Part 1

I could feel my stomach growling and my heart flopping around like a fish out of water. Prom isn't normal, not for me at least. I've always been a tomboy, well, not a tomboy, but not really a girl. I'm the girl that sits in the back of the classroom that wears jeans and an over-sized hoodie every day. The one with worn down tennis shoes and no sense of style.

Since my family moved to this sleepy Connecticut town 4 years ago, I've only made two friends, Katrina and Ben. Katrina was born in Georgia and you really can tell. She is more than obsessed with Kenny Chesney and she wears her favorite cowboy boots every day. Not that I'm saying that everyone in the south listens to country music and dresses like a cowboy, because I've been down there and the majority of them don't. Ben is a totally different story. Ben has lived here his whole life. He was loved by everyone (friends, family, teachers, etc...) until he realized he was gay. Then he joined me and Katrina and we became the "Misfit Trio." Nobody paid attention to us or talked to us.

That was all before Corey came along. Corey is rich and popular. Girls flock around him. It's pathetic, but it adds to his "look" and it boosts his self-confidence. But to their dismay, Corey picked me, baggy-sweatshirted, mopey, misfit me. And just last month, I had agreed to go to prom with him, stupid me (did I mention stupid before?).

So now, I'm standing here, purse in hand, waiting for Corey. He's been so excited about prom. I really expect him to go completely overboard with it.

Then, a wave of screaming came from my handbag. My phone was ringing. Ben had changed my ringtone to a metal song as a joke. He had no idea that I would be listening to non-stop metal months later.

"Sarah?! Thank God you're alive! I saw the crash on TV and thought that maybe you were hurt." It was my aunt, my terribly drunk aunt.

"A detective called me. She's on her way over to the house right now. She was looking for you, but I told her I had no idea where you were. She said you weren't in the car, but I had no idea what to think! I guess a woman from child services is which her, Mrs. H--something. I told her that you could live with me, but she said my record is bad and everyone is still a suspect. Oh God, you probably have no idea what I'm rambling about. Turn on channel 4, sweetie. And don't forget that I love you."

The doorbell ring interrupted all of the disturbing thoughts I had going through my head. I ran to the door and opened it, it was Corey. Without any kind of greeting, I turned and ran towards the living room. I was almost in a full sprint, which was unfortunate for my beautiful new dress that I just bought the other day with Ben, who was going through what Katrina and I liked to call "a fashion diva phase", so I figured he would be the perfect shopping buddy. The dress ripped, big time, making it look like one of those dresses that girls always used to wear to their middle school dances, short and slutty.

The second I clicked on the TV my heart stopped beating, it felt like it at least. Corey came around the corner, obviously confused by my sudden disappearance. The words blaring out from the TV were a complete shock. It said, "Miller family killed in car collision, guns may have been involved, no suspects at this time."

My parents and brother had left about 20 minutes ago to celebrate my brother's college acceptance letter. He got into Yale on a basketball scholarship on the same night as my junior prom. My parents were so proud of both of me and Matthew tonight. My mother still had tears in her eyes as they were walking out the door.

Now I would never see them again. My heart sank into my stomach. Corey reached over and put his hand on my shoulder, pulling me back onto the couch with him. He pulled me close for a giant hug, the kind that makes it nearly impossible to breathe. The doorbell rang again. Corey let go and got up to answer it. I could hear him shout, "who is it," even though it was beyond obvious who it was from the flashing lights on the walls.

He let them in, I knew because I could hear high heels clicking down the hallway. A woman came into the room with long red hair, she looked so beautiful, yet smart at the same time.

"Hello, Sarah. My name is Detective Armstrong. You can call me Olivia. This is Officer Williams." She said, while pointing to a very young and handsome police officer that had just walked in behind Corey. He was young, maybe just a few years older than me, but he looked aged.

I didn't want to talk to anyone, especially not them. I quickly became paranoid and although I had answered all of their questions, I'd regretted it. It all went by fairly quickly and before I knew it, Olivia was explaining my new life to me.

I'm going to live in Grissettown, North Carolina with a woman named Faith. Apparently, Williamsburg is a city that's right on the water. Mrs. Hopchkiss, the woman from child services was sitting outside in her car, waiting for me. Olivia told me to go upstairs and pack a bag.

I packed all of my clothes, some pictures, and my stuffed bear that Corey had named Roosevelt, as in Teddy Roosevelt. It was cheesy, but adorable.

I opened my door as quietly as possible and bolted down the stairs, opening the front door as quickly as possible. It wasn't necessary, but it helped. I didn't want to say goodbye to Corey. I didn't want to hear him say he would call me every day and love me forever, because chances are he would stop calling in a month or two, and stop caring in about a week.

I walked towards the only car in the driveway that wasn't a police car. I put my bags in the trunk that was already popped and climbed into the front seat. Mrs. Hopchkiss didn't say anything when I got in. She didn't need to, her eyes said everything that everyone had been trying to say before, she was sorry.

I sat back, relaxed, and closed my eyes. Only 50,000 miles until I reach my destination, might as well sit back and take a nap. I really needed to calm down and put all of this beside me before I reached Williamsburg. All I need right now is a new beginning.