Hello, my name is Ryann. With two N’s. People mistake my name a lot! They think Ryann is just my nickname but it’s my literal name! They call me Ryawn it’s really annoying. Like who’s name is Ryawn? I don’t know maybe some foreign person who doesn’t live in the US. Anyway I live in Alabama in my tiny town, tiny neighborhood, tiny school, and tiny house. Everything is tiny. There’s no BIG DEALS in Water Creek. I know everybody and no body moves here because Water Creek is so tiny. So same day every day. Mom comes home from the hospital, takes a shower, reads a book, and goes to bed not a single hug or kiss from her. Ever. It’s like she’s never loved me...
Never ever in the history of ever. I thought I knew everything how the day was gonna go, who I was gonna see today, what I was gonna do today and then my whole life changed before my eyes. Life. Death. Love. Hate. Laughter. Mourning. I thought I’d seen it all, until...no The little town of Water Creek isn’t that fun. Nobody smiles they just walk right past you and ignore you. School is boring to. I don’t have friends nor best friends. I’m alone. No dad. No siblings just my hateful mom who neglects me and acts like I’m not even here. Sometimes we have town cookouts and nobody laughs not even a peep, and yes your probably thinking “How can you live this way?” Well you see there is one thing. The creek. It’s like my secret spot it’s where I usually spend my time. With small fish and bugs. It’s actually quite entertaining to see but then I saw somebody. I think it was a girl but all I know is that she wore a yellow dress a bright as the sun and had dark brown hair she looked around and then scooped up some water and put it in a rusted tin bucket. I wanted to confront her but I didn’t and it was to late anyway. She ran to the outskirts of town and then I couldn’t see her anymore. I never saw her again. Until one day I was walking back from school alone as always when I saw her. She was running down the road with the tin bucket again. Now I was really curious about what she was doing so I followed her to the outskirts of town knowing my mom wouldn’t care that I’m out of the blue gone. So here I am following some stranger am I out of my mind? I shouldn’t be getting into somebody’s business. I thought to myself and turned around “No, Please don’t go, I know you are following me,” Said the girl and she stopped walking “You think I’m peculiar don’t you,” The girl continued. Then we locked eyes for a least a second. I wanted to run but for some reason I didn’t. My senses finally snapped and I took off. SHE TALKED I yelled in my head. I slammed the door behind me and took off to my room. “Wait! Ryann I want to talk to you,” said Mom and set her mug of coffee on the kitchen counter. Mom never wants to talk so I had a feeling this was important. “Ryann I lost my job today,” mom whispered. “WHAT MOM!” I screamed “shh Ryann I’m sorry...I don’t know what to do...after your dad died I....I don’t know....I just sorta...felt locked up inside,” Mom stuttered and started sobbing “Mom?” I hugged her and we both cried together. Together. A family. Both of us. I had no idea what to do, I was sad and lost, but I also felt fearless. That I could do anything in the world and still feel...well you know....Brave. So there I was standing in front of a old hut starring at the door. Terrified to knock. I know it’s childish but it was truly nerve-racking. What is she gonna do? Will she get mad? Is she even home? I thought worrying myself out of my right mind then surprisingly I knocked on the door and no one answered. Maybe I’m not so brave as I thought I was.... I thought and turned away from the door and no one stopped me. I went to the creek thinking the girl I saw last time would be there and she was. Skipping rocks across the creek, I could tell it was her first time. I walked over and sat down “Hi,” I said. She didn’t respond. “Ummm what are you doing here?” I asked “I know your name,” Said the girl and lightly splashed the water in the creek. “You...you do?” I said “It’s Ryann. Ryann Newwalker,” said the girl still not looking up “Umm yeah..” I said shakily “You want to be brave. So do I,” said the girl “Who are you?” I asked “I’m me,” said the girl and finally looked at me. “And I want you to call me Her,” she said and got up, she brushed herself off and walked away. Her? Her name is Her! I thought. I then sprinted home trying not be noticed by anyone. “Mom? You here?” I asked “Yes,” Said mom and looked up from her New Trends magazine. “Ummm I had a weird encounter with somebody,” I said “Her name was....well Her,” I said. Mom laughed “Hah somebody’s name can’t be Her!” “YES THEY CAN MOM!” I yelled. Mom looked at me and stood up “This is why we don’t talk,” she said and walked to her room. I stomped up to my room “This is why we don’t talk! Blah blah blah!” I mocked mom lying down on my bed. This is stupid! Somebody CAN be named Her! Can’t they? I thought thinking about the time me and her locked eyes. In the outskirts of town. Just staring. Her eye’s were a cold icy blue that looked like they could stare into somebody’s soul and then read it. I have to say she’s not normal I don’t even know if she’s...well HUMAN!! She could be an alien or...or a angel!! The next day at school I saw Her. Walking down the hallway. She had ginormous books that I knew the teachers didn’t assign! Not even Mrs. Munch (the librarian)! And uncontrollably I followed her. AGAIN. I know I shouldn’t have but I did. I walked to the library only a couple steps behind her when the principal (Miss. Lavene) came. “Ahem sit please Miss. Hollow,” Said the principal patting the lounge next to her. Oh no HIDE! I yelled in my head and took off behind the bookshelves. “Miss. Hollow...we suspect that you have stolen various books from our school,” said the principal. “What! Who made up that lie!” Her cried “Umm ahem if you have stolen anything I want them tomorrow. If you have stolen something and you do not turn them in by tomorrow then you will get in severe trouble young lady,” Said the principal harshly. “WAIT! MISS. LAVENE!” I yelled “Ryann?” Miss. Lavene was very surprised “She didn’t steal anything! If it was anyone it was ME!” I said “R...Ryann?” Miss. Lavene stuttered “Your our best student and you....stole something?” Miss. Lavene sighed. I knew she mumbled something but I didn’t hear. “Is that all?” Asked Miss. Lavene “Ye...yes,” I said sadly and turned away from Her. Her looked at me sadly and walked up to me “Thank you, I will repay you,” She said and left. When I got home mom looked at me “Ryann! Your in big trouble mister!” Said mom and pointed to the phone on the table. “Did Miss. Lavene call you?” I asked. “Yes, she said you stole...well books from the library! Is this true?” Asked mom “No....n..no,” I said “DON’T LIE TO ME RYANN!” Mom yelled “I didn’t! Her stole books and I got Her out of trouble ‘cause I said it was me!” I cried bursting into tears “Oh, what are....are you sure?” Asked mom “Yes....it wasn’t me...” I said “Okay I’m calling Miss. Lavene okay,” said mom and picked up the telephone and called Miss. Lavene. “Oh! Oh gosh! Should you expel her? Oh...ummm I’m not sure Ryann’s in a good mood to talk....WAIT! Miss. Lavene thank you for understanding,” mom then put down the telephone and looked at me. “Your..suspended from school for a day. Miss. Lavene doesn’t believe you,” said mom and walked upstairs. Noooo, this is all HER’S fault! Ugh I should have never said anything! I yelled in my head. I’m gonna write her a note! I thought and ripped out a piece of paper from a drawer in the kitchen. When I got to school the next day I slipped the note into her locker without her knowing.
