Chapter 1
The Way I Am
Ring Why is my alarm going off? It is the first day of summer vacation! I must have forgotten to turn it off, ring ring ring. Wait that is my cell phone, “Hello, What do you want, it is summer vacation!” I say into my phone, who in the world would be calling me this early in the morning, it is only 5:40 am.
“Hey Emily!”
“Hey Tiffany, why are you so hyper? Can this wait for a few more hours?” I asked. She was way to perky this morning, I mean she usually is but this was more than normal for her. “Guess what? There is a sale at your favorite store!” Tiffany exclaimed “Hope Falls is having a sale? That only happens twice a month!” I said eager for the news to be true.
“I know, how great is that? I talked the owner into waiting to open the doors until you got down here so you better hurry.” Chantel said, sensing my enthusiasm “Alright just give me 30 minutes” I said, hoping that the store owner would keep her promise and keep the store closed. “Ok and bring coffee I am so thirsty” Chantel said, she LOVED coffee, it was like food to a guy. “How about iced tea?” I offered “You know I hate coffee” I said hoping that she would remember this small fact about me “Alright that works” I could here the disappointment in Chantel’s voice, but she agreed, which is good. “Ok see you in 30 minutes, bye” I said, wasting minutes getting ready was going to make me late. “Bye”
I cannot believe that my favorite store is having a sale; they sell shoes, clothes, accessories, and make-up. Hope Falls is the most expensive store in Chicago, which is where I live. It was also the most popular store, partly because I shop there. In addition, because they had the most fashionable clothes and accessories in our town, which made everyone, want to shop there. This was going to be the start to a great day.
I guess that you could say that my life was perfect. My parents were rich, I went to private school, and I was the most popular girl in school, as well with the most beautiful. I got everything that I wanted, no matter what. I had the most annoying older brother, but he was on the state football team, so he was not around much. Leaving mom and dad to spend even more money on me, and to let me do what I wanted.
My two best friends were Tiffany and Chantel. My name is Emily and we were the most popular girls at the school, well I was THE most popular girl in school, they were only popular by default of being my best friends. Every girl in the school wanted to be us, and every guy wanted to date us. Sure, some girls hated us, but they still wanted to be us. To get everything that they wanted and have the power over guys that we did. I guess that is just one of the benefits that came with being popular.
I had known Tiffany since kindergarten. That day was one of the best days of my life. When I walked into the room, she was sitting all by herself in the corner. I went over and introduced myself, and we became quick friends. She came over every day after school, and I spent every weekend at her house.
We were like sisters; we knew everything about each other, stuff that even Chantel does not even know. Such as the fact that even though I am the most popular girl in school I still have not had my first kiss. I mean I am 16 and I still have not. Kind of pathetic right? Well Tiffany is the only one that knows this secret, and I am the only one that knows that she lives with her grandparents.
Chantel was Tiffany’s friend before she became mine. They had met at some summer camp in the 3rd grade while I was in Italy. When I came home Chantel and Tiffany were best friends and I, who had never shared anything in my whole life, was jealous. Definitely not one of my finest moments. We would fight over everything especially who would get to hang out with Tiffany. I could tell that she loved all of the attention, but she could not stand the bickering. So she sat us down one day and said that we were not allowed to hang out with her until we worked out our differences.
There was a sale that day on shoes that I had to go to with Tiffany; otherwise, I would not have apologized. One of my better moves. I told Chantel that I was jealous of her and Tiffany hanging out and she said the same thing. So we talked for a while and found out that we had a lot in common, and we became friends. However, I still do not really trust her with a lot of stuff, just because I have not known her as long.
My mom was a fashion model and my dad was a doctor. My mom was a model runway model in Paris and was home for about two weeks every month. Everyone said that I got my eyes and my height from her, but my hair and body from my dad.
My mom was petite, she is 5’8” has fiery red hair and deep blue eyes and sometimes they would appear gray. My dad was 6’7”, lean, had black hair that would always find the right place to land on his face and had green eyes. My brother and I seem to be complete opposites. He has red hair, green eyes, and is 6’7” like my dad. I had black hair that went to my waist, deep blue eyes, and I was 5’9”.
My mom said that I should go into modeling like her, and that some of the companies that she worked for asked if I would. My dad wanted me to be a doctor like him. Either though neither of the jobs sounded fun, at least my mom got to Paris every month, unlike my dad who was home in Chicago every single day. He did not even get to travel! It seemed like the most boring job in the world, but somehow he found fun in it. Though he did pay for everything that I bought, so who was I to complain?
I know that I may seem like the most spoiled brat in the world but I really am not. My parents are so strict that it is not even funny. I have to be home by 10:00 on weeknights and I can only stay out until 12:00 on weekends, even in the summer.
I also have to have all of my homework done before anything else, and I have to tell my parents where I am going, whom I am going with, and if there is a number besides mine that they can reach me at. It is so unfair, all of the rest of my friends can stay out as late as they want, do their homework when they want, and they do not even have to tell their parents anything when they leave.
In addition, all of my friends have better grades then me, how does that work out? I am not saying that I am dumb or anything, but I could be doing better in school. I guess my parents are on my case so much because my brother was the valedictorian for his graduation, while I am nowhere near.
I think that the person who would end up being our class valedictorian when we graduate would be Mike Hanley. He had gotten straight A’s since 1st grade. He was probably going to get into every college that he wanted because of his brains, instead of his parent’s money as I would.
Mike Hanley was Chantel’s boyfriend. They had been going out for five years. Mike was the third hottest guy at our school, but Chantel liked him for his brains, go figure. Tiffany also had a boyfriend, she usually did. This was her fifth boyfriend of the summer, which had just started.
It is not that she is a slut or anything; I mean she has not even made out with a guy before, it is just that she cannot seem to stay with a guy for long and she can never be without one. I guess having a boyfriend just makes her feel complete, but at the same time, she has to f