Chapter 1

8 YEARS LATER

“Dad,” I said walking downstairs into the living room, which he called his office. He picked his head up and smiled. 

“What can I do for you sweetie?” he continued to pluck some of the strings on his guitar and I walked closer. I wanted to ask him if he had heard from mom at all this week, but I didn’t like upsetting him. 

“Is it okay if I go over to Kayla’s for a little bit? I’ll be back around 7:30.” I played with a little string on the end of my shirt and he nodded. 

“Sure thing honey, just no later than 7:30, okay?” I nodded and gave him a kiss on his cheek. “Be careful!” I turned around and waved. 

“I will, I love you!” 

“I love you too!” I grabbed my black North Face jacket and headed out. I stuck my hands in the pockets and listened to the little kids playing in the freshly blanketed snow. It was only November 3rd and there was already snow! I felt my nose become an ice cube so I took my hands out of my pocket and tried to warm it. 

“Something smell funky to you?” I heard someone say and I turned around and yelped a little. It was Kayla. “What exactly are you doing?” she asked with a giggle. 

“Coming to see you, but my nose got cold.” I stated. She took off her scarf and gave it to me. 

“Come on, my mom has some hot coco ready, I’ll have her pour you a cup.” She took my hand and we ran towards her house. 

“Where were you coming back from?” I asked as we walked in her door. We were greeted by her very attractive older brother, Jayden. 

“Hey Willow, hey Kayla, what are you two ladies up to?” he asked chuckling a little bit. I felt my face all of a sudden go from cold to hot. 

“Hi Jayden!” I said smiling. Kayla saw and rolled her eyes and pulled me into the kitchen. 

“It’s none of your business banana! Did mom leave?” she asked. Jayden came walking in with a smirk across his face. Kayla told me to sit down so I did and watched her pour me a cup of coco. 

“Yeah she went to go take Abby to her friend Michelle’s house. How’s your dad been Will?” I turned to him and got that funny feeling I get when I talk to cute guys. 

“He’s been doing good. He’s still writing his songs, spending endless nights with me watching movies, and being the normal dad.” I chuckled a bit, so did Jayden. 

“Go mister! This is a girls only moment right now!” Kayla said all annoyed and what not, which I thought was funny. 

“Alright, alright. Goodness gracious! See you later Will.” I loved Jayden, but when he calls me ‘Will’ it makes me feel like a guy, but what other nickname is there for ‘Willow’? 

“Guess what?!” Kayla said sitting down. I took a sip and then looked at her. 

“What? Cory finally asked you out, Cory and Melissa broke up, or you know something about Crispin that I don’t know.” I said laughing. She poked my nose. 

“No! Guess what is coming up in a month, err well okay a little over a month.” She said. I thought for a moment and took another sip of coco. 

“Your sister’s birthday?” I said. She shook her head ‘no’. “Tell me! What’s coming up that you’re so happy about!” 

“The Winter Dance! Hello!” she knocked on my head. Oh that was right, the winter dance was coming up! Sadly, I didn’t have anyone to go with. I haven’t had much luck with guys since my last loser of a boyfriend, Billy. 

“That’s right! How could I forget about the winter dance?” I slapped my head and chuckled. “Kayla, I mean the only girls who really enjoy that stuff are Krissy, Ashley, and  Megan. The only reason they enjoy is because they have creeps like me help plan with everything boss around.” 

“You need to stop letting those girls get in your way of having fun! I mean seriously Will, what have you got to lose? Nothing! Beside’s I was going to ask you to the winter dance, you know, best friends going together, dateless, don’t need to worry about no men.” We cracked up laughing and I sighed. 

“Well Miss Williams, I would love to company you to the Winter Dance!” I said chuckling. 

“Yay! Well Miss Taylor I am happy to take you!” 

Kayla and I spent the rest of the time chatting about what kind of dress we were going to wear, and who we were going to be going with. It was when Kayla’s mom came home that things didn’t seem right. 

“Kayla! What are you doing?” I heard Ms. Williams call up to us. 

“Willow is here! We’re hanging out in my room, why?” she asked. There was a long pause and then her mother spoke again. 

“I think it’s time for Willow to go home, her father is probably getting worried as to where she is.” I looked at Kayla with shock. 

“No mom it’s okay, we still have-” 

“Kayla Millicent Williams! Willow has to go now!” I have never seen her mother act this way before, she was fine when I came over last week. I looked at Kayla and stood up and I couldn’t escape the feeling of hurt deep down. I loved Ms. Williams, I couldn’t imagine why she wanted me gone. I zipped up my jacket and turned back towards Kayla. 

“I’ll tell you what the drama was all about tomorrow at school, I’m sure it’s nothing. See you later Will.” I smiled and waved. 

“See you Kayla!” I ran down the stairs and crashed into her brother by accident. He smiled at me. 

“You alright there?” he asked with his hands on my shoulders. I shook my head no and stood up straight. 

“I better get going before your mom forces me out of the house, catch you later Jayden.” I said and headed out the door and back into the cold. 

“Back so early pumpkin, what gives?” dad asked as I entered the house. He was in our tiny kitchen making some Ramen noodles for us. 

“Kayla’s mom wanted me to leave and well I’m not sure why. She didn’t act like that last week, but I guess they need to have a family talk.” I said. Dad’s face became hardened like a statue and then he spoke. 

“Hmm, well sometimes Ms. Williams is a little high strung and feels too stressed if she has to keep track of more than three kids, you know what I’m saying?” I nodded and sat down at the small dinner table. I faintly heard my phone ringing from upstairs so I hauled some a*s and got there just in time. 

“Hello?” I said out of breath. 

“Whoa, what were you just doing Will?” it was Dex. 

“My phone was upstairs and I ran all the way up here to get it, what’s up with you?” I got up and headed back downstairs. 

“Nothing, I’m a bit bored on this Friday night, but I mean I always am, you know? So did you hear from Kayla about the Winter Dance?” he asked me. 

“I sure did. I’ll bet you anything she’s going to come up with a fool proof plan to get Cory to want to ask her out, even though he’s still with Melissa.” I heard Dex chortle and I did the same. It was true! All that girl ever wanted to do was make a plan and get Cory to notice her, but every single time she tired to do that it failed miserably. 

“Well are you excited?” he asked. 

“Well duh! But I mean I haven’t had much guy luck since Billy, and of course the only people who really enjoy that crap, are Krissy, Ashley, and Megan. I told that to Kayla too, but she laughed at it.” Tiki, my Chihuahua came in and jumped on my bed. He began to lick my hand and I picked him up. 

“Don’t worry about that silly head, anyway I hear there is some new kid coming to our school on Monday, why not start over and make friends with him? I don’t know, it’s a thought.” He had a point, I could start over with a new guy, but I’d be too afraid that I’d mess it up. 

“Thank you Dex! I gotta go dad has dinner ready, so I’ll see you later.” I heard him groan and laugh. 

“Fine, I’ll talk to you later Willy, peace it!” he hung up the phone and I groaned and looked at Tiki. 

“He’s calling me Willy now, ah damn my name!” I said loudly and headed downstairs and dad had two places set. I put Tiki down and sat down. “Why did you and mom have to make me Willow?” I asked putting my head on the table. He put a bowl of Ramen’s in front of me and I looked at it. He let out a chuckle and looked at me. “Willow is a tree!” I complained. 

“Sweetie, we named your brother after a tree too. Look, I was a hippie earlier in my years and when I met your mother I lived in Aspen, Colorado. She told me that she had a favorite Aspen tree and that she wanted our first born to have that name,” he paused taking a sip of his water. “Then, when we moved to Indiana I found myself a nice willow tree to do some writing of my music under. When your mother was pregnant with you, she told me I could choose the name, so I chose Willow. Now, that your mother is gone and so is your brother, I only 110% care about you. Don’t get me wrong, I care about Aspen too, but he’s a college boy, he’s an adult and he hasn’t called since he’s been at school, so I’m wondering if everything is okay.” Aspen had a tendency to get into fights, even now that he’s in college. His senior year of high school which was last year he got into one of the biggest fights and he was expelled. Dad fortunately got his talking ways in and they let Aspen back into Indianapolis High. We’ve had to be very careful about him and everything, it scares me that he could onetime get into a fight with the wrong person and end up in the hospital. 

“But daddy everyone calls me ‘Will’ or ‘Willy’ and it make me sound like a boy, but saying ‘Willow’ all the time takes a lot out of you.” He chuckled and kissed my forehead. 

“Sweetie, all that matters is that you like your name, okay? Do you like your name?” he asked. I nodded. “There we go. Now, what would you like to do after dinner? would you like to catch a movie, watch a movie here, or do something creative?” dad asked. I smiled and slurped up my noodles.