Chapter 1: Just About Everything

I'm Tara Reilly. I'm fifteen years old, and I've lived in Los Angeles since I was born. I'm sort of tall, 5'6. I have curly, almost waist-length, dark blond hair that refuses to be smoothed, straightened, or even tied.

My eyes are (according to me) my only nice feature. They're big, almond shaped, and are a strange blue-gold color. I have an athletic look to me, which, (don't get me wrong, I like,) is weird since I've failed miserably at every sport I've ever tried.

For me, I look normal. You know, just the kind of person you'd see walking on the streets nonchalantly.

I always wear hoodies, shirts, shorts and jeans. I really hatedresses, skirts, make-up, and high heels. Those things are torture devices! I can't even walk in them for five minutes, let alone an hour! As you probably can already tell, I'm not your typical skirt-wearing, shoe-shopping girly-girl.

I'm extremely outspoken, cynical, and sarcastic. Sarcasm is my second language. You'll see later. I have dyslexia and ADHD. Due to these, um, 'conditons', I don't exactly get the best grades. The only thing I'm really good at is music. I love it, because I grew up around it.

My mom owns this music shop just below our apartment, called Sonic Boom. Because of that, I can play almost any instrument. Piano, drums, bass, and even the harp. But most of the time, I play the guitar.

It's my favorite instrument, because I love the sound it makes. I've had my guitar for a long time now, around three years. My guitar is light wood, with barely any designs, but thats fine by me. It was a was birthday present from my mom, years ago.

I want to tell you more about my mom now, before we continue.

My mother's name is Daria Reilly. She has straight, shoulder-length, mahogany hair and green eyes. She's beautiful, and she's the most wonderful, amazing person I have ever, and will ever, meet.

She's a nature lover, like me, and she's always so...freakishly happy. I love her, but honestly, I find it creepy for a person to be all happy and cheerful all the time. She loves music, because, like me, she grew up around it.

Before my mom owned Sonic Boom, it was her parent's store. That's actually how she met my dad.

One day, while my mom was working the register, just like I do now, he walked in and bought a CD by my mom's favorite band. They just started talking and really hit it off. They stayed together for a month, maybe, then he found out my mom was pregnant with me. When he did, he just left. She was only sixteen at the time, one year older than me.

But still, whenever she talks about my dad, wait, no, him, (I refuse to acknowledge the fact that he fathered me) her eyes twinkle and she looks up at the sky dreamily. She says that the sun reminds her of him.

He had blond hair, just like me, she would say. His eyes were blue, just like the sky, she would say. He was handsome, funny, and smart, she she would say.

I can tell that after all these years, she still loves him unconditionally and irrevocably. And even though I can see the happiness in her eyes when she talks about him, I can't miss the sadness and hurt, either. It's like he just left her, that she keeps on feeling the fresh pain everyday.

Whoever he was, I can't help but feel resentment towards him. For getting my mom pregnant, not having the guts to marry her, leaving her to raise me alone.

He left her, knowing she was pregnant. He left her, knowing she would have to raise me by herself. I know she doesn't really blame him, but I sure do.

I never really had a dad, so my mom made sure to be both parents at the same time. I feel bad for her, not having anyone to help her raise me. I wasn't exactly an easy kid to raise. I was always trouble, everywhere I went.

I always got kicked out of my schools, and I'm sure that my mother couldn't have been pleased by that. But she's such a kind and loving person, she couldn't get mad at me. But every time I got kicked out of a new school, I could see disappointment in her eyes.

It's not like I wanted to get kicked out. It's just... for me, trouble is inevitable, okay? I don't go looking for it. It finds me.

Right now, it's summer, so I don't have to worry about school, homework, and all that chiz. I have a job working the register at Sonic Boom, and besides that, I don't do anything.

Sounds like I'm going to have a normal summer, right?

Dead wrong.

Thanks to everyone reading my story. Sorry it's kind of short, I'll make the next chapter longer.

Now... review and you get a cookie! Flame and I'll slap you with said cookie. :D Run along, children!