Fan Fiction ❯ Caitlin ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

::Chapter 1::

 

It was a cool, calm night, more so than any I had ever seen before. I sat on the balcony of my apartment, basking in the evening's silence, and drink a cup of tea. I could see most of Northwest Crossing, my hometown, from my small balcony. I could see the lake that I used to visit frequently as a child, but as a nineteen-year old found that I didn't have enough time to visit anymore. I could see the cobblestone bridge on the outskirts of the town that led to a remote island. People say that there's a mansion hidden in the woods of that island, and the ghost of a powerful sorcerer haunts it.

 

I'm not sure how much of that I believe. As far as the history of Northwest Crossing goes, I did a little research when my mother and I moved here, so I do know that there was a mansion there, but that it was burned in a large fire before I was even born. Apparently, the people of this peacefully rural town didn't like the fact that there was a magic practitioner in their midst and sought out to destroy him. It's so very Frankenstein if you asked me.

 

I couldn't see the mansion from my balcony, but I did see a small lake hidden in the midst of the trees, the moonlight sparkling off of it like diamonds. I closed my eyes briefly and imagined what it would have been like to live all alone on that island. Must have been nice. As I held my eyes closed, it sounded as if the wind were whispering my name.

 

Caitlin...

 

My eye slowly opened back up and I looked around, feeling as if I were being watched. Caitlin Samantha Blackwood. Or Daniels-Blackwood, the latter being my father's name. After my father passed away, my mother and I moved here and she reverted back to her maiden name. I was only six when it happened and his death was the most heartbreaking thing that happened in my young life. My mother wouldn't let me attend the funeral; she felt that it would scar me for life, so I never saw my father laid to rest. But the whole experience made me stronger. It made me realize that I have to appreciate everything that I have while I have it because nothing lasts forever.

 

We were very close, my father and I, much to my mother's chagrin. I felt that sometimes she was jealous of our relationship, that we spent too much time together. More than she and him, but that didn't change anything between my father and I. He always had a big smile for me every time I saw him, always made me feel like he was glad to see me. If he was in a bad mood, I'd step into the room and his disposition would change immediately. I was Daddy's little girl. Sometimes…I'm afraid that I'm forgetting him…that I was too young and my memory's failing me, and it saddens me. But then I'm reminded of him whenever I look in the mirror.

 

A loud knock on my front door startled me out of my reverie. I jumped up quickly and ran to the door, pausing briefly to catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I wore an over-sized t-shirt and an old pair of shorts. Darks eyes looked back at me and my long dark hair was pulled up into a high ponytail. I had a scattering of freckles across my button nose, the one thing that I did inherit from my mother. Not bad, I thought. Not exceptional, but it'll do. Besides, it was only Lucas, my childhood friend, coming over. It was movie night.

 

We had made a promise to each other, since both of our lives are so busy now, that one day out of the week (we chose Wednesdays) we would get together and have a "movie night," and nothing would come in the way of that.

 

I threw open the door, a huge grin crossing my face as I caught a glimpse of the familiar dirty blonde hair and bright green eyes that I've grown accustomed to seeing. Lucas Malone...We met each other when I was only ten, and he, being a few years older than I, was thirteen. There was a birthday party for one of my cousins and Lucas had been one of his friends. We had hit it off right away, considering we were children, and spend the entire party talking, playing, and getting to know each other, much to my cousin's dismay. Since that day, we've been practically inseparable.

 

He's my best friend, and I don't know what I'd do without him sometimes. He keeps me grounded and levelheaded, and I instill some morals in him. It's a give-and-take platonic relationship. He keeps hinting to me that he wants it to be more than that, but I don't think that it would be a very good idea. We're too much alike, I keep telling myself. It'll never work out and then I'd be without my best friend.

 

"What'd you bring tonight," I asked, noticing that he kept the movie hidden behind his back. I tried to look behind him, but he kept moving to prevent me from seeing.

 

"Uh-uh. It's a surprise. Go make some popcorn first, and then you can see what I brought for you." I sighed in defeat, but made my way to the kitchen nonetheless.

 

The movie was one of my favorite movies of all times, and he knew that. So, of course, it was an excellent surprise on my part. We sat on my old couch watching the movie, he sitting straight up, and me lying down with my head in his lap. He gently stroked my hair as we watched the movie and before I knew it, I had fallen asleep. I didn't even feel him get up and leave.

 

Life for me was as perfectly normal as could be...Until I met him.