About the Author: Elizabeth is a 14 year old 8th grader who loves to ski, run, and travel.
People, they come and go. Some more than others. Just like kids at the high school I go to. They come and go, from class to class. Kids who strut around the school like they know everything and they are so cool. It angers me. Kids who do not know how much they have before they lose it. Before my dad, who I was very close with left, I had a good life. All these losers at my school just look at me, and seeing inside me to find a fatherless soul that is jealous deep down. It angers me.
. . .
“Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!” I hear as I wake up from a deep sleep.
Ugg, birds are so annoying, I think to myself.
I get up and put on my pink robe with my initials embroidered in the soft fabric. I get out of my bed, and head downstairs to find that my mom has gone to the airport already. My mom flies all around the world. She is a pilot. For breakfast, I had some warm toast with strawberry jam that my aunt made for my mom and I. After I ate my toast I went back up the wooden stairs, and into my quiet, cold room. I look in my full length mirror that has a Polaroid on it of me with my almost black hair shining on the glossy photo paper, and Jayden with her reddish brown hair. I open my closet and pick out and outfit. I chose a blue crop top with ripped jeans and white converse.
“Beep! Beep!” I hear from out of my window.
I finish up my pound of makeup I slather on my face every morning.
Crap! I still have to pack my bag. I think to myself.
I run downstairs put a granola bar in my bag, not bothering packing anything else. I run outside to find that Jayden does not have her Mercedes anymore, but instead I see a jet black BMW sports car with red leather inside.
“New car?” I ask Jayden.
“Yeah, I did not want to be a loser anymore with my Mercedes, so my parents bought me a new BMW,” Jayden replied.
When we arrived at my school all the kids looked at us as usual. We got out of the car and walked under the huge Washington High sign before entering the school. My school is just an average, stereotypical school with a whole bunch of dumb nerds, not very interesting.
“Get out of my way, loser,” I say to some girl who is reading a book.
“You’re so rude,” says the girl who is blocking my locker.
I hate when these know-it-alls come, and think that they can stand up to me because they are like cool or something. I think to myself.
Then I asked the little idiot her name so I know who to pick on.
“Rayna,” She says to me like she is the best person in the whole world.
Then she moves and I put my bag in my locker and walk away. My school is way behind academically. I tested out of my grade and I was offered to go to a school with a better curriculum, but I declined, I could never leave my friends.
. . .
“Tessa!” I hear as I walk out of school about a week later.
OMG, is that Mom? I can’t be seen driving home with my mommy. Maybe I should make a run for it, or pretend I don’t hear her, I think to myself.
“I have a surprise!” She shouts from across the school parking lot.
I look up and start walking over casually. I jump into the SUV and close the door.
“So Mom, what's the big surprise?” I ask while checking my Snap Chat.
“Well honey, now that I am thinking about it, I guess it might not be a good surprise for you, it depends on how you take it,”
I don’t have a clue what she’s talking about, and it is making me mad. I think.
“Well,” My mom starts to say as she pulls onto the main road.
“I am dating someone,” She says as if she is pulling off a bandage.
Wow, my mom has not dated anyone since my dad left us. I guess she can date someone, it's her life, but then again it's going to be weird.
“Okay,” I say to her awkwardly since I am not use to discussing relationships with my mother.
My mom sighs like she is relieved but she also looks like she is feeling some sort of feeling of dissatisfaction, like she still has something to get off her chest.
“There is one more thing, the guy I am dating has a daughter, and she is a sophomore at your school, so one year behind you,” My mom says as we pull up to the house.
“I don’t really care mom, and I probably do not know the girl,” I interrupted my Mom.
She is dating a guy who has a daughter at my school? It doesn't really matter, because knowing my mother, the relationship will not last. I guess it is not such a big deal because my school is pretty big, so I probably do not know the girl and I knew mom was going to start dating at some point, I think to myself.
. . .
About three days later I did the same old thing. Woke up, do my makeup, eat breakfast, and ride with Jayden to school. Now I'm at school and I am walking to class. Out of the corner of my eye I see something, I turn to look.
OMG, is that the girl who thought she could stand up to me?
I should go up to her and give her a piece of my mind, I think to myself.
I walk up to the loser and step on the heel of her shoe, and she falls. I start laughing.
“Hey!” She shouted with a nasty look on her face.
“That's what you get for being arrogant,” I say to the little jerk. All my friends laughed.
I start walking away so I can have the last word. My friends follow.
As I lay in bed I could not stop thinking of that girl and how mad she makes me.
She acts like she is smart and all, but I am, like, way smarter than her. I am the one who is in all Honors classes and who was offered into a gifted program. I think as I fidget with my blanket.
. . .
“Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!” I hear the birds out the window a couple days later.
Yes! It is Saturday! I can go shopping with Jayden! I think excitedly.
I get up and head downstairs. As I step down the last step I look up to see a man on our couch.
Who is this guy on our couch? I think.
“Hi! I am Brian, you mother’s boyfriend,” The guys explained to me.
Oh God, thats him? I can not believe I just met my Mom’s boyfriend and I am wearing my silk pink robe with my slippers on, and I have not put any makeup on, or brushed my teeth, I think.
I stand there, thinking about what to say to Brian.
“Oh, hi honey,” My mom says as she walks in on the awkward encounter.
I am so mad! Mom did not tell me he would be here this early! I think.
“Mom! You never told me he would be here!” I whisper to her as i’m pulling her aside.
“Sorry, I forgot to tell you before I went out with him last night,” she says frantically.
I walk back up stairs as my face gets brighter by the second from the embarrassment.
. . .
“Tessa,” my mom shouts from downstairs. “Brian is gone!”
I head down stairs wondering why Brian was here in the first place.
“Why was he here this early?” I ask as I grab a cracker from her plate.
“Here honey, come sit with me on the couch,” she says gesturing towards the couch.
I follow her towards the couch and and take a seat on the soft, gray cushion.
“So, I have been dating Brian for a while now,” she says.
Oh no, I think I know where this is going.
“He proposed to me, and I said yes,” My mom blurted out.
Oh my gosh, my mom is engaged? I can not believe this.
“Umm, okay” I mumble, not knowing what else to say.
I get off the couch and walk back to my room to process this.
Am I okay with this? When is the wedding going to be? I don't even know Brian’s daughter, AKA my new sister! I think as other thoughts run through my head.
“Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!” I hear the birds singing as I wake up from a deep sleep.
I can not believe it has been three weeks since I found out my mother is engaged and I have not met my sister-to-be yet! I don't even know if I will like her, or if I will hate her because she is a little know-it-all. I have to meet her before the wedding!
I slip out of bed and check the time. It is eleven. I walk down stairs to ask my mom about meeting the girl.
“Morning Mom,” I say trying to get the conversation going.
“Hey sweetie, whats up?” My mom replies.
“First of all, do not call me sweetie,” I say, “Second of all, can I meet Brian’s daughter before the wedding in a week?” I ask.
“Of course, I arranged it already. She is coming over tomorrow. I was going to tell you this morning,” My mom explains.
I nod and walk back up stairs.
I am pretty enthusiastic about meeting Brian’s daughter, but I am super popular at school, she probably will like me. I will like her if she does not judge people like every other kid in our school. It makes me so mad when that happens. I should brag about my grades so she will know how smart I am. I am so smart that I just came up with that.
That whole night I spent tossing and turning thinking about meeting the girl. It was a super long night.
. . .
“Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!”
“Tessa!” My mom shouts from the laundry room, “Brian’s daughter is gonna be here in one hour!”
Oh no, I have to get ready, and I am so nervous. I am about to meet a girl I am going to have to live with her for the rest of my life.
I run to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face and put on some makeup.
“Mom, I am ready!” I shout about forty-five minutes later.
“Ding, dong!” I hear the doorbell ring from my room.
I run downstairs and open the door. I see the girl. We both just look at each other in utter disbelief.
Oh my gosh, I can not believe this is her! It is the girl who thought she could stand up for herself. She is such a little brat! I have to live with her! She is going to be my sister! I think to myself in disbelief.
“You are the girl?” says the girl stepping inside.
“You are Brian’s daughter!” I say almost yelling. “I can not believe I am stuck with a loser as my new sister!”
“Tessa!” Yells my mom from behind me. “Come with me now!” She says.
I follow her into the kitchen, as I expect her to yell at me.
“What are you doing? Why are you so mean to her?” She asks.
“I have already met her at school, she is a little know-it-all who thinks she can be cool.” I explain.
“Honey, she is going to be your sister, and you need to learn how to live with her.” My mom says softly.
My mom grabs my hand and brings me back out to where the girl was standing.
“Girls, I have heard that you have met before and do not get along, so you two are going to sit here and figure this out while I am at the grocery store.” My mom says as she grabs her keys.
I walk over to the couch and sit down the farthest from the girl as I can.
“So what is you name, cause I forgot it,” I say breaking the awkward silence.
“I am Rayna. You?” Rayna says.
“Tessa,” I answer.
Maybe she is not such a know-it-all, unlike what I thought.
“So are your parents divorced like mine? I say bluntly.
“Actually my mom died two years ago,” Rayna explains sadly.
So Rayna might not be so different than me because my dad left unannounced. I think surprised.
“My dad left my mom and I without any warning,” I say.
Maybe Rayna is not so bad after all. She might not be a loser after all. Maybe all the people that I have been mean to are actually suffering there own problem. I think as I fidget with my sleeve.
For the next hour I talked with Rayna about what it is going to be like as sisters after our parents get married.
“Rayna!” My mom yells from the front porch.
“Yeah?” Rayna replies.
“Your dad is here!” My mom shouts as she greets Brian.
Rayna gets her bag and phone and steps out onto the porch, with me behind her.
“Bye Rayna,” I say with a smile as they get in the car.
As they drive away my mom and I walk in the house and I immediately go to my room.
. . .
“Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!” I hear as I step out of bed.
Another day of school. I have to say hello to Rayna at school. I cannot forget. And maybe I can say hi to others I was mean to. I do not know why I was so mean to them. I need to think about the other person’s life when I am mean to them, and how it affects them.
I slip out of my bed and flip the light switch filling the room with light. My eyes hurt as they adjust.
. . .
“Tessa!” I hear Jayden call as I get out of my Mom’s car and step out on the sidewalk at my high school. I look up at Jayden and walk over to meet her and the other stereotypical high school bullies.
“Hey, do you girls mind if I hang with a different group today?”’ I ask, as I expect them to turn on me.
“Are you really going to hang out with losers? If so, we cannot be seen with you because it would mess up our reputation.” Jayden explains harshly with all my friends agreeing with her.
I can’t believe my friends would trade me for their reputation. Maybe they are not really my friends after all. I think
I walk away without saying anything. I walk up to Rayna, who is with a bunch of her friends who seem nice.
“Hi,” I say to the group expecting them to walk away.
They look around like they were not expecting me to say that.
That’s it. They hate me. I am not surprised though. I kinda had it coming for me. I was not exactly nice to them. I consult to myself.
“Hi,” someone says after a long silence. I look up to see a girl with dark curly hair and a blue flannel shirt.
“Okay, I know I have been mean to most of you, but someone showed me that everyone has their own battle.” I blurt out as I look at Rayna.
Everyone looks surprised and uncomfortable.
“Tessa is cool, and she can hang with us, right?” Rayna says to her group of friends.
All Rayna’s friends look around and shrug.
“Yeah, sure!” The girl in the flannel says as others nod along.
I smile as the whole friend group starts to walk to the cafeteria for lunch.
Wow, hanging out with my new friends is kind of refreshing in a way. I totally understand why some people switch the way they live their life to enrich their way of living.
. . .
“Beep! Beep!” I hear my mom as I walk about the school to get picked up.
“Hi Mom,” I say cheerfully as I hop into the car.
I click my seatbelt in and my mom starts the ignition.
“That's good. I hope you are hanging out with Rayna and her friends more.” She replies.
“Yeah, I hung out with them today and noticed what I can do to be a better person.” I explain.
After pulling up to the house, I get out of the car and go to my room. I take down the photo of Jayden, and I and replace it with a Polaroid of Rayna and I.
I am so glad that Mom is engaged to Brian, because if not I would have never met Rayna, who taught me something. That being popular and mean because you are jealous is the worst way to handle your problems. Also, that everyone has their own battle, so instead of putting each other down for that battle, we can help each other fight their battle. I got outside my head to learn a valuable life lesson.