~*Chapter 1*~
It's 6:30 AM on Saturday morning and Mom's shaking me awake. "Emma, get up! Emma, c'mon, we don't have time for this!" she shrieks. "Emma. . ." Mom groans, "Emma, please get up. I know you're awake. You're a bad liar."
I give up all hope of sleeping in and open my eyes. "What's going on, Mom?" I ask, rubbing my eyes. I went to bed past midnight last night--I'd been chatting online with JT and I'd lost track of time. JT can be so much fun, especially when he's not trying to impress everyone.
"We've got to pick up your cousin at the airport, remember? Her flight is in at eight. . . Oh Jesus, is that Jack crying? I told Snake to feed him!" Mom groans again, loudly, and turns to me, "Be ready to leave by seven, okay?"
I nod. "Sure, Mom."
Mom smiles. "Oh, and Emma. . .try not to pressure her. She's been through a lot lately. And she's just your age. Be friendly, okay?"
I nod again and shut my door, walking over to my closet to see what I could possibly wear, thinking all the while about my cousin. Her name is Eva. She's moving in with us because her mother is in a drug rehab center just south of Quebec and her father is currently doing time for being convicted of the rape and murder of ten victims--somewhere in America, I think. Screwed up, huh? I bet Eva is one of those dark types--perhaps she'll fit in with Ellie.
It's not like this whole move isn't a stress on us, too. Mom's doing the best she can, but it's really tough. So many changes have been thrown on us lately. Jack being born, Snake getting Leukemia. . .and now all this. Sometimes I worry that we won't be able to afford everything, especially with Eva around. Once I heard Mom and Snake talking about "downsizing." I would just die if we had to move. I love Degrassi, and my friends. Life just isn't fair.
I choose a denim skirt and a green tank top. Green goes nice with my eyes, supposedly. I don't really care today. I don't want to meet Eva. Sometimes I wish Mom hadn't ever met Snake. Then it would just be the two of us. If Mom hadn't been married, they might've decided to send Eva somewhere else. Or a group home maybe.
I'm being selfish. I know that. Right now, I don't care. I'm mad at the world--mad at God--mad at everyone. When Snake knocks on my door to tell me it's time to go, I practically pounce on him, shouting, "I'm not ready yet!" Then I feel doubly guilty because Snake has been nothing but good to me. And with his cancer, I really should treat him a little better.
I'm just so scared. Not necessarily about Eva, either, although that has plagued me a bit. Mostly I'm just scared about Snake. He's such a nice person. If he died, I'd be heartbroken. Mom, too. And think of Jack, his poor son! What would we do, then? It would be Mom, Jack, Eva, and me. We'd probably end up in the slums. . .
I snap back into the present and sidle downstairs. They're all waiting by the door. Snake's wearing his usual teacher-y outfit, nothing new there, but it's Mom who really surprises me. Lately, she's been wearing sweatsuits. . .today she's wearing a beige tweed skirt, white blouse, and a matching brown/beige checked jacket. I make sure to tell her how great she looks, then apologize to Snake for pouncing on him.
Once we get to the airport, I'm nervous all over again. It's scary. Meeting Eva. I've never met her--well maybe once when I was tiny--but besides that. . .it's scary. I'm afraid I won't be able to deal. Back when I used to be friends with Manny, she always said that whatever was thrown at me, somehow I always dealt with it.
I think I'm getting to boiling point.
I can tell it's her as soon as we round the corner to the baggage claim. She's got a black suitcase and a purple backpack, slung over her shoulder. She has chestnut brown hair, swept into a messy bun, held together with chopsticks. She's wearing a pair of thick, black, geek glasses--but they frame her face perfectly. Her clothing looks American--a pink Abercrombie t- shirt, a pair of denim peddle-pushers, and a pair of white Adidas sneakers with pink laces.
I have to admit, she's gorgeous.
"Eva!" says Mom, rushing over to embrace her niece. "Oh, Eva, how was your flight?"
Eva smiles broadly, showing perfect dimples--maybe even cuter than mine-- and straight white teeth. "It was wonderful," she replies. "Thanks for asking." There's some kind of lilt to her voice, but I can't clearly pick it out. It sounds American.
"You must be famished! Shall we eat in the food court?" asks Mom.
"Oh," cries Eva. "That would be truly great. I'd love to get acquainted with the rest of the family." She turns to me. "You must be Emma, right?"
I nod. "Yep. That's me."
Eva gives me a condescending up-and-down look. Is that her nose wrinkling? "Nice clothing. Over in America, we have a different. . .um, fashion sense." She says it as though my fashion sense is off.
"Where are you from, anyways?" I ask.
"Maine," sighs Eva. She smiles. "It's in America, on the border."
"I know that," I snap, a little too sharply. Mom turns around and gives me a Look. I shut up quickly and stick by Snake. He seems to be having just as tough a time getting used to Eva as I am. Hello?!?! Her family has been torn apart, ruined practically. She could at least tone down the bounciness.
During our lunch, Eva says, bluntly, to Snake, "How come you're bald?"
"School spirit thing," I interject immediately, not wanting to tell her the real reason why he was going bald. And the was part true--he'd shaved his head because the students of Degrassi had raised enough money.
Unfortunately, Snake decides that Eva should know. "I have Leukemia," he says. "I'm going through chemo-therapy."
Eva blinks, as if she's misunderstood what he said. And then she starts all- out bawling, right there in the middle of the food court. It's so embarrassing. "I. . .I'm. . .so. . .so sorry. . .I didn't. . ." She hiccups and wipes her eyes on the corner of her sleeve.
Mom leans over and hugs Eva. "Don't worry, honey, Snake's doing fine. They've caught the disease early. It's very beatable at this point."
Snake smiles. "Eva, I'm not worried about it. I have to concentrate on getting better. When hope is lost. . .then. . .well, if you lose hope you cannot count on anything. And so. . .you die."
Eva wipes her eyes. "You're right. I'm sorry."
I can tell right then that I will never be able to like Eva.
It's 6:30 AM on Saturday morning and Mom's shaking me awake. "Emma, get up! Emma, c'mon, we don't have time for this!" she shrieks. "Emma. . ." Mom groans, "Emma, please get up. I know you're awake. You're a bad liar."
I give up all hope of sleeping in and open my eyes. "What's going on, Mom?" I ask, rubbing my eyes. I went to bed past midnight last night--I'd been chatting online with JT and I'd lost track of time. JT can be so much fun, especially when he's not trying to impress everyone.
"We've got to pick up your cousin at the airport, remember? Her flight is in at eight. . . Oh Jesus, is that Jack crying? I told Snake to feed him!" Mom groans again, loudly, and turns to me, "Be ready to leave by seven, okay?"
I nod. "Sure, Mom."
Mom smiles. "Oh, and Emma. . .try not to pressure her. She's been through a lot lately. And she's just your age. Be friendly, okay?"
I nod again and shut my door, walking over to my closet to see what I could possibly wear, thinking all the while about my cousin. Her name is Eva. She's moving in with us because her mother is in a drug rehab center just south of Quebec and her father is currently doing time for being convicted of the rape and murder of ten victims--somewhere in America, I think. Screwed up, huh? I bet Eva is one of those dark types--perhaps she'll fit in with Ellie.
It's not like this whole move isn't a stress on us, too. Mom's doing the best she can, but it's really tough. So many changes have been thrown on us lately. Jack being born, Snake getting Leukemia. . .and now all this. Sometimes I worry that we won't be able to afford everything, especially with Eva around. Once I heard Mom and Snake talking about "downsizing." I would just die if we had to move. I love Degrassi, and my friends. Life just isn't fair.
I choose a denim skirt and a green tank top. Green goes nice with my eyes, supposedly. I don't really care today. I don't want to meet Eva. Sometimes I wish Mom hadn't ever met Snake. Then it would just be the two of us. If Mom hadn't been married, they might've decided to send Eva somewhere else. Or a group home maybe.
I'm being selfish. I know that. Right now, I don't care. I'm mad at the world--mad at God--mad at everyone. When Snake knocks on my door to tell me it's time to go, I practically pounce on him, shouting, "I'm not ready yet!" Then I feel doubly guilty because Snake has been nothing but good to me. And with his cancer, I really should treat him a little better.
I'm just so scared. Not necessarily about Eva, either, although that has plagued me a bit. Mostly I'm just scared about Snake. He's such a nice person. If he died, I'd be heartbroken. Mom, too. And think of Jack, his poor son! What would we do, then? It would be Mom, Jack, Eva, and me. We'd probably end up in the slums. . .
I snap back into the present and sidle downstairs. They're all waiting by the door. Snake's wearing his usual teacher-y outfit, nothing new there, but it's Mom who really surprises me. Lately, she's been wearing sweatsuits. . .today she's wearing a beige tweed skirt, white blouse, and a matching brown/beige checked jacket. I make sure to tell her how great she looks, then apologize to Snake for pouncing on him.
Once we get to the airport, I'm nervous all over again. It's scary. Meeting Eva. I've never met her--well maybe once when I was tiny--but besides that. . .it's scary. I'm afraid I won't be able to deal. Back when I used to be friends with Manny, she always said that whatever was thrown at me, somehow I always dealt with it.
I think I'm getting to boiling point.
I can tell it's her as soon as we round the corner to the baggage claim. She's got a black suitcase and a purple backpack, slung over her shoulder. She has chestnut brown hair, swept into a messy bun, held together with chopsticks. She's wearing a pair of thick, black, geek glasses--but they frame her face perfectly. Her clothing looks American--a pink Abercrombie t- shirt, a pair of denim peddle-pushers, and a pair of white Adidas sneakers with pink laces.
I have to admit, she's gorgeous.
"Eva!" says Mom, rushing over to embrace her niece. "Oh, Eva, how was your flight?"
Eva smiles broadly, showing perfect dimples--maybe even cuter than mine-- and straight white teeth. "It was wonderful," she replies. "Thanks for asking." There's some kind of lilt to her voice, but I can't clearly pick it out. It sounds American.
"You must be famished! Shall we eat in the food court?" asks Mom.
"Oh," cries Eva. "That would be truly great. I'd love to get acquainted with the rest of the family." She turns to me. "You must be Emma, right?"
I nod. "Yep. That's me."
Eva gives me a condescending up-and-down look. Is that her nose wrinkling? "Nice clothing. Over in America, we have a different. . .um, fashion sense." She says it as though my fashion sense is off.
"Where are you from, anyways?" I ask.
"Maine," sighs Eva. She smiles. "It's in America, on the border."
"I know that," I snap, a little too sharply. Mom turns around and gives me a Look. I shut up quickly and stick by Snake. He seems to be having just as tough a time getting used to Eva as I am. Hello?!?! Her family has been torn apart, ruined practically. She could at least tone down the bounciness.
During our lunch, Eva says, bluntly, to Snake, "How come you're bald?"
"School spirit thing," I interject immediately, not wanting to tell her the real reason why he was going bald. And the was part true--he'd shaved his head because the students of Degrassi had raised enough money.
Unfortunately, Snake decides that Eva should know. "I have Leukemia," he says. "I'm going through chemo-therapy."
Eva blinks, as if she's misunderstood what he said. And then she starts all- out bawling, right there in the middle of the food court. It's so embarrassing. "I. . .I'm. . .so. . .so sorry. . .I didn't. . ." She hiccups and wipes her eyes on the corner of her sleeve.
Mom leans over and hugs Eva. "Don't worry, honey, Snake's doing fine. They've caught the disease early. It's very beatable at this point."
Snake smiles. "Eva, I'm not worried about it. I have to concentrate on getting better. When hope is lost. . .then. . .well, if you lose hope you cannot count on anything. And so. . .you die."
Eva wipes her eyes. "You're right. I'm sorry."
I can tell right then that I will never be able to like Eva.