Teenage Dream

June 5

Chapter 1

   Staring. That's all I'd been doing, at the ceiling, out the window, just staring. My mind felt numb. It was like I was waiting for bad news to sink in. I guess, that's exactly what I had been doing.

Earlier my older sister, Valerie, came into my room excited about something.

"Oh, Ellie!" She cried using my nickname. "Danny finally did it!" She screeched.

At the mention of my long time crush I tensed. "Finally did what?" I asked, feigning curiosity. I knew what she would say and the thought made me feel sick.

"He asked me to be his girlfriend!" She shouted jumping on my bed.

"Really? That's amazing!" I said enthusiastically, all the while fighting off the nausea.

"I know!" She said, laughing hysterically.

I sighed, bringing myself out of the thoughts of our earlier discussion. It's not like a hadn't seen it coming. They'd been talking and flirting for months. Besides, he would never have liked me anyway. Why would he when he could have my sister?

I stared at reflection in the mirror. Thick, dark hair hung down to my waist. I had nice little curves but I was too skinny. I was short and pale. My smile was crooked. The most remarkable thing about me was my eyes; however, even they were just a dull shade of green.

I thought about my sister, with her flawless tan skin and her platinum blonde hair. Her eyes were a pale blue color like the sky. Boys had always liked her. Everyone had always liked her. People loved the chatty, confidant type like her. Not the quiet, insecure nobody's like me.

My thoughts strayed to my younger siblings. There was Bethany, who at age fourteen was only eighteen months younger than me. She's loud, overly honest in her opinion, always speaks her mind. She's a bit forgetful but not when it comes to the books and movies she loves.

Then there's the twins, Melanie and Elizabeth. The two of them are the oddest pair I know. At the age of ten, they still enjoy playing dress up in everyone's discarded clothes. The have their own "secret" language, that we all know.

After them is eight-year-old Hezekiah. He's the twins most common playmate. He practically worships their wacky style and crazy minds. He loves building things out of Legos for the girls dolls and for his cars.

Next is my adopted sister Sanako. She'd lived with us since she was three and was now seven. While she was in the orphanage she'd learned quite a bit of Chinese and she loved to speak it so that we wouldn't know what she was saying. She was extremely smart and was quick to reply to every thing.

After her is Anthony. My spoiled, five-year-old, nightmare of a brother. He always whined and complained about everything. Especially baby Angie.

Baby Angie, who's real name is Angela, is the baby of the family. At less than a year she's the light of my life. She's our little bowling ball with legs.

My thoughts strayed back to Danny and I sighed. We'd first met him when we moved here to Port Saint Joe. We'd been toddlers then, only me, Valerie and Bethany had been born. Growing up I had fallen for him. I had fallen hard and I don't think I'll ever be able to get back up.

I wonder aimlessly around our large house. We had ten bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a school room, a music room, a play room, livingroom, dining room, kitchen, an attic, and a basement. The attic had been converted into my own special hideout, but i didn't feel like going there at the time.

I sprawled out on my bed and cried quietly, so that my aunt Liz, my moms sister who lives with us, couldn't hear me in the next room over. Eventually I fell asleep.