This Summer
By: Steph Pierre
Chapter 1
I could always tell when I was going to have one of "those days". You know, the days where you can tell everything is going to go wrong so, you can't get out of bed. Well, living in the Academy Of Youth, you could always expect one of those days. Fortunately, today wasn't so. Now don't let the name fool you, just because it has the word academy in it; makes it seems fancy and all, but trust me, it's not. No, the Academy Of Youth was a foster home for kids like me. It's basically Annie without the singing and excessive cleaning. Don't get me wrong we still cleaned… a lot. I've been here for six years and all I ever wanted to do was leave, and today I do. So why is it so freaking hard to do. Oh that's right, today is the day I leave the Academy Of Youth to live with my father. You're probably asking why I lived in a foster home all these years if my father was picking me up today. Well, it's a long crappy story. I came from a loving home, or so I thought. My mom and dad looked like a happy couple from afar, but up close they were from it. I was only five when my dad left me and my mom, but I can still remember all the details from the night he left. After he was gone, my mom kind of took it pretty hard. We weren't always financially stable. My mom was a waitress and my dad was a sales accountant for PCs. He left her to be with to be with woman next door, our family friend, Ms. Hathaway. "A love right next door" he called it. My mom was diagnosed with lung cancer a year after he left us. We didn't have a lot of money so, according to CPS she wasn't a fit parent to raise me. Like they know who she was. She gave up everything for me even when she was sick. If that isn't a "fit" parent, what is? My dad didn't want me so I had to be put in the foster system. While my mother was fighting for her life being separated from me. I spent six years shifting to foster to foster home, before I came here. As for my father, well he was too busy with his new life to even be bothered with me. He now owns a fast-booming pc technology business getting richer by the minute. With his new family he made with Ms. Hathaway and their three kids. Now see where the hatred comes from. Moving halfway across the country all the way to L.A. to live with his "perfect family". Today was suppose to be good because I was finally leaving, just leaving with him is not what I expected. Oh well, happy 17th birthday to me.
"Happy birthday Lils! Here, I got you this." It was a picture of me and my best friend Nicole with a card that said "So you'll never forget me." As if I could. My name is Lily Davis, but everyone calls me Lils. "Thanks, Nicky. It's perfect."I always despised my birthday. I mean how could I celebrate when I was all alone in the world and the one person I wanted to see was dead.
"I can't believe you're leaving today." She said.
"It's not like where I'm going is going to be better than here." I said.
"Well at least you get to mingle with all the hot L.A. guys."
"Ha! As if I'll be leaving my room for someone to notice me."
"You can't hide forever."
"I can sure as hell try."
The Head Lady came inside our room. Which meant it was time to go. It's so ironic on how I'm leaving the place I hate to go to hell.
"Lily Davis, it's time to go." She said.
I got up and have Nicole the biggest hug.
"Don't worry. New York will still be waiting for you when you get back." Nicole said.
"Don't forget the dream." I shouted.
"How could I? Now get out of here before I start to cry and, if I cry so will you."
"Good heavens! Please don't cry." The Head Lady said.
We both chuckled. I carried my bag downstairs awaiting my future of what the rest of my life before college would be. Never forgetting the dream that me and Nicky share. To leave the academy and go to Juilliard. I would be the most famous female pianist and Nicky would be the best fashion designer of our generation. When I walked outside there's was a black stretched limo and a driver holding up the sign with my name on it.
"The asshole couldn't even bother to get me himself." I whispered to myself.
"That's me." I said as I walked to the car.
I got in praying that once I got to the airport this would all be over. That this was a nightmare and I was indulging too much into I couldn't get up.
"So… pal…" I said to the driver.
"What's Charlie like?" I said. Charlie being my dad.
"I don't know a Charlie but, Mr. Charles Davis is an marvelous man."
"Ew! What a douche! He goes by Charles now." I said. "Sorry." Realizing where I am.
"So… do you work for 'Mr. Charles Davis'."
"No. I was hired to pick you up from your boarding academy and take you to the airport."
"Boarding academy? Sorry, to correct you there but, that place is a foster home."
"But it's called the Academy of Youth."
"I know pal, I know."