It has been seven long years since my family moved from Sacramento to Los Angeles, and now we were moving back. I will finally be able to see all of the friends I had to leave behind.
My brother Josh, the responsible one out of all of us, was the most excited to come home because he was very popular here before we left. Emily, my older sister, (the book smart one) had a few friends still in the area that she kept in touch with. And me…many people would say I’m the rebel in my family, which, I'm not gonna lie, is the honest to God truth. I absolutely hate authority. I hate having people tell me what to do, when to do it and how. Maybe that’s why God saw fit that I be born to the strictest human being alive…William, my dad.
Once I was old enough to start acting out he thought putting me in private school would straighten me out, but it didn’t. He became so frustrated with me that he sent me to boarding school where I had to get my act together real quick. Boarding school didn’t offer me the same freedom that public school did. It was more like joining the army or attending boot camp if you ask me. You were up at five in the morning, your room had to be clean, your bed had to be made and each corner of the bed had to be tucked perfectly in a specific way. Their way.
It was pure hell as far as I was concerned and it took me six long years of good behavior to get out of there. I hated it, but most of all I resented my dad for sending me there. It wasn’t like I was stealing cars or like I’d joined a gang or something.
My dad is very controlling and an outspoken girl like me is not something he takes lightly. My mom knew her role and never spoke out against him. So, the only other person I have is Josh who constantly got into it with my dad for how he treated me. It landed him in a lot of trouble and Josh actually considered enlisting in the Marines to try to get away from him. If he did, I would be left alone once again with no one to protect me so I would be forced to comply or be met with my father’s heavy hand.
“Sidney, I don’t want you getting into trouble at school are we clear?” The Warden asks. At least that’s what I call him because he sucks the fun out of everything. There are always rules to be followed, some unspoken code of common sense to be understood and some imaginary line not to be crossed.
“Crystal,” I smile sarcastically.
“You should take a lesson from Emily and study more.”
“Right, I’ll get right on that,” I roll my eyes.
“Keep it up and you’ll be on a plane back to boarding school,” he warns.
“Even boarding school isn’t as bad as being here with you,” I mumble underneath my breath.
Suddenly losing my appetite, I get up from the dining table and head up to my room. I always seem to lose my appetite whenever he opens his scrutinizing, critical mouth.
“Sidney you shouldn’t provoke your father this way,” said my Mom, who appears out of nowhere in the doorway of my bedroom.
“Yeah, well you shouldn’t be content with being his doormat Mom. You’re beautiful and smart…you deserve to be treated better.”
“Watch it,” she warns, “He’s your father Sid.”
“Don’t remind me. Besides, it takes more than being a sperm donor to be a father doesn’t it? Whatever happened to compassion and understanding?” I sulk.
“You misunderstand him, it’s because he loves you all that he rides you so hard. He wants you all to make something of yourselves and not just blend in with the rest of the decaying part of society,” she replies, defending him.
“Mom, do you know how pompous that sounds?”
“Your father and I have worked really hard at giving you children our best. I’m sorry if what I said sounds arrogant but we don’t want all of our hard work to be for nothing. You and your father butt heads because the two of you are a lot alike and he doesn’t want you to make the same mistakes he did.”
“So what you’re saying is I should apologize to dad,” I realize.
“He’s just looking out for you Kit Kat,” she smiles warmly.
She finally leaves my room and as usual I’m left feeling guilty. Slowly I take the walk of shame downstairs into the living room where my dad is sitting on the sofa watching the news.
“Dad.”
“Yes Pumpkin?” His eyes shift over to mine.
“I’m sorry for being a jerk. I know you’re just trying to push me to do better and instead of copping an attitude I should be listening, so I apologize,” I say, doing the good daughter thing and owning up to my mistake.
“Apology accepted, now go eat dinner you look hungry,” he chuckles.
He doesn’t have to tell me twice because whatever Mom is cooking smells delicious. Josh and Em sit smiling at me from the table, which usually meant they thought I was being a sucker.
“Don't say a word and stop looking at me like that,” I warn them.
They both burst into laughter and after my tough girl act evaporates I laugh with them. I’m usually the one to give in whenever it comes to the disputes between Dad and I, but Mom was right, we’re a lot alike.
After dinner I head up to my room to pick out what I’m going to wear to school tomorrow. I hear some voices outside on the street and looked out my window. Our sidewalk is filled with kids my age watching some boys play football in the middle of the streets.
Sliding on my flip-flops I head outside where Josh and Em are already talking to a group of kids. “Football at eight o’clock at night? What, are there no parks around here?” I ask.
“Sid is that you?” An unfamiliar voice asks.
I study the face that the voice belongs to and realized that it’s vaguely familiar. “Drew?” My brows draw together questioningly.
“Wow, so you guys moved back huh?” He smiles.
“Yeah, my dad’s job decided to ship him back here and the people we were renting our house to couldn’t afford it anymore so…yeah,” I nod.
“You remember my brother Scott, and my friends Jason, Malcolm and Dustin right?” He asks, reintroducing me to them.
“Hey guys,” I wave. I have no clue who they are.
“Damn Sidney you got hot,” Dustin looks me over with his eyes.
Ah…yes…the infamous DJ. Now I remember him. I remember all of them. Girls call them the Five Heartbeats after the famous musical group. DJ used to bully me when we were little and make fun of me. How could I forget?
“Thanks D.J.” I reply.
“He’s right, you have,” Drew chimed in, smiling at me.
I remember that smile. It’s the same smile that haunted me all throughout elementary school. I had a wicked crush on Drew when we were little but he looked nothing like he looks now.
The Five Heartbeats head off back into the streets to finish their game of football and I can’t help but be impressed with how well puberty worked for Drew. I remember when he was just this awkward kid with braces and impossible to tame curly brown hair that sat all over his head. From the looks of things it was still impossibly curly, but at least he had it pulled back into a ponytail. He still has cream caramel colored skin too with hazel brown eyes.
“OMG,” said Em, “Why is Drew incredibly hot all of a sudden?”
“I have no idea but wow, puberty really worked out for him,” I chuckle.
“I remember when that kid was just a goofy looking dude,” Josh adds.
“Not anymore apparently,” Em nudges me as if to say ‘go get em’ girl!’.
“Yeah right,” I scoff. “Like dad would even let me anywhere near a boy.”
“Drew’s way out of your league anyway,” A familiar voice chimes in.
“Trisha!” I exclaim, happy to see her. Trisha has been my best friend since we were both in diapers. She’s one of the few friends I’ve kept in touch with.
“You’ve only been here for one day and you’re already scoping guys out,” she laughs.
“I am not.”
“Well good, because as you can see little Andrew has grown up a lot, and he’s very popular now. He’s been an all-star basketball player here for the past three years. He has scouts fighting for a chance to sign him and Ivy League colleges banging down his door. Add all that together and you get groupies…lots of groupies. He has enough of them to take out three different girls a day for the rest of his life.”
“Really?” I ask, “the Drew that I knew hated attention.”
“Well, not anymore, he bathes in it,” she teases, both of us sharing a laugh.
“Wow, I can’t believe how much has changed.”
“What high school are you going to? Consumnes?”
“Yes, starting tomorrow actually,” I nod.
“Great, we can walk to school together or take the bus.”
“I don’t walk and public transportation creeps me out, I’m riding with Josh.”
“Ooh, can I ride too?” she asks.
“Sure,” Josh smiles at her.
Josh has always had a crush on Trisha, but when we were younger they were both way too young and too immature. Aside from that, I didn’t want my brother dating any of my friends because if things ended badly I would get caught in the middle.
Trisha and I slowly get caught up while we watch the football game. Mom calls us into the house around nine and, playing the good daughter, I listen and go inside.
After running into Trisha and Drew, I can’t wait for my first day of school. I want to see what else has changed.
Surprisingly, like Drew, Josh had filled out and his voice was deeper now. I’m proud to admit that he is in fact related to me because he grew up to be really hot too. I just know he’s going to be a hit with the ladies.
The next morning came fast and I snoozed my alarm clock twice because I wasn’t ready to get up yet. Em came into my room to borrow some shoes and woke me up. I had twenty minutes to get dressed, which was hardly enough time so I had to rush as fast as I could and made it downstairs with a minute to spare.
“You always look amazing Sid, I wish I could be more like you,” Em comments, admiring my outfit.
“I’m wearing jeans and a cute shirt, that’s it.” I point out. It’s not that hard, unless you’re Em who’s obviously colorblind and fashionably challenged.
“Yes, but everything always looks good on you.”
“What are you talking about, you’re thinner than I am.”
“Yes, but I don’t have the curves you do. You definitely took after Mom,” she chuckles.
“A woman’s curves are her signature,” I say as I slide my hands down my thin frame with accentuated curves, doing my best J-Lo pose.
“Well, your signature looks better than mine,”she laughs.
Josh honks the horn outside and we both rush out to the car. Trisha is already there and she’s sitting in the front seat. Dad bought Josh a convertible Lexus for having a 4.0 GPA three years in a row. The way my grades usually are I’d be lucky to even get a bike or a pair of skates.
“Nice ride Josh,” Trisha smiles then her face turns a shade of red. Here we go…
“Thanks, it was a gift from my dad.”
“Yes, it’s Josh’s girlfriend until he gets a real one,” Emily jokes.
We all start laughing but Josh glares at both Em and I in the rear view mirror. That was his way of letting us know we were cramping his style, so we giggled to ourselves while he tried hitting on Trisha.
“So Trisha, I hear you like scary movies,” Josh turns up the charm. 650Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAtyB6K58K
“I do, the scarier the better,” She smiles taking the bait.
“Why don’t I take you to go see that new scary movie that just came out on Friday?” he asks.
“Um...I can’t,” she shies away.
“Why not?”
“It’s my dad, he’s okay with Sid and I being friends but he’d flip out if he saw us together,” she explains.
“Why, because you’re white and I’m black?” he asks, “does he have a problem with black people?”
“Pretty much,” She answers, turning an even darker shade of red from embarrassment.
“Trisha’s grandfather has strict views on interracial dating Josh,” I inform him.
“That’s cool, but how do you feel?”
“I don’t know,” she shrugs, “I’ve never dated anyone who wasn’t white.”
“You should try it sometime,” he smiles, “Contrary to what your family might believe we don’t all participate in drive-by’s, steal, or wear gold teeth. I’m not a thug or a player, I’m just Josh. I have a 4.0 GPA, I’ve got a scholarship to go to Harvard next year and I really, really like you.”
Trisha smiles and I know she really liked him too. She seems to be toying with the idea in her head and surprisingly she agrees to it.
“Cool, I guess I’ll see you guys after school then,” Josh tells us, pulling in to a spot in the school parking lot.
I head to the office with Em and Trisha to get our schedules, and then we make our way to our first period class. My first class was with Drew and Dustin who I was sat next to. Drew acts like I don’t even exist when I wave to him. WTF...
“Um, Drew, is that new girl waving at you?” A girl sitting in front of him asks.
“Yeah…um…she’s no one, don’t worry about it,” he answers.
“No one? Are you serious?” I glare at him, shaking my head. “No one huh…its funny how a complete nobody can know something as personal as the fact that you wet the bed until you were eight.”
I was told Andrew has changed for the worst, but I didn’t believe it until now. I don’t even know he is right now, but the whole class now knows he wet the bed until he was eight. Jerk. How dare he act like he doesn’t know me? We just SPOKE TO EACH OTHER LAST NIGHT!
Drew slowly turns to glare at me mortified that I would put their business on Front Street. Rolling my eyes, I shake my head and turn my attention to the teacher and took notes. Guys can be so lame. I look over at the girl sitting in front of Drew and she was glaring at me too. I didn’t know what her problem was, nor did I care. If it was Drew she wanted she could have him. Jerk.
The bell rang for us to go to our next class and as I was heading for the door I was tripped by someone and fell to the floor HARD. Kids started laughing and the girl that was sitting in front of Drew now stood over me with this smug little smile on her face.
“You should be more careful when you walk,” she steps over me to leave the room.
ns 15.158.61.42da2
