August 28th, 1998
Appaloosa Plains
"Anna darling can you come in here?"
"Yes mom?" I sat on the couch, the stiff cushions barely sagging under my weight. Mom had a big goofy grin on her face and she was clutching Matthew's hand real tight.
"Your daddy and I are getting married!" She squealed. I stayed silent before calmly responding.
"You are not my dad." I said coldly. My mother inhaled sharply and Matthew's smile faltered. I sat up from the couch and left the house, stomping out into the yard. Swinging the gate shut behind me I headed to the back corner of the field, away from T.J. my horse.
Cooper, my dog, came and flopped beside me. How could she do this to me?! I hated Matthew and I did not want him to be my "dad". My real father disappeared two years ago and my mom started dating only 6 months after he never turned up. To say the least, I screamed some horrible things the first time she brought a different man home.
"Sweetie?" She came around the fence and pulled me off the ground into a hug.
"Baby don't be sad. Matthew ain't replacing your daddy." Mom said, rubbing my back. Liar. I thought. She sat down on the grass and motioned for me to join her.
"But Momma I don't like him." I whined, sounding much younger than my nine years.
"You will baby. You'll warm up to him." She brushed a stray hair over her shoulder. "He's gone to get his truck and some boxes.
"Boxes?" My stomach dropped. Mom smiled.
"We're moving to Matthew's ranch." I stood up and stepped away from her.
"WHAT?!" I screamed.
"Anna, calm down. This house is tiny, only big enough for you and me, not for a family." Mom reasoned.
"I don't WANT a new family! I want DAD. I want this house! I want Matthew to move away and never come back! I hate him! I hate him so much!" I shrieked, my lungs beginning to grow hoarse.
"It's not your decision to make Anna Grace Lakes." She said sharply, using my full name. "Now get your butt inside and get packing."
It was sad seeing how little boxes our belongings fit in.
"Anna are you ready? Matthew's gonna start loading the truck." Mom called. I sighed. This really was happening.
I picked up my backpack carefully, trying not to damage anything inside. While my mom was busy packing up the living room, I went snooping in her room and found something very interesting of my fathers.
"Anna!"
It looked like a wand, the things that the magicians in the fairs always had. But, more real in a way.
I climbed into the passenger seat of my moms truck. I wiped away a small tear and Cooper barked in the back seat.
"Don't worry baby, you're gonna love it." Mom said, planting a kiss on my forehead.
We arrived at a long and winding dirt road not too long later.
"Here we are!" Mom squealed excitedly. A large barn made it's way into my view.
"Oh." Mom gasped. "It's so beautiful." I grumbled beside her. Cooper barked again. Matthew was waiting inside the house for us.
"Matthew it's simply amazing!" Mom cried, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him. Seeing them made me want to throw up.
"Your room is upstairs Anna, why don't you go check it out." Matthew said with a smile.
I trudged up the stairs, wishing this were all a dream.
But it wasn't.
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August 28, 1998
Bridgeport
"Dad are you okay?" I asked, the 'bed' sagged, notifying me of his presence.
"No son I'm not." His voice was muffled, probably by his hands. "I got laid off. Again."
"Are we gonna be okay?" I asked, crawling towards my father.
He wrapped his arms around me.
"I don't know Max." His voice was sad. I squeezed him.
"Dad, what's it like having a mum?" I asked. His heartbeat skipped a beat.
"Let's..not dwell on that." I frowned at his response.
"Dad, what does Bridgeport look like?" I asked.
"Full of questions today aren't we?" Dad said, a hint of amusement made it's way into his voice.
"I don't know what to say that would help you son." The sadness returned.
"I'm going out Dad." I pulled out of the hug and hopped off the bed.
"Be careful."
I made my way to the playground. Or at least that's what I think it is. You see, I'm blind. Not the born that way blind, the I-got-injured-as-a-baby blind. I'm originally from Yorkshire. I wonder what it's like all the time. My dad brought me here after my mum died and I got my eyes injured. I don't even know what happened, Dad won't tell me what happened. I wish I had a mum.
I imagine having friends too. If you didn't realize, it's a bit hard having friends when your poor and blind. I'm alone a lot, Dad has trouble finding work. I love my Dad. He works so hard just to support me, he even let's me sleep on the bed. He takes the floor. Sometimes I have a feeling to just run away. Run away and never look back. Well, not literally. I just feel like I have a bigger purpose.
Like there's other people out there that I'm just waiting to meet.
But I'm completely unknown.
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August 28, 1998
Bridgeport
"Oh darling look at her! Our little protege." My mom gushed. I sat on the couch, pretending not to hear their conversation.
"Yes she is wonderful. Her little rat of a sister however..." Dad mumbled.
"Howard!" Mother whispered sharply. "You know how Kari will react."
Listening to my parent's conversation made my blood boil. I knew Kari was right there on the couch listening. I also knew that my parents didn't care about me. The night of my tenth birthday I was fed up with being a little princess. I cut off all my hair and bought boy's clothes. I feel so much better about myself but my parents lost all remaining love towards me.
"Mona!" My mother snapped. "Get up upstairs and ready for the party."
"You too Kari." Father added gently.
"You look pretty Mo." Kari said with a smile.
"Don't patronize me." I grumbled as the headband dug into my skull. I loved Kari, she was the saving grace of this family, and my twin sister.
Guests crowded in the space of our penthouse. My parents were talking animatedly to their friends. A scantily-clad woman walked up to Kari.
"Oh my you are just DARLING." She gushed, taking in the image of my blonde-haired pixie sister. I caught the conversation of my mother.
"So where's your son? You know, Kari's twin" A man asked.
"I have no son. That meager child is her sister. She is such a disgrace, looking like a boy" My mother growled. I couldn't help but feel hurt. Did my own mother really not have any love for me?
I started to cry. I hated crying but I couldn't help it. My father shot a glare my way, and I pulled my headband out of my hair and flung it at him. Not waiting to see if I met my target I fled up the stairs. I heard Kari shout something and the party went silent for a moment.
I curled up on my bed. If you didn't know better you really would think Kari had a twin brother. My bedding was gray and black and my wall had science posters on them, not boy bands. The bedroom door creaked open and Kari came in.
"Hey." She said.
"Hm." I responded. "I hate it here."
"Me too."
"No you don't, they treat you like royalty." I grumbled.
"Exactly. I don't want to be treated like royalty."Kari said seriously. She walked over to her bed.
"We should just run away." Kari sighed, crawling onto her bed.
"You have no idea how badly I want to." I said. "What are you doing? Shouldn't you be going back down to the party?"
"Of course not. I'm staying with my sister you idiot." She said with a smile. I couldn't help but return it.
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August 28, 1998
Twinbrook
"L-Lily c-can you h-help me with m-my p-project for sc-sc-school?" I asked, my older sister standing in the living room texting.
"Go ask mom runt, I'm busy." She spat. I hopped off the chair and hurried into the kitchen. My mother stood preparing lunch. I crawled onto the counter.
"What's up bug." She said. She always called me bug for some reason.
"W-why are o-older s-s-sisters mean?" I moaned.
"That's their job." Mom replied.
"B-but I n-need a teenagers h-help for m-m-my p-project."
"Ask Micheal."
"M-Micheal's busy w-with K-Kelly." I groaned. I had four siblings; My oldest brother Micheal, my older sister Lillian, my younger brother Dan, and my youngest sister Macy.
"Ask Lily again, tell her mom said to do it." Mom said with a wink. I smiled and slid off the counter.
I relayed the message to my sister.
"Fine." She groaned with a roll of her eyes. "Let's go to the park, it's nice outside."
"O-Okay."
Lily took off at a brisk pace down the sidewalk.
"Hey w-wait f-for m-me!" I called, chasing after her. We arrived at the park minutes later, I spotted a shady for us to sit but Lily had...other ideas.
"Ohemgee Kelsey!" She cried, rushing over to her friend.
"O.M.G. Lils, you are not gonna believe this! Harry asked me out!" The two girl squealed and spoke rapidly.
"L-Lily, you're s-s-supposed to h-help me w-with m-my project." I whined.
"Ugh, can't you see I'm busy, buzz of." She snapped, her friend giggled. I trudged off to the shady spot I had seen earlier.
Why am I so unknown to everyone?
