I wake up a little bit earlier than usual, somewhere around 7:30am. As unfamiliar as it seems to be awake at this time of morning, it is pleasent and almost satisfying.

Rays of sunlight manage to make their way into my room through small openings in my curtains and light up the dark hardwood floors. Its a shame i am never awake to experience this on most days. I guess i have always prefered sleep and have denied my self the simple wonders of the early mornings.

I sigh as i turn my attention away from the light drawn across my floor and look at my white painted ceiling. Perhaps the reason i am awake now, is because today is unlike any other day. It is different from any other Saturday morning i have experienced for one specific reason. Its my last day in Chicago.

Its sad thinking about all the memories I've created here. Seventeen years worth of priceless memories that will surely be with me forever. The people who have helped me create them however, i will have to leave behind. All of my friends from school, the ones i have grown up with and who have been there for me through my ups and downs will be staying here, while i move on to a new city in which i will make new friends. Although making friends is something that I've never been good at. People say im too cold and that I'm never willing to let people inside my head. But yet again, who would be willing to share your every thought with someone?! To me, being completely open is pure insanity. You never know who you can and cannot trust in this world, and i personally do not plan on testing my luck with everyone i meet.

As i turn to my side and peer at the time written on my alarm clock, (the only item left in my bedroom aside from my bed and night stand) i rub my eyes. "You should go back to sleep." I tell myself as i continue to stare at the electronic device in front of me. But something inside me is urging me to get up.

Nobody else will be awake yet. I'll have some peace and quiet for a while, which is something i never seem to get around here. When you have seven siblings it can be quite hard finding a time in which no noise is being made what so ever. Thinking about it now, getting up suddenly doesn't seem so bad.

To my surprise, it takes little effort to pull myself up and out of bed. The air outside the comfort of my blanket is cool and sends a quick shiver down my spine as i stand up, but i dont mind. The peace and quiet will be well worth it.

As i open my door, i peak my head into the hallway. All of the doors are still shut, signalling that everyone is still asleep. This is strange, I'm not used to this.

I quickly and quietly slip out into the hallway and make my way towards the staircase. Our newly done hardwood floors dont make a sound as i tiptoe down to the main floor. Dad paid a bunch of workers to redo all of the hardwood in our house so that we could charge more for it. It was already worth a lot of money seeing how it is ginormous. To be honest, its a little bit too big for my liking and walking through it now, it seems so empty. All of our furniture has been shipped off to our new house in England, the only thing left is the table and chairs set in the kitchen, a coffee machine, a few mugs and two small chairs on the front porch.

As i make my way into the kitchen i see that there is already a mug placed into the coffee brewer. I look around, but still dont see anyone up. Huh, maybe Mom put this here last night. I hit the brew button on the top of the machine and it begins to make noise. I wince as the sound echoes though the house and hope that it doesn't wake anyone up and when the noise stops, i take the mug now full of coffee out of the brewer and make my way towards the front door.

Fresh air fills my nostrils as i step outside. Unfamiliar sounds, smells and images overwhelm my senses as i sit down on one of the lounge chairs that still remain. I cross my legs and hold my mug firmly in my hands. Its hot, but i dont care. I'm really going to miss this. Even though it may very well be my first morning experience within the last couple years, it doesn't matter. What matters is i will never experience another morning like this one. Not here anyways. Maybe in another town, on another street, on a different porch in a different chair. Everything will be different, and i dont quite know how to comprehend.

Certain things will be the same though. Every night i will go to sleep looking at the same moon and each afternoon (or god forbid morning) i will awake to the same sun. I only wish that everything else could remain the same also. That everything i know to be reality can stay, rather than become another one of the million memories that will be lost over time. Its saddening to think about that kind of stuff, but thats what goes on inside my head. I dont sugar coat my thoughts in hopes of preventing myself from becoming naive.

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I continue to think about a variety of mind boggling things until i realize that it has been over an hour since i came outside and that my mug that was once full of vanilla hazelnut coffee was now empty. It's been nice. Sitting out here. I only wish i had done this before.

"Well someone's up early." I heard a familiar voice call from the front door. I watch from the corner of my eye as my older brother Ryan steps onto the porch and begins to walk over to me. I dont reply to him. There's no need. He always knows what my response will be even if i dont say a word. I continue to stare out at the street ahead of me as he plops down in the other lounge chair.

He sighs as he allows himself to relax, closing his eyes as he tilts his head to the sky, the sun illuminating his taned skin. Ryan is probably the only one of my siblings i dont mind having. We have a special bond that i dont have with any of the others. Maybe thats because we're twins, triplets actually, but i dont like to associate with my sister Kienna. She's rude, snobby, prissy and everything in between, but Ryan and I understand and stick up for eachother which probably sounds cheesy but its true, he's my best friend.

"Everyone else awake?" I ask, still looking out at the gravel road up ahead. The trees that sit on the sides are massive and swaying with the slight breeze in the air. He flutters his eyes open and turns his head to look at me. "Yeah. Mom and Dad woke everyone up ten minutes ago." He told me. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked at him. "Why?" I asked and he shrugged. "They're eager to go i guess."

Mom and Dad have never woken anyone up early. If there's one thing this family respects and values more than anything else, its sleep. Honestly, i wasn't expecting anyone to get up until 10:00, the usual time. Not 8:30. This is just weird.

"Do you think they're going to call a family meeting?" I asked. He shrugged again. "Dunno." He replied and with that, he turned his head away from me and closed his eyes again. Ryan doesn't want anything to do with this family after we turn 18, nor does he care about what my parents have to say. He's a rebel and that is what makes us so different. Between the two of us, I'm convinced i got all of the brains. Dont get me wrong, i love him to death, but he's... How do i say this nicely.... Going nowhere in life. Although i must say, he's very tough. Ryan's the type of guy you'd never want to get into a fight with, even though as it turns out there are other stupid kids who have always tried to pick a fight with him. It never really ends well on their part. He's also taught me a few things as well, so people always knew not to mess with me.

Ryan's never been understanding of rules either and i dont think thats about to change. I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to sneak onto a different plane at the airport, the only thing stopping him is me. I'd like to think that if i wasn't around, he'd still be okay, but i know thats not the truth. Without me, Ryan would either be arrested or dead by now. I dont know how or why my parents haven't sent him to military school yet.

"This is all so stupid." He said after a long silence, his eyes remained closed. "What is?" I asked although i already knew what he was going to say. "Our family moving to a different continent because Dad's selfish." He told me and i looked over at him, surprised yet not surprised that he'd say something like that. "He's not selfish. He's doing whats best for our family." I assured him, but when he opened his eyes and looked at me, i could tell he wasn't convinced. Ryan thinks that Dad accepting this promotion is a pile of selfish bullshit and thats all he'll ever believe, although its untrue. "Dad deserves this promotion. Its his dream and he's setting an example for all of us." I told him sternly, but he only rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Whatever." He said and i sighed before swatting the side of his head gently and standing up. There's no sense in trying this hard to change his mind. Let him believe what he wants. Either way he's coming with us.

As i made my way past him and into the house, i realized that my peace and quiet was over. Aside from Ryan who was still outside on the porch my siblings were up and running all over the house. Suitcases were being piled up by the front door, Jackson was running in the hallways upstairs chasing Avery with a stick and i could hear my Dad yelling at him to cut it out from upstairs. I pass my older brother Sebastian in the hallway and he ruffles my blonde hair as he chuckles. "Morning troll." He teased and i swatted his hand away as i smiled and rolled my eyes. "Morning beast." I said, mocking his voice as i fixed my hair and i continued to head towards the kitchen.

I walked past my mother who smiled at me as i entered the room and set my empty mug in the sink. "Where were you this morning?" She asked and i looked over at her. "I went to go wake you up, but your bed was empty." She said and i smiled. "I woke up early." I told her and her eyes widened. Like i said, i never get up early in the mornings. It probably came as a surprise to her. "Wow. Thats something i never thought I'd hear you say." She chuckled and i rolled my eyes with a smile as i walked towards her, holding my arms out for a hug. She gladly accepted my request and pulled me in tight as she rested her cheek on my head. I love her hugs. She's always so warm and cuddly.

She sighed as she continued to hold me and suddenly i felt tired again. "Are you excited?" She asked me and i pulled away from her just enough so that i was able to give her a look to signify that obviously, i was not. She smiled sadly as she recognized my expression and realized what my answer was. "Dont worry," she said as she tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear. "It'll be fun, I'm sure of it." She assured, although i wasn't convinced. She then kissed my forehead.

"Was Kienna with you this morning?" She asked. "I went to go wake her up but she wasn't there either." She told me. Huh. Classic Kienna. "Uh, yeah. She was." I lied. This is what i hate about having Kienna as a sister. I always have to stick up for her. Well... Technically i dont have to, but i feel obligated to as her sister. I dont know why i always do this though, i absolutely hate her. "Okay good. Can you tell her to bring her suitcase down please? Were leaving in about an hour." She told me and i nodded sadly. "Alright." I said and i turned around to head upstairs.

I knocked twice on her closed door. "Kienna?" I called, but i got no answer. I knocked again. Finally i got tired of knocking so i twisted the handle and opened the door, only to find her crawling through her window and landing with a thud on the floor. I sighed at her incompetence and rolled my eyes. "Ow, fuck." She whined as she grabbed her head in pain. When she noticed me standing there, her eyes widened, but i didnt care about her reaction. I marched up to her window and looked outside. Yep, just what i thought. Marcus's car driving down the street.

"If you tell, I'll kill you." She warned, but i ignored her bluff. "Have fun with Marc?" I asked although i really didnt care what her response was. "Why do you care?" She said as she stood up and dusted off her party cloths. "You're right. He's irrelevant to your life now that we're moving." I replied, earning a glare from her. "You'll be happy to know that you're right for once. I broke up with him." She said both harshly and proudly. I huffed a laugh. "Was that before or after he gave you that hickey?" I asked, pointing to a huge black spot on her neck. Her eyes widened as she gasped and ran into her bathroom. "Oh my god!" She shrieked, i had a good laugh at that. "After you've covered that up, mom wants you to bring your suitcase downstairs." I told her, but i got no reply. She was too busy dealing with the enormous bruise on the side of her neck.

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We all piled into the long black stretch limo that waited for us outside the house. The suitcases were packed and loaded in the back and everyone was seated and waiting for the driver to start the car.

Dad sat by the door and was on his phone making final preparations for the flight as Mom sat next to him double checking her lists. The rest of us sat in silence, staring at each other like we were complete strangers. My feet were rested on Ryan's lap as i leaned my back against the side of the car. I couldn't help but internally laugh at Kienna who kept playing with her hair to make sure it hid the hickey she had received last night. Her phone was beeping out of control, probably with messages from friends and people she doesn't know telling her how much they'll miss her. If you hadn't guessed, she's little miss popular. (Or was here at least. Hopefully she wont be like this in our new town.)

Suddenly, the car started and began rolling away. Mom and Dad shared and excited look as they stopped what they were doing and grabbed each other's hand. "Here we go family!" Mom enthused and we all rolled our eyes.

As we drive down the road, i took one last look at the house. There aren't words to describe how much I'll miss it here. I just hope Holmes Chapel isn't too much of a disappointment. All i know is, it'll never be like Chicago.

Notes

Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed the prologue! It only gets better from here i promise!