Murdered for love

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Natalia

It all happened a chilly night in October when I left my boyfriend's house. I was in a good mood. I had my thick gray cardigan tightly wrapped around my upper body, my hands pulling it tighter and tighter as I made my way down the block. The edge of my bright green soft pants was being held up by my brown boots.

There wasn't any need for me to dress in very warm clothes, since I lived down the block from my boyfriend like I always had since we were children. It took me three or four minutes to make my way home.

That night I wasn't prepared for what was going to happen. I thought it was a night like any other. Christmas was close, only two months. The preparations were already ongoing since my boyfriend's family and I were going to Thailand together.

Everything was perfect. I had the best life anyone could ask for. A loving family and a loving boyfriend. I had great friends. I was doing great in school and spring we would all graduate. It was all perfect.

Or so I thought.

By the time I got to my house my lips were blue and I was freezing. I was longing to step inside my warm house, greeted by my seven-year-old little brother Gabriel and my thirteen-year-old little sister Aska. I was looking forward to our German Shepard Felix wet kisses. I was looking forward to sitting down by the dinner table with my family and enjoy one of my mother's delicious meals. I was looking forward to talking to my father about archery, the one thing that was ours alone. Just mine and his. Our own thing together.

Little did I know, that was not about to happen. I was not going to make it inside to my loving family. I was not going to join my family for a delicious meal. I was not going to get another one of Felix kisses and I was not going to see my little brother grow up. Because just as I was about to walk onto the lawn my phone beeped. A text. A text, that would change everything that night and every night and day to come. Because I was not going to have another one.

But to make it to this night, we have to start from the very beginning of this story, the day of my senior year in high school, the day everything started.

*

I wake up with my mother lightly shaking me, talking to me in a soft voice telling me to wake up. I wake up with a weird feeling in my stomach. Is this a special day? Or is it just another day during summer vacation? No, it's the first day of senior year. Finally! I've been waiting for so long. It's finally here. My last year of high school. Unbelievable!

I jump out of bed feeling the excitement taking over my body, inch by inch as I make my way to my bathroom, hugging my mother before running. I do my makeup carefully and I pick out the perfect outfit, green skinny jeans, and a wine red blouse. I feel so beautiful in blouses, I love blouses more than I love dresses. I hear the door to my bedroom open slightly.

I put my clothes on the bed and turn around to face my little brother, Gabriel. He just turned seven this past June and is very proud to not be six anymore, he loves how grown up he is now. His dark hair is messy, he doesn't like to comb it, he has a pair of jeans and a simple black t-shirt. He has green socks on his feet. With a smile his head peeks into my room, his big green eyes glistening in the light of my crystal chandelier. His nose is slightly wrinkled in a very cute way. Jesus, this boy is so cute.

"Mommy says that it's breakfast", he says, he loves coming into my room, he says that it's cozier than his room.

"Okay little man, I'll be right down", I tell him.

He giggles, nod his head, and closes my door again.

I quickly strip out of my silky nightgown and get dressed and drag a brush through my messy hair. I let it fall in waves over my shoulders and put my sunglasses on top of my head. I grab my phone and keys and put them in my bag. On my feet, I put my favorite black pumps. I look at myself in my full-length mirror. Damn, I'm looking good right now, I hope it stays that way through the whole day.

I take my bag and walk down the stairs and towards the kitchen, from where I can hear loud noises. I hear a small bark from Felix, who sounds just like that when someone is teasing him and doesn't give him his candy. It was a small bark, a bark where he tries to sound like a puppy. He's so cute.

I enter the kitchen where my mother is standing by the stove, making pancakes, my father reading the newspaper, Gabriel watching how my sister Aska is teasing Felix the dog. She's dangling a piece of candy above his nose and he is whining and looking at her with pleading eyes. That dog loves and lives for his candy. Who doesn't though?

"Askalynn, stop teasing the poor dog and give him the candy", my father says, looking up from the newspaper.

Aska looks up at dad, looking slightly annoyed. "Aska dad", she says and throws the candy up in the air and Felix jumps to catch it, making Gabriel laugh and applaud before he starts to pet Felix, he really loves that dog, we all do.

"You know I don't like nicknames", dad says folding the newspaper. "You'll always only be Askalynn to me".

"Well you gave Natalia a beautiful name, my name is a joke", she points out while I walk towards the table.

"You have a beautiful name too", I say. "I just have a different one, I don't even have a nickname really, I'll always be Natalia".

"And the sunshine in our lives", dad says with a big smile. "You are so right".

"You could easily be called like Talia or something", Aska says bitterly.

"I don't want to, Natalia is beautiful", I say.

"Is there a reason you're kissing ass right now?" Aska asks.

"I'm just happy Aska, be happy!" I say and kiss her cheek, she laughs.

Christopher Colton, more known as Chris, is a silly man. But a loving husband and a wonderful father. Everyone says I could have been a copy of my father if only I chopped off my long hair and didn't have breasts. Aska is a copy of our mother and Gabriel a mix of our parents. Our dad's dark hair, green eyes, and nose, even the jaws, but the shape of his eyebrows and lips, his cheeks, and the length of his eyelashes is all mom. My mother Caroline Colton, is a beautiful and loving woman. Always thinking of everyone else, always helping others and her cooking is delicious. Aska, is a thirteen year old and full of life, always enjoying an adventure and very fond of doctors. Gabriel is a seven-year-old who is always happy. His dimples can enchant whoever is watching him laugh and he loves our dog endlessly as he does the rest of our family. He is a love giver and doesn't expect to get it back the same way he gives it to everyone else. Felix is the happiest and most spoiled dog in the world. Always eating and always playing and sleeping and farting. That is my family. My loving family who I love more than life itself. I wouldn't be anything without my family, and I'm not like the typical teenager who is ashamed of her family. I could never be ashamed of them.

I sit down in front of my father and beside Gabriel who is just now being served pancakes by our mother. He licks his lips when he pours maple syrup over them.

"I only have time for a quick pancake because I'm meeting the others at the store", I tell my mom as I look back at her, watching how she put the batter in the pan. I look at Gabe. "Hey slow down little man, you're going to drown your pancake".

"I thought you were going to school", dad jokes with a sly expression.

"I am", I say and roll my eyes. "As if I would miss the first day of senior year. But I'm meeting the others there before school".

"A quick pancake ordered", mom shouts and suddenly a pancake comes flying through the air and hits the table.

"Mom!" I say as I stand up. "I almost got grease on my blouse!"

"You did order a quick pancake", dad insist and I roll my eyes sitting back down.

"You people are crazy", I laugh as I move the pancake from the table to my plate with my fingertips.

Gabriel is red in his face with laughter, he's almost choking. And Felix the thief took the opportunity to jump up and steal the rest of Gabriel's pancakes.

"Watch out!" Aska shouts, but it was way too late, the pancake was already devoured and Felix is licking himself happily around his mouth. This dog is the cutest dog I have ever met, and I am so happy that he is my dog.

Everyone laughs and I eat my pancake fast. I grab a water bottle from the fridge. It's very important to hydrate. I hug my mother, Aska high five, I ruffle Gabriel's dark hair, and kiss my father on the cheek before I walk out of the kitchen.

I open the front door and walk out into the warm morning. It's the end of the summer, but still pretty warm outside, autumn is coming soon though, and as much as I love summer, I love autumn as well. It's going to be nice in autumn and winter. I don't bother to take my car today. Instead, I start to walk towards the city. I love walking, I love feeling the air surround me and I love hearing the birds. Maybe it's not so fun to walk in my heels, but it's not a long way into the city from my house so I'm thereafter about ten minutes, besides, I get a ride from the store, so it's very unnecessary for me to take my car.

I think it's very peaceful to walk, you have time to think and clear your head, besides it's healthy to walk, and I actually enjoy walking, just not in these heels I'm wearing right now When I reach the city I immediately see the big sign, 'Jones', and I head towards it of course, because that is my destination. My boyfriend's family is the owner of a very popular painting store. I love being in the store, it's cozy and I can paint whenever I want for free. I love painting, I love expressing myself with my paintings. When I paint I end up in a whole different world, there is no limit to the imagination.

When I reach the store I open the door and the bell plings above me, I love that little bell. Everyone's eyes turn towards the door and everyone smiles. My friends. Just like my family, I wouldn't be anything without my friends. I think that the people around you, shape you into the person you are, both people you get along with and the people you don't get along with. Even people you pass on the sidewalk can shape you even if you don't realize it. What would a person be without their friends? I know that I wouldn't be much. The brightest smile of them all came from the ashy blond boyfriend with golden locks and deep ocean clear blue eyes.