---------
CHAPTER 1
“WHAT?! No!! I had the summer all planned out! I was going to have fun! And now YOU have to RUIN it by sending me to stay with a person you hardly know while you go to the Bahamas?! THAT IS NOT FAIR!”
Marcy shouted the words at her parents, not caring whether she hurt them or not. I had it all figured out! she screamed internally. Me and Olivia were going to have sleepovers every weekend! And summer parties, and we’d go to the pool together, and stare at all the hot lifeguards….and now I can’t! WHY DO THEY ALWAYS RUIN EVERYTHING??
“Darling, she’s your father’s sister, we know her, so--”
“Don’t ‘darling’ me!” Marcy spat at her mom. “You haven’t seen her in years! And the last time Dad saw her, I wasn’t even born yet! You hardly know her AT ALL!”
“That was only 14 years ago, dear,” her father started to say.
“Yeah, Dad,” replied Marcy sarcastically. “Only 14 years ago. Hah! Well, I don’t even care. Go ahead, go visit my great aunt and uncle. I’m sure you’ll have so much fun. IN THE BAHAMAS! Meanwhile I’m stuck with my stupid unmarried aunt who I’ve never even met in my LIFE! Do you even care about me at all?! UGH!!” Her parents tried to interrupt but she wasn’t listening. Marcy ran upstairs to her room and slammed the door. Maybe they’ll get my point, she thought bitterly. She flopped on her bed and threw her arms out across the numerous pillows scattered upon it. They have no idea how I feel right now. All my hard work planning with Olivia, and it’s for NOTHING! Do they even understand at all?
She gazed at the white ceiling, trying to distract herself from the traumatic afternoon by letting her thoughts roam and her eyes wander around her room. The pink walls were decorated with posters of her favorite boy bands and pictures of her and Olivia doing numerous activities. Long, purple curtains with sequins on them hung from the windows. Marcy sat up, crossed her legs, and focused on a picture of her and Olivia, both several years younger, holding up their hands with their matching nails facing the camera. I wish I had her hair, she thought to herself. Well, I like mine, but hers is so pretty. She fingered the straight brown locks. Her hair hung to about the middle of her torso, and had faded bleached streaks running through it. Olivia’s bright pink hair was arranged in a pixie cut, and always earned her attention. Of course, I get attention too. Ugh, my brain is everywhere today. Look at my face. Hopping off her bed, Marcy walked over to a mirror set over her vanity. She examined her nose and cheeks. Faintly acne spotted, her cheekbones were high, making her always look happy. Except for now. I need to treat my face more, or I’ll get my acne back. Oh, why do I have to go to that place over the summer? Reluctantly, she thought back to earlier in her day.
She had just gotten home from the last day of school when she heard the dreaded sentence: “Honey, we need to talk.”
Her parents called her from out of her room and sat at the kitchen table with her. Marcy was impatient. She wanted to go back upstairs and call Olivia to plan their summer together some more. But her parents insisted, so she complied.
And then they told her.
They had--without telling her--been invited to visit Marcy’s great aunt and uncle, who lived in the sunny Bahamas, right off the beach. And she, their only child, was going to stay with her aunt, who lived in South Carolina, while they were gone. Marcy lived in North Carolina. At least I won’t have to take a plane ride, she mused.
But when her parents informed her that she would be staying with her aunt, whatever her name was, she knew that she would have a horrible time. She had planned so much over the summer, and it was going to be the best summer of her life, and now….it made her mad just to think about it. Marcy grabbed her phone and called Olivia.
“Hey, ready to plan the summer?” said the cheerful voice on the other end.
“I….have some bad news.” Marcy told her best friend all that had happened. When she finished, there was silence on the phone. “Are you still there?” she asked.
“Yeah, I’m here. So….you won’t be able to do everything we planned?” Olivia asked, crestfallen.
“I won’t be able to do anything we planned,” she answered morosely. “You don’t even know how mad I am right now.”
“Well….we can….there’s always next summer, I guess, right?”
“Sure, a whole year away.”
“Can you bring your phone?”
“I don’t know. I guess so, Mom and Dad let me bring it everywhere.”
“Then at least you can call me!” Olivia already sounded happy again. I wish I was as optimistic as her.
“I guess.” Marcy plopped down on her bed again, dangling her legs over the edge. “Look, I gotta go. Mom said we leave to drop me off tomorrow so I have to pack.”
“Okay.” She heard Olivia smile over the phone. “I love packing.”
“Olivia, you love everything.” Marcy smiled too.
“Good, I hear you smiling. Keep smiling, ‘kay?”
“Yeah. Bye bye.”
“Bye, and call when you get a chance, okay?”
“Alright. Talk to you later.” Marcy hung up. She tossed her phone onto her bed, stood up, and walked to her closet. Let’s go about this like Olivia would. Happily. She swung the closet doors open and lugged out her suitcase.---------
Ta da!!! Whatcha think? It gets better, I assure you. :P
~~Zoë Wingfeather
No comments:
Post a Comment