Chapter 1: Uprooted

                     My name is Jalil Blackwell and I suppose that I'm the catalyst for this story although I'm not its sole narrator. 

I was born and raised in Appaloosa Plains, a small country town where you knew everyone and everyone knew you.

The type of place where if your family was ever going through something, there would always be a hot-meal at the doorstep waiting for you and a word of comfort.

My parents never told me how they ended up settling in such a quiet place but from the way they spoke of Urbzville, it was almost as if they were trying to run away from something.

I never thought I’d ever leave Appaloosa Plains nor did I want to, but one night my parents woke me in the middle of the night and gave me a suitcase. "Pack as much as you can" they said. Grim expressions. Grim tones.  I asked questions and they said nothing in return. Only communicated with their eyes that I should do as I was told. 

The car ride to our destination was a silent one. No one spoke to each other but I noticed that my mom frequently checked the mirrors and my dad who was normally a cautious driver, was driving frighteningly fast. 

I’d always heard about Starlight Shores on the TV and magazines. The city where everyone wanted to make it big but only a few ever really managed to make the distance. The home of the A-list celebrities, beautiful beaches and the city where the parties never ended.

Initially, I thought we were just passing through. But when we pulled into the driveway of a small house with a beat up looking car in the driveway, I knew that we had finally arrived at whatever destination we were supposed to arrive at. Except apparently the destination was only for me

This man is my mother’s father which makes him my grandfather. Currently, he’s also my guardian as well. After forcing me from our home in Appaloosa Plains, my parents dropped me off at his doorstep and left without explaining a damn thing to me. Hell, they didn’t even stay long enough to see if he was home to answer the doorbell when I rung it.

Jorvan (I call him by his first name because it’s still too awkward to acknowledge him as my grandfather when I just met him.) seems to be a popular figure in Starlight Shores. All types of strange characters frequent our home at all hours of the day and even though he’s told me he’s never worked at a restaurant or owned one before; people always refer to him as “the Chef”. 

I really don’t know what to think of my current predicament since everyone seems determined to leave me in the dark but my dad raised me to always be positive no matter the situation. So for now, positive is just what I’ll have to be.