When Two Worlds Collide

INTRO

INTRO: SUMMER 

I wake up to the sound of rain this morning. I open my window and feel the raindrops touch my fingertips. It feels so good, I hope it stays like this for a while.

After a minute or so, I peek through my door and look at the hall. It is very narrow and in the end of the hall, there is a crystal mirror and under it, a table decorated with a vase of flowers of all different sorts, some roses, others daffodils. I run up to them to see more up close. Unfortunately, the flowers are starting to wilt and vanish. The kitchen is just downstairs so I tiptoed down the stairs, carefully holding the glass vase.  I take the vase and add more water to them. At the same time, I check to see if anyone is awake. Nope, just me as usual. There is a note on the kitchen table addressed to me. It says:

Summer, prepare breakfast for us right away. Here is a list of chores you need to do:

              1. Fix the beds and linen.

              2. Do the laundry. This needs to be done immediately!

              3. Clean and wash the bathrooms and pool.

As I finish reading the to-do list, a lady in a marron, silk robe descends down the staircase. She looks like she barely slept last night. Her blond hair was tousled, tangled and looked as if it was uncombed.  Her strict, brown eyes stared at me with a look of distrust, revolt, and most of all, hatred. What did I ever do to her to make her look at me like that?

"Did you fix breakfast yet?", she asked, looking around the kitchen. "No, not yet. I just came down.", I replied. Silence. She just kept on looking at me, expecting me to say something else. " I should get to work on breakfast now", I finally responded.  She climbed back up the staircase and at the top she said "Yes, you should. Call us when you are finished." I feel like Cinderella. What am I, her maid?  

That woman is Amelia Woods, my foster mom. Can you believe it?? I have been kicked out of many foster homes so Ms. Julie, my counselor, has been searching frantically for another place to put me in. This was what she could find. I think that they let me into their home just for me to pick up after them, treat me like garbage. Unfortunately, I have been living with her and her husband, William, for two months already. It seems like years of agony. The only reason I am still here, even with my big attitude against them, is that their daughter, Anna loves me and I love her too.

Anna is eight years old and she is adorable! She always has her blonde hair in two braids and her blue eyes always glitter with excitement. What's even cuter is that her two front teeth are missing too. She could be a model for kids clothing. Anna likes to play with my hair because it's so different from hers. She says she likes my fiery, red hair but I personally would take her blonde hair instead. It makes me stand out and that might seem good but I hate it. I get extremely shy around strangers and end up being rude.

The breakfast is finally ready and I call the family down. I climb up the stairs and yell in the hallway "BREAKFAST IS READY!!". Anna comes to me straight away and hugs me. "Good morning Summer!", she says. I giggle and say " Good morning Anna! Do you want to help me?". Her eyes are glittering again, the sparkly blue is so beautiful. This time, we both shout "BREAKFAST IS READY!!".  "Alright, alright! We're coming in just a second.", they reply. We run to the table and I help Anna sit in her chair. 

William, her dad, comes in and sits at the table with a frown on his face. Amelia comes next. They start eating without a single word to each other. It stayed like that for about fifteen minutes. Suddenly, Amelia says, " Summer, go to the grocery store and buy us the things we are missing." I was confused. "But on my list, you wanted me to do the laundry immediately." Amelia was seriously in a bad mood. She started shouting " WHEN I TELL YOU TO DO SOMETHING, YOU DO IT NOW!!"

"Ok! Fine! I'm going!", I shouted back. I went back to my room to change. I put on  one of the blue sweaters in my closet and a pair of jeans. I went downstairs and put on my sneakers. 

 When I look out of the window, I gasped. "Anna! Come look!". She was curious, " What? What happened?? Whoa!!", she exclaimed, "It's beautiful! What is that?" 

"That, kiddo, is a rainbow.", I replied smiling, patting her on the head.

I kissed the smiling Anna on the cheek and went out the front door.  I breathed in the morning air. I sigh. " Feels good.", I said. " Let the day begin."