard was like Neverland in Peter Pan. I called Katherine's name out into the trees and it echoed back to me. Katherine answered back "Laney, I'm by the lake, keep walking forward through the trees and you'll see it."
I walked in a straight line as not to stray away from the lake I couldn't see. When I came out on the other side I realized Katherine had a guy standing next to her. He was tall with dark skin and dark hair. His physics' were almost exactly like that wolf dude in Twilight. I was running now towards the other side of the lake. I guess my body thought that guy would walk away or something.
When I reached the spot were Katherine and Twilight werewolf were standing, Katherine introduced me to him. "Laney, this is Noah."
Noah reached his hand out to shake mine
"Nice to meet you, Laney. Katherine told me you are also seventeen"?
"Um, no I....I am... ( I clear my throat) um, sixteen."
I looked at Katherine with a confused face. Why would she tell Noah I was seventeen?
"That's cool. I live out that'a way." Noah pointed opposite of my house.
"Oh, so you're not my neighbor. Do you know who lives in the house next to us"? I asked.
Noah started laughing. "Yeah, he is a unique type of um, person. I can't believe you haven't met him yet."
I looked at him with a questionable face "We are eating at their house for dinner tonight, but why did you say 'unique'"? Noah turned around to walk away with a smirk on his face, but I caught his arm.
"Where do you go to school?" I asked him. I was determined to have a decent conversation with this guy.
Noah smiled "Well considering we have only one high school, I go to Downstream High. You will go there to. What class are you in?"
"I'm a junior."
"Cool, we are in the same grade. Do you know who your home room teacher is? It's either Mr. Bronx or Mr. Pierce. We have a small town which means small high school, so we only have two or three home room in each grade."
"I think I have Mr. Pierce. Is he good?"
"Yeah, he is the French II teacher. He isn't my home room, but he is really young and fun, so he will be nice to new students. Do you start with us in two weeks?"
"Yeah, I'm already enrolled and stuff, but on my schedule it says I'm in French II, and I haven't even taken French I. So I'm supposed to find a tutor." please offer to be my tutor. Please offer to be my tutor.
Noah smiled at me. "Well, I have a ninety-eight in the class, so I guess I could help you out." He looked at me to see my expression. He added. "If you wanted me to."
"Um, yeah. That would be really great if you could. Just tell me when, and I'll be there."
"Want to start tomorrow?"
"Sure, but I don't have any French books or a text-book."
"That's cool, you can borrow mine."
We talked for about an hour or so on things that probably didn't matter. But it was fun to be around him. Katherine just stood there the whole time, watching us and not saying a word. God bless her.
"I have to go and so do you." Noah said.
"Okay, I'll see you around." He looked at me with a huge smirk, "You'll probably want to get the spider web string off your jeans" and with that he sprinted in the direction of his house. I stood there for a second and tried to turn around but it was worthless because I couldn't see anything on the way very back of my jeans. "Katherine, what is on the back of my jeans" I asked her quickly.
She started laughing "Well, there's some spider web stuff and some leaves and some dirt. But it'll come out."
She started walking back towards the house. I realized the whole time Noah and I flirted, Katherine had been standing there and had heard the whole thing. I blushed for no apparent reason, and looked over my shoulder in the direction of Noah. I decided he was at his house by now, and continued walking.
I caught up with Katherine and asked her, "How did you meet Noah, Katherine"?
She smiled. "Oh, I walked out of the woods and saw the lake so I went and stood by it. I saw something in the water and was going to get in and see what it was, but right before I did, I heard yelling from across the lake, 'Don't get in!!! This place is alligator territory', I looked up and Noah was standing a few feet away because he had sprinted over here to make sure I didn't get in." Great another sibling who is attracted to water and will get hurt,
I thought. Noah had good personality, but he is probably either a gay ballet dancer, a player, or taken by a hot girl. The girl is probably way better for him then I am. Because of course, all guys that are cute or hot, are ALL like this.
I arrived home and stripped down to jump in the shower. I got in and turned on the water but it didn't come on.
"Dad!" I shouted "The water won't come on"!
I heard his footsteps come quickly up the stairs. "Hang on, I'll call someone to fix it. But for now, just don't take a shower." He stated with a 'everything's fine tone'.
"UH!" I shouted. "I have been out in the woods for an hour and I smell. I have to take a shower."
A thought popped into my head, "Hey, dad, do you have the number of anyone nearby. Besides our neighbors of course."
He closed his eyes to think deeply,
"Um, I know the Clay's cell phone number, they live that way". He pointed in the exact opposite direction of Noah's house. Good, it's not Noah's house.
"Um, okay so you are going to call them and ask him if I can take a shower in their house"? I asked nervously.
"I would call them if I had the time, but here's their number", He handed me a sheet of paper that was folded a lot. "The phone dock is downstairs by the back door".
I walked down the stairs and headed towards the "back door", which wasn't really a back door because it opened up to the side of the house. I dialed the number and it rang twice before I recognized the sound of Noah's voice. My heart started beating really fast. I didn't think this number was Noah's! Noah must have told me the wrong direction of his house.
"You just couldn't resist me now could you", he laughed. "How do you know who this is?" I asked him. I didn't give him my number.
" Laney, it's called caller ID and I know the number of your house. My best friend used to live in it."
"Um, actually, I was wondering if maybe I could use your shower", I said.
"What for", he asked.
"To take a shower, Noah. My shower doesn't work at the moment, and neither does my car which is not here anyway", I hoped he would say yes.
"So you're implying that you want me to drive to your house, pick you and your shower things up, drive you to my house, let you take a shower, get ready to eat at someone else's house, then drive you home", He asked almost sounding annoyed.
"Um, yes", I said quietly.
"Okay, I'll be there in a sec" he stated happily. I stood there for a second listening to him breathe on the other side of the line until his voice interrupted my thoughts.
"Hey, Laney, I can't come pick you until you let me get off the phone", I could almost see him smirking. I was so startled that I didn't even bother to say 'bye' before hanging up and slamming down the phone without a second thought about it. I realized it was just reflex because of the many phones she had slammed down before out of freaked-out-ish-ness.
I walked up the stairs to get my soap and what not when I heard a soft honk. It was Noah, outside my house. I then ran up the stairs, flung clothes into a bag not knowing if they even matched, then grabbed shampoo, conditioner, and a razor, flung them into a bag too and ran down the stairs and out the door. I got into the car and stared at him with an irritated spirit and asked him, I thought you lived a few miles from our house, how did you get here so fast"? I turned to put my seat belt on, turned back around and he was laughing silently.
"I live like one whole minute from your house, traveling at the speed of thirty miles an hour, Laney". I looked at him curiously, and he got the message.
"I never said I lived miles and miles away from you, I only pointed in the direction of my house." I was really confused.
"But you pointed in the direct opposite way of my house, how could you not be miles away". He was really laughing now. "Laney, I live two houses down from you". My heartbeat faster.
"Oh. I thought you lived across the lake", I said.
"Nope, I'm your next door neighbor's, neighbor," he stuck a hand in front of my face as to get my attention. I guess I was in a daze of sorts. I snapped out of it and turned to him. We were sitting in his drive way.
"Then why on earth Noah, did you point out the wrong way of your house"? I asked. He put on one of his famous smirks .
"I was wondering if your face would get sad, because I lived far away or your expression would be happy because I lived far away, and it was very, very sad." I frowned and playfully hit him. "You wanted to see my facial expression, so you pointed in the wrong direction. That's sweet." He looked at me and looked ahead and looked back at me,
"So, Laney, are you going to get out and take a shower or sit here and be happy that I don't live so far away?" He asked with a smirk. He had his elbow propped up on the steering wheel with his head on his fist and had turned his upper body towards me. I felt dizzy and light headed at the slight peek of what looked like a quarterback football bicep.
"Um, yeah, I'm going to take a shower as soon as you unlock the car door, so I can get out." That was the best you could do? I thought to myself. His smile got wider.
"Laney we've been sitting in my driveway for fifteen minutes and the car doors have been open the entire time, the shower is upstairs, my mom and dad aren't home so just walk inside, you don't have to knock." Don't trip getting out of the car. Don't trip, walking up the steps, don't trip.
"Wait where are you going Noah?" I spun around on my heel. He started to roll up the window. " I have to go feed our horses, but I'll be back in a half hour." I started walking towards the house and waved to him. "Okay. But I didn't know you had any horses." He backed out of the driveway and looked out the window "You never asked."
Thanks for reading. please leave comments if you want more chapters. I actually already have eight chapters written in this book, so it's not like it's going to be days and days before I get the next one up. I'll post the next one when someone asks for it. Love,
Caroline :)
When Laney Milano looked out the window all she saw were fields and what looked like horses, but they could have been ducks for all she cared. All she could think about was how she was really upset with her dad for making them move to Downstream, Kentucky. She missed the big city, even if she did complain all the time about how she couldn't go to sleep because of the San Diego traffic. The pilot came over the speaker in the worst southern accent she had ever heard "We are within twenty minutes of landing y'all, so get your things together. This is our only plane so we need to get every one out so we can start loading the next flight. Thank y'all for coming to Coldstream, we hope y'all will stay awhile." Oh we're staying awhile believe me. Try leaving your friends during sophomore summer. It's not that easy. This town has one high school and only three hundred seventy-eight students go to it. San Diego High which had a student population of three thousand was one hundred times bigger. But this is what you get when you have a dad who is an engineer. They want to build a nuclear plant here and so my dad, Steven, got transferred here to head up this building.
We left the "air port" which is probably the biggest building here, but I've seen bigger homes than it. We drove down a dirt road for who knows how many miles. All I know is that this place has so many horses, the horse population probably exceeds the people population. We pulled into a cute little two-story house with yellow shutters and two wrap around porches. There is a lake in the back of our house behind some woods. My dad actually bought this house because it's one of the few houses that have another house within a couple of meters of it. We are going to eat at the Youngblood's, our neighbors, house tonight.
I walked around to the back of the car and pulled out some of my boxes. The rest of the boxes are being driven here and will be here tomorrow. I heard my dad say the Youngblood's have a son, and two daughters. The son is two years older than me, 17, but got held back so he will be in my grade. And one of the daughter's is my sister's age,13. I and my little sister, Katherine, get along really well. "Hey, Laney after you unpack, want to go scope you the lake and woods"? " Sure Katherine, but I have two boxes of stuff and so it could take some time" I replied. I headed inside and realized that yes, I had two boxes of stuff but we didn't have furniture yet so it wasn't like I had to put things in a certain place, I just had to take things out of my medium-sized cardboard packing boxes. I took things out quite quickly because I really wanted to go outside. I couldn't wait for my piano to get here tomorrow. It's a white baby grand YAMAHA. My dad says I'm a musical prodigy, but I have taken for 12 years, so I may just be good. I yelled down the stairs " Katherine, I'll meet ya' outside in ten minutes, just let me change into jeans and boots". I stripped down and went through her small stack of clothing. I changed quickly and ran down the stairs and out the back door.
The backyard was like Neverland in Peter Pan. I called Katherine's name out into the trees and it echoed back to me. Katherine answered back "Laney, I'm by the lake, keep walking forward through the trees and you'll see it."
I walked in a straight line as not to stray away from the lake I couldn't see. When I came out on the other side I realized Katherine had a guy standing next to her. He was tall with dark skin and dark hair. His physics' were almost exactly like that wolf dude in Twilight. I was running now towards the other side of the lake. I guess my body thought that guy would walk away or something.
When I reached the spot were Katherine and Twilight werewolf were standing, Katherine introduced me to him. "Laney, this is Noah."
Noah reached his hand out to shake mine
"Nice to meet you, Laney. Katherine told me you are also seventeen"?
"Um, no I....I am... ( I clear my throat) um, sixteen."
I looked at Katherine with a confused face. Why would she tell Noah I was seventeen?
"That's cool. I live out that'a way." Noah pointed opposite of my house.
"Oh, so you're not my neighbor. Do you know who lives in the house next to us"? I asked.
Noah started laughing. "Yeah, he is a unique type of um, person. I can't believe you haven't met him yet."
I looked at him with a questionable face "We are eating at their house for dinner tonight, but why did you say 'unique'"? Noah turned around to walk away with a smirk on his face, but I caught his arm.
"Where do you go to school?" I asked him. I was determined to have a decent conversation with this guy.
Noah smiled "Well considering we have only one high school, I go to Downstream High. You will go there to. What class are you in?"
"I'm a junior."
"Cool, we are in the same grade. Do you know who your home room teacher is? It's either Mr. Bronx or Mr. Pierce. We have a small town which means small high school, so we only have two or three home room in each grade."
"I think I have Mr. Pierce. Is he good?"
"Yeah, he is the French II teacher. He isn't my home room, but he is really young and fun, so he will be nice to new students. Do you start with us in two weeks?"
"Yeah, I'm already enrolled and stuff, but on my schedule it says I'm in French II, and I haven't even taken French I. So I'm supposed to find a tutor." please offer to be my tutor. Please offer to be my tutor.
Noah smiled at me. "Well, I have a ninety-eight in the class, so I guess I could help you out." He looked at me to see my expression. He added. "If you wanted me to."
"Um, yeah. That would be really great if you could. Just tell me when, and I'll be there."
"Want to start tomorrow?"
"Sure, but I don't have any French books or a text-book."
"That's cool, you can borrow mine."
We talked for about an hour or so on things that probably didn't matter. But it was fun to be around him. Katherine just stood there the whole time, watching us and not saying a word. God bless her.
"I have to go and so do you." Noah said.
"Okay, I'll see you around." He looked at me with a huge smirk, "You'll probably want to get the spider web string off your jeans" and with that he sprinted in the direction of his house. I stood there for a second and tried to turn around but it was worthless because I couldn't see anything on the way very back of my jeans. "Katherine, what is on the back of my jeans" I asked her quickly.
She started laughing "Well, there's some spider web stuff and some leaves and some dirt. But it'll come out."
She started walking back towards the house. I realized the whole time Noah and I flirted, Katherine had been standing there and had heard the whole thing. I blushed for no apparent reason, and looked over my shoulder in the direction of Noah. I decided he was at his house by now, and continued walking.
I caught up with Katherine and asked her, "How did you meet Noah, Katherine"?
She smiled. "Oh, I walked out of the woods and saw the lake so I went and stood by it. I saw something in the water and was going to get in and see what it was, but right before I did, I heard yelling from across the lake, 'Don't get in!!! This place is alligator territory', I looked up and Noah was standing a few feet away because he had sprinted over here to make sure I didn't get in." Great another sibling who is attracted to water and will get hurt,
I thought. Noah had good personality, but he is probably either a gay ballet dancer, a player, or taken by a hot girl. The girl is probably way better for him then I am. Because of course, all guys that are cute or hot, are ALL like this.
I arrived home and stripped down to jump in the shower. I got in and turned on the water but it didn't come on.
"Dad!" I shouted "The water won't come on"!
I heard his footsteps come quickly up the stairs. "Hang on, I'll call someone to fix it. But for now, just don't take a shower." He stated with a 'everything's fine tone'.
"UH!" I shouted. "I have been out in the woods for an hour and I smell. I have to take a shower."
A thought popped into my head, "Hey, dad, do you have the number of anyone nearby. Besides our neighbors of course."
He closed his eyes to think deeply,
"Um, I know the Clay's cell phone number, they live that way". He pointed in the exact opposite direction of Noah's house. Good, it's not Noah's house.
"Um, okay so you are going to call them and ask him if I can take a shower in their house"? I asked nervously.
"I would call them if I had the time, but here's their number", He handed me a sheet of paper that was folded a lot. "The phone dock is downstairs by the back door".
I walked down the stairs and headed towards the "back door", which wasn't really a back door because it opened up to the side of the house. I dialed the number and it rang twice before I recognized the sound of Noah's voice. My heart started beating really fast. I didn't think this number was Noah's! Noah must have told me the wrong direction of his house.
"You just couldn't resist me now could you", he laughed. "How do you know who this is?" I asked him. I didn't give him my number.
" Laney, it's called caller ID and I know the number of your house. My best friend used to live in it."
"Um, actually, I was wondering if maybe I could use your shower", I said.
"What for", he asked.
"To take a shower, Noah. My shower doesn't work at the moment, and neither does my car which is not here anyway", I hoped he would say yes.
"So you're implying that you want me to drive to your house, pick you and your shower things up, drive you to my house, let you take a shower, get ready to eat at someone else's house, then drive you home", He asked almost sounding annoyed.
"Um, yes", I said quietly.
"Okay, I'll be there in a sec" he stated happily. I stood there for a second listening to him breathe on the other side of the line until his voice interrupted my thoughts.
"Hey, Laney, I can't come pick you until you let me get off the phone", I could almost see him smirking. I was so startled that I didn't even bother to say 'bye' before hanging up and slamming down the phone without a second thought about it. I realized it was just reflex because of the many phones she had slammed down before out of freaked-out-ish-ness.
I walked up the stairs to get my soap and what not when I heard a soft honk. It was Noah, outside my house. I then ran up the stairs, flung clothes into a bag not knowing if they even matched, then grabbed shampoo, conditioner, and a razor, flung them into a bag too and ran down the stairs and out the door. I got into the car and stared at him with an irritated spirit and asked him, I thought you lived a few miles from our house, how did you get here so fast"? I turned to put my seat belt on, turned back around and he was laughing silently.
"I live like one whole minute from your house, traveling at the speed of thirty miles an hour, Laney". I looked at him curiously, and he got the message.
"I never said I lived miles and miles away from you, I only pointed in the direction of my house." I was really confused.
"But you pointed in the direct opposite way of my house, how could you not be miles away". He was really laughing now. "Laney, I live two houses down from you". My heartbeat faster.
"Oh. I thought you lived across the lake", I said.
"Nope, I'm your next door neighbor's, neighbor," he stuck a hand in front of my face as to get my attention. I guess I was in a daze of sorts. I snapped out of it and turned to him. We were sitting in his drive way.
"Then why on earth Noah, did you point out the wrong way of your house"? I asked. He put on one of his famous smirks .
"I was wondering if your face would get sad, because I lived far away or your expression would be happy because I lived far away, and it was very, very sad." I frowned and playfully hit him. "You wanted to see my facial expression, so you pointed in the wrong direction. That's sweet." He looked at me and looked ahead and looked back at me,
"So, Laney, are you going to get out and take a shower or sit here and be happy that I don't live so far away?" He asked with a smirk. He had his elbow propped up on the steering wheel with his head on his fist and had turned his upper body towards me. I felt dizzy and light headed at the slight peek of what looked like a quarterback football bicep.
"Um, yeah, I'm going to take a shower as soon as you unlock the car door, so I can get out." That was the best you could do? I thought to myself. His smile got wider.
"Laney we've been sitting in my driveway for fifteen minutes and the car doors have been open the entire time, the shower is upstairs, my mom and dad aren't home so just walk inside, you don't have to knock." Don't trip getting out of the car. Don't trip, walking up the steps, don't trip.
"Wait where are you going Noah?" I spun around on my heel. He started to roll up the window. " I have to go feed our horses, but I'll be back in a half hour." I started walking towards the house and waved to him. "Okay. But I didn't know you had any horses." He backed out of the driveway and looked out the window "You never asked."
Thanks for reading. please leave comments if you want more chapters. I actually already have eight chapters written in this book, so it's not like it's going to be days and days before I get the next one up. I'll post the next one when someone asks for it. Love,
Caroline :)
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