Chapter One
Welcome to Knives, Tennessee


Today, like any other day, was a sunny day in good ole’ Knives, Tennessee. The sun was bright and everyone was wishing to be outside instead of being cooped up all day in Knives High School. The southern air blew through the window of the biology room, filling it with a scent best described as barbeque squirrel. My stomach rumbled loudly. I tried to focus my mind on something other than the delicious smell but it was too difficult. Thankfully, the bell for lunch rang at that moment. I raced through the halls and dove into the cafeteria. The sweet scent was the strongest there. I sighed with desire as I weaved my way through the line and got my fair share of the delicacy. As I sat down with my usual crew, I noticed their attention wasn’t on me, like it always was, it was on a new addition to the lunch room. I glared in the direction they were staring at, hoping to see a mirror shining my reflection at my friends. That’s when I noticed them.

I felt my eyes widen and chin drop. They must’ve been the new kids that everyone in Knives had been talking about. They looked…..different from the type of new comers we usually got. They were somewhat beautiful. With dark, tan skin and clothes all provided by Bass Pro, they seemed like the perfect southerners. Something about them seemed slightly strange. I couldn’t put my finger on it so I tried to see what the others thought of them.
“Hey!” I shouted to my friends, “Do ya’ll know who them new kids is?”
“Beller!” Most of them exclaimed, “Well now, when did you get here?”
They all stared at me.”Finally,’” I thought, “some normal behavior.”
“Well if ya’ll had been staring at me like you do any other day, you would’ve noticed me a long time ago!” I struggled to sound the right amount of rude but it was hard not to get carried away.
“Sorry Beller, it’s just all them Mullens and Pales.” This time, one of them spoke alone, Jessie. “They’re the strangest thing I’ve ever done seen!" Her eyes were wide, probably what mine looked like when I first saw them.
“Yeah. And?” As I spoke they turned their heads toward them again. “Ugghh!!” I tried to make my shriek loud enough to break my friends’ new kid trance, no use. How dare those darn people! They just come in here and steal my spotlight without even considering what that might do to me!
“Michelin, you don’t like those snooty new kids more than little, old me do you?” I batted my eyes to one of the many boys who fell head over heels for me. His head didn’t even turn. I growled under my breath. It wasn’t going to be easy to compete with these guys but they were not going to take my attention and my friends.
I got up from my seat and began to march towards those friend-stealing-aliens. I felt eyes on me but it wasn’t anything I wasn’t already used to. I tried to think of what I would say but it was useless. Instead, I came to the conclusion it would be better to see if they’d insult me first, that way when I tell people how evil they are, I can use personal experience and not have to worry about lies coming back to bite me.
As I approached the table, their heads lifted. They were even prettier up close but now was no time to be distracted. I took a deep breath but was caught off guard by a hand that tapped me on the shoulder. I turned and saw a stranger more amazing than all of the Mullens and Pales combined.
“Hi, I’m Eddy Mullen” said the Greek god-like figure. His accent was deep and made him sound like he’d never stepped out of the south. He had brown, shaggy hair covered by a NASCAR hat and a camouflage jacket. His skin was the same dark tan as the other new kids. My rage died out completely and I couldn’t help but look down. His beauty was too much to handle.
“Uh, hi” I muttered like an idiot.
“My family just moved here and you seemed like you’d like to meet them,” His voice rang sweetly, “If you don’t mind.”
I struggled to think of the appropriate response. In the end, all I could come up with was, “Uh, alright.”
“Well, that big feller there, that’s Emerson, he’s my brother. And that young beauty would be our adopted sister, Rosa Lynn Pale. Next to Rosa Lynn is her brother Jedidiah. And at the end is little Ally, my younger sister.” He smiled a very toothy, proud grin.
“That’s some family you’ve got there” I said so quietly I’m surprised he heard.
“Well, the more of us, the more help on the farm.”
“Hmm, a farm?” I was curious, no one here could afford a farm, much less a house!
“Yes ma’am. Out in the western part of town. My dad, Carl, is an animal doctor and has a job at a farm. We live there now. Him and my mom Emma always keep us busy with chores.” He looked at his family, sitting at the table. I couldn’t help but just look at him.
“That’s real cool. Me and my daddy used to live on a farm but now we live in a plain old shack. Nothin’ too interesting.” I couldn’t believe I had just said that! What was wrong with me? Daddy always said to never brag about your money and here I was describing our mansion to a stranger!
He smiled a small smile to me and I smiled back. It was like all time slowed down just to see our smiles at each other.
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t catch your name” He said, breaking our silence
“Umm…” It was hard to believe I could forget my own name. “Liberty Bell, like the statue, but everybody calls me Beller” I looked up to see him staring me down. I couldn’t look away from his eyes, they were as blue as my daddy’s face when he stubbed his toe on that loose nail in the kitchen floor. It made me laugh my loud booming laugh. Eddy just stood there, smiling at me.
“Well, Beller, it was nice to meet you. Maybe I’ll see you around school.”
“Sure thing” I replied and tried to turn away without leaving his eyes, “Welcome to Knives”
“Why thank you Beller” Eddy said before he turned from me and went back to his family.
I felt like I was about to faint. What an amazing, spectacular fella. And to think that we had met by chance like that.