Trigger

one • normality

At first glance, there seems to be nothing wrong with Levi Collins.

In fact, at second and third glance, Levi Collins still appears the most normal of seventeen year olds out there. Well, not exactly normal, per se- he has a uniqueness to him. Warm brown eyes, pale lips and pearly white teeth are about the first things a person can digest when met with the sight of Levi. His brown eyes seem to twinkle with a kindness, only increasing in brightness when his pale lips tug upwards to burst into a welcoming smile. His teeth are perfect- straight and a blinding white that'll leave any teenager envious. After getting over the initial shock of those three things, the next notable things about the seventeen year-old have to be his light brown hair, pushed up in that modern teenage style, and simple clothes- a white t-shirt, probably from American Eagle, black jeans and converse. Levi doesn't test societies boundaries, but he sure as hell doesn't blend into the crowd. Not with a smile like that, lips as pale as his or eyes as genuine as those.

At least, that's my experience of first meeting Levi Collins.

For the longest time, the huge cottage home next to us had been vacant. No family occupied it, for obvious reasons- it's expensive. Two floors, a garage, modern architecture, and big windows make it look like something coming straight from a magazine's list of 'Top Ten Most Expensive Cottages'. It's a model home, that's for sure, which is why it was left on market for so long. Until this summer that is, when a couple had finally bought it. We didn't know about it until upon arriving just four hours ago.

I'm still not entirely sure what had pushed me over the edge just enough to agree to my parent's offer of staying the summer with them at our cottage. Since I was seventeen they had suggested I could stay with my friend Hannah if I didn't want to spend the next two months stuck by the lake with my family. It was actually a pretty nice offer- I love Hannah, I love Hannah's parents and I love Hannah's backyard pool. But then the Hannah I love oh-so-much ended up drunk in the backseat of my car one too many times, Hannah's boyfriend Keegan broke that thin, thin string of patience I had left with him and my hamster decided to crossover to Hamster Heaven.

So here I am. In the middle of nowhere.

Maybe that's a slight exaggeration. The nearest town to the lake is around a thirty minute drive, but at least the view during that drive is nice. The only time my family finds ourselves going to town, though, would be our weekly grocery store trip. At least we have our neighbours for company now, which my parents were quick to take advantage of. As soon as they had seen the couple outside, they were instantly invited over for dinner.

Turns out the couple had a nephew my age- Levi Collins. At first, I hadn't thought much of it, but then I met Levi in all his brown eyes, pale lips, bright teeth glory and suddenly- I was thinking a lot about it.

"Hi," Levi smiles, holding out a tanned hand for me to shake once the small family had arrived outside out cottage door. "Nice to meet you, I'm Levi."

I smile back, taking his hand, "So I've heard. It's nice to meet you too, I'm Kinsley."

Levi shoots me another grin before greeting my parents in the same manner of politeness. His aunt and uncle- Katherine and Jeffery Allen- greet me just as warmly as their nephew did. We lead the inside our brightly- lit cottage. It isn't exactly as large and spacious as what I'd imagine Allen's is, but to me, it's more than enough to satisfy for the summer. Although only one floor, the property is large.

"Dinner will be ready in around ten minutes," my mom smiles kindly as Jeffery makes his way to behind the cottage, where my dad is barbequing. Katherine, on the other hand, already has a glass of wine in her hand and is leaning against the counter with a kind smile on her face. "Kinsley, why don't you and Levi go sit outside on the dock while we wait? The weather is great outside."