Saturday 9.00 A.M.
I just woke up and I'm staring at a plain ceiling. I'm not at home, and I already miss my LA-poster. I'm thinking about what my life would look like, if I was born there. Or if I moved out now. Am I allowed to do that? I'm only 14, so I doubt it. Even if it was legal, my parents would never let me go. I don't have a lot of money, so I wouldn't survive long.
I don't want to wake the others up yet, so I quietly crawl over them as I make my way to the door. Right as I put my hand on the knob, the door opens and hits me right in the face. I fall back and land on Sam and Nancy. They wake up and Nancy lets out a little high-pitched scream. She scared the others, so my plan to let them sleep completely failed.
I can feel my forehead starting to hurt and I feel dizzy for a second. Sams little sister comes running in, completely ignoring the fact she hit me with a door. She opens the curtains and sings out loud:' You raise me uuuuuuup! la-la-la-la-la-laa-laa! You raaaaiiiiiiseeee me uuuuuup!'
'Hannah! Get out!', Sam screams.
'Ugh... fiiiine..', she says while she bows down her head and walks out.
'Aaww..', I moan, while rubbing my head.
'What happened?', Sam asks.
'Your sister happened', I reply quite annoyed.
'I'll get you some ice', Nancy says.
'No, I'm fine. I'll get it myself. You go back to sleep' I know how much they all like to sleep so I close the curtains and go downstairs to get some ice.
Sams mom and dad are in the kitchen making breakfast.
'Good morning, sweetheart', Sams mom says friendly.
'Morning, Ms. Turner', I reply.
'Oh please, call me Tammy.'
'Can I get some ice for my forehead, Tammy?'
'Sure! What happened?'
'Hannah ca-'
'Say no more! I know how she can be. I made her after all.'
I grin and put the ice, Sams dad gave me, on my head. I sit down on the sofa and start thinking again. I wish my dad was like Sams. Sweet, friendly, caring, loving,... I wish I was HIS daughter. This family is so peaceful. Why am I born in the one family in town that can never stop arguing?
My phone rings. It's my mom. I get nervous and doubt if I'll answer it. Tammy sees me struggling and sits down next to me.
'Anna, I know you don't like your parents and that you fight a lot with them. But you can't forget: no matter what happens, they will ALWAYS be your parents! You can't change that.'
I nod and pick up my phone.
'Anna, bad news.'
Oh no.. Here it goes. My moms going to tell me that she's breaking up with my dad, over the phone. Over the phone! Not even in person! She's got some balls.
'What?', I play surprised.
'Aunt Nicole passed away.'
'Aunt Nicole? Who's aunt Nicole?'
'My aunts niece, we're her only family left. That's why they contacted us.'
'Why are you telling me this now?'
'She left you some things, you need to come home so we can go see the solicitor. We have an appointment at 11 o'clock.'
'Okay, I'll get ready now. I'll be there in half an hour.'
I hang up and notice Mason, Sam, Karla and Nancy looking at me.
'Where are you going?', Karla asks.
'An aunt passed away and she left me some stuff. I have to go see what it is.'
I get up and walk upstairs. I put on my clothes, brush my hair and teeth and stare at myself in the mirror. Some stuff. What could someone I never met before, leave me? Me. A 14-year old loser with no self-esteem.
I jump on my bike and ride home. Once I get there, mom's already in the car, ready to go. I get in and we drive around town for almost an hour. Finally we stop at a huge fancy building.
'Here it is. Ready?', my mom asks.
'Ready to accept a football and an old painting? Yeah', I joke.
My mom smiles a little at says:' I'm sure you'll get something nice.'
We walk inside and meet a fat, little man in a suit.
'Mr. Jackson', he says when he shakes our hands.
'Sofia Martin. And this is my daughter, Anna', my mom explains.
'Have a seat, Ms. Martin. We'll get right to the point. First of all, I'm sorry for your loss. Ms. Martin, Nicole left you her house and everything in it.'
My mom smiles a little and nods.
'Now, Anna on the other hand', he continues.
I knew it! A football. I'm going to get a football.
'She left you some of her savings. So if my math is okay that means she left you.. about five hundred euros.'
'Fi-five hu-hundred?', I stutter.
'Yep', Mr. Jackson replies shortly.
'Not so bad after all, he?', my mom whispers.
Five hundred euros... I can do anything I want with it, because it's mine. Not my dads, not my moms, but mine! I could buy my friends some new stuff, I could save it for later. Maybe for when I go to America! I could add it to my Los Angeles jar. It contains the money I'm saving to go to America.
We walk outside and I immediately take out my phone and call up Mason. He HAS to know about this.
'Wow there. Not so fast. What do you think you're doing?', my mom asks while blocking my phone with her hand.
'I'm calling Mason.'
'No you're not. You've got nothing to tell him.'
She pulls my phone out of my hands and lets it slip into her pocket.
'What? Mom! Give me back my phone!'
'No! You're not telling anyone!'
'Why not?'
'Because you got nothing.'
'What? That's not true. I just got a shit ton of money.'
'Yes, but because you're so generous, you're giving everything to me. Right?'
She looks down at me with an evil smile. I look at her purse and see a bottle of vodka sticking out. She started drinking again? She promised me she wouldn't.
I get angry and yell back: 'Why would I do that? You're only going to spend it on drugs and alcoho-'
Oops. I can't believe I just said that. I put my lips together and slowly back away as my mom gets closer.
'What did you just say?', she asks while grabbing my shirt.
'You got quite some balls, missy. Insulting your mother like that. You think because you got more then me, you're better then me. Don't you?', she yells in my face. I can smell the alcohol on her breath.
I try to back away, but she's holding on to my shirt too tight.
'DON'T YOU?!', she screams. Her face is so close to mine, I can feel her spit on my cheeks.
'YOU THINK YOU'RE THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO THIS WORLD! YOU THINK EVERYTHING EVOLVES AROUND YOU! BUT IT DOESN'T OKAY!? YOUR DAD AND I NEVER EVEN WANTED YOU! YOU WERE AN ACCIDENT!'
I feel like crying and my mom starts yelling louder.
'DON'T YOU DARE START CRYING NOW! I GAVE UP EVERYTHING FOR YOU SO IT'S ABOUT TIME YOU DO SOMETHING FOR ME!'
I suddenly feel her hand against my cheek, followed by a lot of pain. I can't believe my mom just hit me. I'm used to my dad doing that, but not my mom. I can see she woke up from her anger and lets me go. She steps back. I can see the regret, behind her tears, in her eyes.
'I'm so sorry, baby. I didn't mean to-'
I turn around and walk away.
'Anna, wait! I didn't.. I'm sorry!'
I continue to walk away, without turning my head even once. I have no idea where I am and my mom still has my phone so it'll take a while until I'm back home. Home. Do I really want to go there now? Maybe I should go to Mason or Sams house. Tammy and Tom, her husband, will welcome me with open arms for sure.
It's starts to rain, and I'm getting very hungry. I reach in my pocket and take out some change. €3,15. That's all I have. I stop at a sandwich bar and buy the cheapest item on the menu. I ask the lady behind the counter where I am and just then someone calls her from the back.
'Mooooom, where are my new Nike-sneakers?'
I recognize the voice immediately. Clara. I remember her saying something about her parents working in a bakery.
The door behind the lady opens and Clara enters. She sees me and stares right into my eyes. I freeze.
'Mom! You sold a sandwich to HER!?', she asks her mom with a baby voice.
'Yes, why?', her mom replies.
'That's the girl who covered my lunch with paint and spit in my face!', she says while pointing at me.
I open my eyes more and I see Clara's devilish smile behind her mom. The lady starts yelling at me and I run outside. No idea where I am, no idea what just happened, no idea what to do. I start crying and run away from the sandwich bar. I think about what my mom said. What if my parents never wanted me? What if I am nothing but a drag to them. Maybe they're better of without me. Maybe everyone's better of without me. Maybe the world will be a better place without me. I can see a bridge in the distance. Maybe the only way to make my dream come true, is to just... stop trying... stop... living.