Chapter 1
Tracy gazed blankly out the window as the rain fell heavily from the gray sky. Thunder rumbled softly in the distance. Tracy leaned her forehead against the window and closed her eyes, focusing on nothing but the sounds of the approaching thunder and the pounding of the rain against her window. Her mind was rather quiet at the moment, compared to how it was usually filled with worries and thoughts, and she hoped it would stay that way for a while. She took a deep inhale and soaked in the surrounding storm.
Tracy loved thunderstorms. She loved how everytime a thunderstorm rolled in it always managed to calm her nerves. She loved the way everything would go quiet other than the gentle sound of the rainfall and the low rumble of the thunder. She loved how the sky would grow dark and gray. She even loved when the pounding of rain would keep her up at night. It was odd but being woken up by the sound of pouring rain was almost relaxing to her, she would rather be awake listening to the rain than sleeping and listening to her brain anyway.
She loved what came with a storm, as well as what came after it. .She loved how when she went outside after a thunderstorm the aroma of rain still lingered in the air. The way raindrops would slowly drip off the leaves of trees. How the grass always appeared more lively after a thunderstorm.
Tracy soaked in the low ambience of the storm and stayed leaning against her window, just breathing slowly. The coldness of the glass added to the soothing feeling the storm was giving her.
Tracy had lost track of time and didn't even realize what time it was by the time she came out of zoning. Tracy opened her eyes and slowly lifted her head off of her window, taking a deep inhale as she did. She took a quick glance at the small clock sitting on her bedside table and saw that it read five twenty-six pm. Her Mother would be calling her for dinner soon. Tracy sighed to herself and threw her blonde hair up in a loose ponytail using the hair tie on her wrist.
She made her way towards her bedroom door and out into the living room. The floorboards creaked softly under her feet as she stepped into her living room .She looked around the living room taking in the surroundings, it looked the same as always. She just liked to make sure everything was still the same, it was an odd habit of hers.
Her house felt rather quiet, and vacant at the moment. With Mason at their Father’s it was just Tracy and her mother home. Tracy preferred it when it was just her and her mother .It seemed to be the only time her mother paid her any mind anymore. .
She walked through the living room and entered the kitchen. She scanned the room quickly spotting her mother, she seemed to be struggling to set the table and finish up dinner at the same time. Tracy cut in to help.
“Here Mom, let me do it,” Tracy said, taking the plates and silverware from her Mother so she could go back to finishing up dinner.
“Thank you Trace, “ Mel said before turning back to the food.
Tracy laid out the dishes on the table, starting with the plates. She placed one plate on each side of the table, and a fork next to each, then a knife, and finally the spoons. She then sauntered towards the cupboard and pulled out two glasses.
“Hey mom, what did you want to drink?” Tracy asked, as she set the glasses on the counter, and then looked towards her mother.
“Oh, just water’s fine Trace,” Mel responded, as she continued to prepare the food.
“Ok,” Tracy responded, filling the glass with ice from the ice tray in the freezer and then tap water and set it on the table. She then got a cup of apple juice for herself and set that on the table as well.
Mel finished up with supper , which happened to be lasagna and salad. She set the bowl of salad in the center of the table. She let Tracy serve herself first before getting her food.
“Are you sure that’s all you want?” Mel asked, concerned about the very small amount of food on Tracy’s plate.
“Yeah Mom, I just don't feel very hungry..” Tracy said quietly. .
“Ok then..” Mel said as she returned to getting herself some food.
“So how was your day?” Mel asked, trying to make conversation and break the awkwardness.
“It was okay I guess,” Tracy mumbled, “same as always.” She shrugged.
Mel just nodded. Mel didn’t take any notice of Tracy’s sulking tone. She didn’t take much notice of anything to do with Tracy. Tracy wished she would notice more, but she was used to it at this point so it didn’t affect her much.
They didn’t talk much for the rest of the evening, it was always like this.
Tracy finished up her food and quickly cleaned up her dishes from dinner, gently setting them in the sink and immediately tried to go back towards her room. Before she could get to her there though, she was stopped by her mother asking where she was going.
“Oh, um just to my room, I have a test on Monday to study for,” Tracy lied before continuing into her room. Truth be told she just didn't want to be around her Mother.
Mel just sighed as she watched Tracy head into her room.
Tracy noticed that it was still raining ,which calmed her almost immediately. She sat on her bed and just stared, listening to the rain gently hit the window, it sounded as though the storm was calming down.
Tracy got a little upset at that because she loved storms too much. She ran her hands through her hair and threw herself back so she was laying down completely. She just laid there absorbing the sounds of the surrounding storm until the ambience eventually lulled her to sleep.