I don't know yet!

Bare with me, this is the first chapter I have EVER written.

The story is about a girl who wants to go on a trip after graduating high school with her friends. She experiences life for the first time and unexpectedly finds love, or what she perceives to be as love. She will never forget Rio De Janeiro as she is left with souvenirs that will last a life time. A coming of age story. 

Let me know if chapter one is engaging enough? And if it needs improvement? (I'm sure it does.)

 

CHAPTER ONE

 

    "Oh my God, you are being such a bitch right now.” I was shaking. All the years of pint up frustration was coming out of me like word vomit.

    "Excuse me!? This is not how you get your way.” I’ve never talked to my mother like this before and to be honest it felt good.

    "Then what is? I've done everything I was supposed to do. I got the grades, even a scholarship to go to college... What more do you want from me? What else do you want me to do?” I pulled my shoes from the hallway closet and sat down on the bench next to the door.

    “It’s not you, Penny, I don’t trust you going to another country with Emma and Scarlet, people talk.”

    “People talk?” I looked up from tying my shoe. “And what do you think they say about you?”

    “This isn't about me.” She said turning away and grabbing her purse.

    “No, mom, it is. You’re making it about you, you’re afraid that I’m going to make the same mistakes you made but guess what mom! News flash! I managed to make it past the age of sixteen without getting pregnant. Already making better choices than you.” She froze, then turned around.

    “Which I’m so proud of. All I ever wanted was for you to succeed.”

    “Well, you definitely set a great example for what not to do.” I said gesturing my hands like I was conducting a great symphony.

    “As mature as you claim to be you sure are acting like a child.”

    “You have been blowing this off for almost a year!” I stood up, face to face with the tyrant I call mother “‘I’ll think about it’” I air quoted “‘ask me tomorrow.’ and now at the final hour you’re saying ‘no.’ but guess what, mom, I’m eighteen now, I don’t need your permission to leave the country.” I flung my backpack from off the floor and onto my shoulder with such great velocity I almost knocked myself off balance.

    “Where do you think you’re going to get the money for this trip?” Crap. She’s right. Lightbulb!

    “Grandma.” I say snugly. She laughs. Fueling my fury. 

    “Not your mom.” I knew that would make her smile fade. She hated my dad’s mom and subsequently she hated my dad. She plucked my car keys off the wall and threw them in her purse.

    “It’s too early for this, and you can take the bus with that attitu—“ I was out and slammed the door before she could finish her stupid sentence. At that moment I’m not sure I’ve ever been that mad before. I planned on calling my grandma during lunch hour to ask her if I could stop by after school. I’m graduating on the dean’s list, I deserve an freaking vacation. I stood at the bus stop feeling ridiculous. No senior still rides the bus. Not one of the probable freshmen say a word to me, probably because I look like I’ll snap the neck of the first unwilling victim to attempt to utter so much as a hello.

 

 

    “Whoa! Whats wrong with you?” Kayla, my best friend in the whole world asked. I was in the middle of playing Tetris with school books in my stupid annoyingly small locker that I didn't even see her approach me. I finally gave up and slammed my locker shut. One more week, just one more and I will never look back.

    “She said, no.” I said turning to look at Kayla.

    “Who said ‘no’ to what?”

    “My mom she said ‘no’ I can’t got to Rio, well actually she said ‘I don’t trust you going to another country with Emma and Scarlet.’” I said in a mocking manner.

    “Oh so NOW she gives you an answer! Whats wrong with Emma and Scarlet? She knows I’m going, right!?” My anger found another host. The more angry she got, the more sad I became.

    “Yeah, she knows you’re going. I guess she thinks Emma and Scarlet are bad influences? I don’t know. This is the first she’s ever mentioned it but you know how she is.” Kayla shakes her head in frustration. “I’m going to call my grandma Martin during lunch and see if she can spot me the money to pay for the trip.”

“Do you think she will?” Kayla asked with hope.

“We’ll see.” I shrugged my shoulders. I felt exhausted already and I still had a full day of school to go through. I still couldn’t understand why my mom wouldn't just let me go to Rio De Janeiro for two weeks with my best friends. I may never have friends like this after high school. We’ve been planning this trip our whole senior year. We priced out everything in detail. We even made a list of things to do. I wasn’t going to miss out on a once in a life time opportunity because my mother cant let go. This isn't fair. I feel like I’m missing out on life experiences because of her.

 

 

    “Kayla told us.” Emma said with a sad face as I carefully climbed up the creaky bleachers in the gymnasium. I sat down next to Kayla with my back to the court.

    “Oh, so she told you my mom’s a bitch.” I said with lingering anger.

    “Yeah, whats her deal with Em and I anyway?” Scarlet said.

    “I don’t know? I think she is just trying to find any excuse she can to say no.”

    “Ugh, that is so freakin’ annoying.” Emma said stomping her foot for added emphasis.

    “Tell me about it.” I felt my phone buzz so I reached into my pocket for it and looked at the screen. “Speak of the devil.” I said rolling my eyes while reading the text from my mother.

    “Thats your mom? What did she say?” Scarlet asked leaning in and turning my hand so she could try to see the screen. I pulled my hand away and put my phone back in my pocket. The beauty of best friends, your business is their business.

    “She said not to contact my grandma and she wants to speak to me when I get home tonight.” I contemplated calling my grandma anyway.

    “You scared her.” Emma said with a smile.

    “Do you think she changed her mind?!” Scarlet said getting excited.

    “I don’t know, I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” Ok, I know better than to let myself get worked up over speculation but what if Scarlet was right and she did change her mind? “Can one of you give me a ride home after school?”

    “What’s wrong with your car?” Kayla asked, concerned.

    “Nothing, my mom took my keys this morning and told me to take the bus.”

    “No she didn’t!” Emma said in disbelief. 

    “She did.” I said nodding my head slowly, remembering.

    “That sucks. You’re probably the only senior in history to have to ride the bus.” Scarlet said with a laugh.

    “Um, I doubt that.” Kayla said giving Scarlet a quizzical look.

    “OH! I forgot to tell you guys, Dylan Asher asked me out the last night.” Emma blurted out.

    “Oh my God, how could you not tell me and what did you say!?” Scarlet asked so fast that her words were almost unintelligible. I lost interest in that conversation and fast. Emma was always getting asked out by boys and Scarlet always acted shocked to find out. I was ready to go home. I’ve had enough of socializing for day. These are supposed to be the best days of our lives and here I am, pissed off in gym class with a soundtrack of Emma’s love life.

 

 

    “Thanks for the ride.” I said as I stepped out of Kayla’s car and waved her good-bye as I shut the door. She gave me two thumbs up with a hopeful smile. The she put her hand to her face like it was a phone and mouthed “call me.” I nodded and waved. My mom was already home. Part of me wanted to sprint up to the door and the other part wanted me to take baby steps. The evening was either going to end in smiles or tears. Thankfully I had a back-up plan with a fifty fifty success rate. I pulled my keys out, unlocked the door and walked in. The smell of spices overwhelmed the house, I followed the smell into the kitchen where my mom was slaving over the stove. I put my bag down and grabbed my apron off the wall and stood next to her. She smiled at me tentatively and handed me the whisk and pointed at the pot simmering on the stove. I did as I was silently instructed. We didn't speak for a long minute, I wanted to apologize but I was still so mad that I couldn't work myself up to it.

    “I want you to listen to everything I have to say before you chime in.” She paused looking at me and I nodded my head in compliance as I put the whisk down on the counter and faced her. “I talked to your aunt Gale today, and I told her everything. She helped give me a new perspective. I know you’re a good kid, Penelope and I am so lucky to have a child where our biggest problem is you wanting to go on vacation with your friends but I really don’t want you to go.” She put her finger up the moment I inhaled reminding me to stay silent. “However.” She said giving an unnecessary dramatic pause. “You are not me, and I need to stop treating you like you can’t be trusted because you have proven you can be. Therefore, and you can thank your aunt Gale for this, you can go to Brazil with your friends.” 

    For a moment I stood in shock, trying to figure out if I heard her correctly. “YES!” I yelled. “THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.” I gave my mom the biggest hug I could muster. “I’m sorry for being a bitch this morning.” My mom hugged me back but then pushed me away.

    “We’ll, there is a stipulation.”

    “Okay, sure, anything.” I didn’t really mean… anything…

    “You have to bring your cousin, Chloe.” Damn-it!

    “Awe c’mon mom, I hate her, she's the worst!” I was not over dramatizing that statement. My cousin Chloe is a spoiled bitch. Who’s extremely competitive and I think jealous of moi.

    “I would feel more comfortable if there was an adult around.” Is she delusional?

    “Mom, Chloe is your choice of chaperone? I’d rather it be grandma.”

    “Take it, or leave it.” Ugh, vacation ruined. 

    “Fine.” I said fighting back a smile. As much as I hated the idea of Chloe being there, at least I’d be there, and we’d definitely find a way to ditch her. I kissed my mom on the cheek and ran upstairs while thumbing my contacts for Kayla’s name. She answered after the first ring.

    “I’M GOING!” I screamed into the phone.

    “YESS! Skype, now.” Kayla said over the phone and hung up. I grabbed my laptop from my backpack and logged in. Within seconds I was asked to join a conversation with Kayla, Emma, and Scarlet. All I heard for over a minute was unintelligible squeals and screams. I was smiling so much my cheeks felt like they were crapping up.

    “Okay, okay… what did she say exactly?” Kayla asked.

    “She said she talked to my aunt Gale who convinced her to let me go.”

    “SWEET! Your aunt Gale rocks!” Emma fist pumped the air.

    “Well, there is a stipulation.” I quoted. “I have to bring my cousin Chloe.” I frowned.

    “Who’s she?” Scarlet asked.

    “The worst person in the world.” Kayla said before I could.

    “Oh well, it could be worse, it could be your grandma having to join us.” Emma said.

    Actually that would be better