Dear Sister

Chapter 1

I looked out the window to see if the coast was clear. Sometimes it was safe for me to ride my bike to school, the few reporters on our lawn were hardly interested in me.
But like most days, there were vans packed outside, she had been in the papers again and there was no way I could get to school on my bike with that crowd outside. 
I finished dressing and headed for the kitchen, I could at least get some breakfast if the driver was going to drop me off. I just opened the fridge when she stepped up beside me reaching for the orange juice I was just about to take out.
I sighed, this wasn't the first time. She took a long swing straight from the carton and extended it towards me. I took it and set it on the table,
"For being so famous and all that you sure act like a bum," I said with as much malice as I could, she just smiled her perfectly dentured teeth and waved me away.
"Get over yourself, famous so I can't have a life?" She sounded almost sad as she walked out of the kitchen
Im sure you are wondering who "she" is, and "she" just happens to be my sister, my elder sister.
Julie was 7 years old when some fashion magazine for children spotted her on one of our vacations.
even though I was too young back then to remember what happened I have heard the story so much, each time more exaggerated  than the last, I could tell you word for word how it happened.
The story which my parents would spend about an hour dissecting isn't that dramatic or interesting.
It was bright and sunny at the Korle beach, Julie was standing with her hand shielded against the sun looking over at the fishing boats all the way across the sea. She stood there for a while and then Mark Sente walked up to her. At first mum was surprised that such an elderly man was approaching her very young daughter, they thought he was a pedo (mum would laugh really loud at this point). Then he lifted a camera and showed them a picture of Julie, her golden brown skin glowing in the hot Ghana sun. It was a really nice picture, and the man whose business card showed he knew a thing or two about nice pictures was so impressed he wanted to showcase the picture in one of his magazines if my parents would consent, there would be a small token for Julie if they agreed.
The small token proposed was not so small an amount, and my parents were more than motivated to sign her up for the occasional shoot which turned into weekend photo sessions, and then the trips across the country started.
My parents finally decided city life wasn't for us and they made me understand that we had to leave Accra to make a better life for us. The more comfortable Julie was the more she was working and earning money and quiet serene Eastern Region was the place to be.
Moving here my dad started his own modeling agency to find other girls with the potential of his daughter and had smartly named it "Adu-Sefa Model Consult". I dunno who advised him on the naming, but he has managed to make his mark in Ghanaian Modeling sending a lot of his girls on to Miss Ghana, Miss Malaika and the other pageants around. My mother had retired as a teacher to manage Julie, since they didnt wanna pay someone else to do that.
And she had really done well for herself
She had managed to make a mark in the world of fashion and modeling cause now at 18, she was on trips across the world almost every week. And because of her, I have never had a private life. Once a reporter followed me around town to write a piece on 'a day in the life of mini Juliet Adu-Sefa'. I hated it, but sometimes- just sometimes, I appreciate the perks that came with having a famous sister.
"Would madam like to go in the Benz or the Range?" One of our drivers joked, even though he knew very well my parents only allowed him to take me out in the Corolla. I smiled at the joke, "My dear Chief Driver Shaibu, let's go in the BMW." We both laughed at that.
The trip to school was like every other time he drove me, I like to sit in front and be able to choose the radio station or the music to play. Plus, I hated the idea of sitting at the back and making my relationship with Shaibu so impersonal. I liked to speak to people, and i felt sitting at the back made  our positions as boss/ servant very obvious.
"Did Marieth get to redo her test?" I asked Shaibu as he made a turn on Nifa Road.
"You know she's quiet, she couldn't ask the teacher for retest, so I have let it go. I know she's smart but she can't stand up for herself. She's not like you,". I could feel the sadness in his voice even though he wore a smile. Marieth was his last born, the smartest, most beautiful child I've had the privilege of knowing about-with top grades- but she had the people skills of a squid.
"Do you want me to talk to her?"
"Unless you take her through intensive Tessa training". He teased as he took the turn into Governor Avenue and into the school: Governor Memorial Institute.
"Have a nice day,Tessa." He said as I got out,
"Thanks, you too Mr. S." Tears spring to my eyes as I walked through the parking lot, it hurt thinking that the only well wishes I had in the day was from a total stranger, my parents couldn't bother to wake up in time to see me off. I blinked them away and walked through the lot towards the front hall.
The parking lot was crowded with other students as they were dropped of in some of the top range cars. Governor Memorial was a private school catering to some of the richest people in the area. The fact that the school admitted students from crèche to Senior High meant you had to see the same group of people everyday for as long as you went here.
I've been in class with almost the same people every single day since we moved to Koforidua 5 years ago. The only changes were when someone moved out or someone new came in, and we the new comers were always left on our own.
It hadn't been easy to make friends in 6th grade when everyone had their own friendship groups already, and being common old me with no speciality aside my sisters career I was merely tolerated.
Julie had automatically been the star of Governor High since she entered and I had the misfortune of having to live in her shadow. My refusal to join the Julie Fan Club did not make me anyone's favorite person either. Not to mention the fact that I couldn't mention any of the names of the One Direction members from memory or even tell hem apart.
My second week in school I had been paired with Ellie during sports and we had just stayed paired up for everything else. She had moved here the term before I did and had been on her own till I showed up. She was the only friend I ever made here and lucky for me she moved to Italy last year when her father was transferred there for work. She moved the week before Senior High started and I had to begin that chapter all alone.
So here I am, second week in school all alone and praying I didn't run into Esi Cudjoe the leader of my hate group. She had made it a point to pick on me since I got here, solely because I was living in the glory of my sisters popularity- and she had to work so hard to even be recognized. I didn't care for being known, and I wasn't scared of her or anything, I just preferred not to get into it with her.
I turned towards the corridor that led to my class and almost run into another person I should have rather prayed not to run into.
Standing a whole head taller than me and rubbing the middle of his chest where I had bumped with my giant head was Ian Adams.
I've had a crush on him since he stepped into this school 2 years ago. His father was a member of parliament for our area and they had moved here when he got into office. He was a year ahead, captain of the football team, lead in almost every drama play and he played several instruments. I dunno if you have a better guy in mind but for me, right now, he was my perfect man.
He had never said anything to me, well not in person, I take it the conversations I have with him in my head don't count. I fumbled to pick my bag from the floor. I hadn't even realized it dropped when we bumped. He must have had the same thought because as I lifted my head, I almost hit him in the nose with my big big head- he moved back just in time- but I was so shocked I almost fell over.
"Careful," he said as he threw his arms around me and helped me up. I was so not ready for that touch, and much too quickly, he moved his arms and stood with them in his pocket.
"Are you ok, Tessa??"  He looked truly worried but I was too preoccupied with the fact that he knew my name. Then it clicked, of course he knew my name. Everyone in this school knew my name.
I took in a deep breath and readied myself "I'm fine, I should be asking if you are ok. Sorry for bumping into you like that."
"Don't worry about it, take care yeah." And he smiled walking around me, my eyes followed him and locked with his for a second as he rounded the corner I had walked into him from.
What just happened?

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