The name 'Faith' means trust...belief...and confidence. Well, believe me when I say you can trust that I have absolutely no confidence in myself whatsoever.

So would you if all your three cousins and one sister were believed to do great, magical things – and you're the runt of the litter. The ordinary person who has to live life on a routinely basis; doing the same thing every day until you die.

My sister and my cousins have powers that relate to each season – they are at their strongest when that season is taking place. Sienna, my sister, has the powers of autumn; my cousins: Aurelia, Forsythia and Eirlys, have the powers of summer, spring and winter. Then there's me: the unexpected child...Faith Seasons.

"Faith," I could hear my sister's irritating voice but I couldn't see her, "Faith, wake up!" That would be why I couldn't see her: I was still asleep. "You're going to be late! Gran said to wake you up."

"Oh, leave me alone..." I mumbled into my pillow.

Sienna rolled me over. "Gross...You dribbled in the night."

"Sienna," I whined as I sat up, "I was having a really awesome dream. You already have an awesome life; couldn't you let me have my fantasy?"

"Not when you have to get up." She tugged on my covers, "come on."

"No, they've accepted me, if I leave know I may lose their trust." I hugged them tighter so she would have to fight for them.

"Your name means trust; I'm sure you'll earn it back tonight." She exerted her powers and made me let go of the covers.

"Not fair," I yawned.

Sienna can manipulate anything to do with autumn, so she can make things rot or decay, make things (or people) more tired, and there is a lot more that she is practicing. She used her power to make me more tired so I wouldn't fight her for the covers.

"Sorry, just had to get you out of bed; hold on..." she reversed the effect and made me more awake than I was before.

"Look..." I sighed as I climbed out of bed, "you don't have to play mum just because she's not here."

Sienna glared at me – which was emphasised with her crimson hair. After a beat, she said, "That was uncalled for." With that she left me to get ready.

When I was a week old, some incredible, evil...things killed my mum and dad, and my aunt and uncle. Only my grandparents survived as they ran away, protecting me, Sienna and my cousins. I've never been allowed to know the details but one day, when I'm old enough, I'm going to try and find those evil things. As they say, there is no smoke without a fire...I am simply looking for the spark responsible.

Dressed and downstairs, I downed the small glass of orange juice gran had left out for me and scurried out of the door. I had to jog to school to make it on time.

The screeching school bell rang as I crossed the threshold into my tutor room.

"Hey," my good friend Hazel smiled at me, "good timing."

"Thanks," I saluted at her. It's a thing I do to my closer friends. Saluting, I mean. It's not a serious salute, like soldiers have to do; it's more of a private joke of having to follow the social norms and rules of society. "Oh, are you coming this weekend?"

Today – 1st September – is Sienna's birthday. I was born two years later (by mistake) on the 7th. My grandmother thought it was easier to have a shared party this weekend. The thing about sharing a party with someone who's celebrating the fact that it's their turn for their seasonal powers to shine, the party ends up always becoming about them and not someone else's actual birthday.

"Yeah," Hazel nodded, "hopefully, it'll be more about you considering it's your eighteenth."

Hazel knows all about my family and their 'special' talents – so does our other friend Jesse. They are the only people I can talk to about all of it – whilst sounding sane.

"Will Jesse go?" I asked her.

"Most likely," she pulled out her phone and about two minutes later she looked up, giving me thumbs up. "Yeah, he said he's up for it."

"At least this party won't be a complete waste." I muttered to myself.

After a long day at school, coming home was even worse. My sister sat at the kitchen looking a little down whilst my grandmother sat rubbing her back. Closing the front door, I made it to the first step of the staircase before my grandmother's stubborn voice summoned me to the kitchen.

"Faith, I may be old but I'm not deaf." She said as I leant on the door frame. "Now, you know today is an important day for your sister. I would at least expect you to be more sensitive."

"What?"

"Saying she's not your mother – Sienna knows she's not your mother; she only wants to look after you." Gran looked like she was trying to burn holes right into my skin. "Don't you have something to say?"

"Yeah, I do." I had had enough. "It's always about Sienna, or Aurelia, or Forsythia, or Eirlys. It's never about me. I never asked to be born – I was a mistake remember? It's my birthday on Saturday and I have to share it with Sienna even though her birthday is today. And it's always about it being her season. Why can't we have a normal party for once where it's actually about celebrating the day someone was born? Oh, yeah, that's because I wasn't wanted."

Finally said my piece, I stormed off upstairs and shut myself in my room.

Needing to talk to someone for reassurance, I texted Hazel but when she didn't reply I tried Jesse.

He replied almost immediately.

What's up?

Told gran that it's my birthday on Sat not Sienna's, I answered.

He replied instantly, what she say?

Nothing – went upstairs

I would have done the same

Really so I'm not just going bonkers?

Bonkers? No :) another text from Jesse followed: if it helps, I'll go bonkers with you if you want?

There was a knock on my bedroom door. I didn't get to ask Jesse what he meant because gran walked in and sat on my bed.

"Is that what you think?" She asked quietly.

"Yes, it is." I crossed my arms, "it happens every year."

"You share the party because it's easier financially for me. Sienna is moving to Fallhill cottage next week. This is the last time you'll be living with her. You'll end up being the only person living with me until a couple more years. All your cousins moved out, now its Sienna's turn." Gran looked at the floor.

"You don't get it. It's still about them, never me. All because they have 'powers'," I waved my hands in the air, mocking the word, "nobody ever wanted me."

"That's not true." Gran frowned at me. "Your parents wanted you; we all did. It's just that it was a surprise. There's four seasons – Aurelia...Forsythia...Sienna and Eirlys. Just because you were...unexpected, doesn't mean you were any less wanted."

"Then can't we make Saturday fair – make it about the both of us, not just Sienna?" I asked her.

"Yes, I will make sure it is fair." Gran said firmly.

I didn't quite believe her on that. "Can I ask one thing?"

"Yes?"

Taking a deep breath, I asked, "What happened to mum and dad?"

Gran pursed her lips and after a little while she said, "you don't need to know."

"Yes, I do," I demanded, "They were my parents. I don't remember them. I was a week old when they died."

"How do you know that?" She looked surprised.

"You try stopping Aurelia and Forsythia from talking – they were both old enough to remember it." I pointed out.

"Alright," gran sighed, "yes, you were only a week old. Some evil forces believed in something that didn't exist and killed them, and your aunt and uncle, when they went looking for it. You wouldn't understand, you're-" She cut herself off.

"Go on, I'm what?" I encouraged her. "I'm normal? Like the average human? What?"

"You just can't know. I don't want you mixed up in something you can't understand – you wouldn't be able to have a chance to defend yourself. You don't have powers like your cousins. You'll be killed instantly."

That's a chance I'm willing to take, I thought but didn't say out loud. "Gran, I'm going to find out someday..."

"Get your exams out the way first, and then I'll explain it to you." She patted my knee.

Before I could convince her otherwise, my phone buzzed. She left as I checked the message. My heart leapt, thinking it was Jesse...but it was from Hazel, eager and desperate to find out what happened.

Just like me.