Chapter-1

Sweet-Valley, the most beautiful place in the world. It is a small place in southern California, but to me it is paradise. There's peace, freshness and serenity in every breath and every heart of Sweet Valley. Our whole legacy lies right here in Sweet valley.

This place gave me the courage to face life. It taught me how to manage my responsibilities. It helped me nurture my independence. But it couldn't teach me how to…………..love.

When I saw this place from far, I could feel my father closer. Whenever I missed him, I came here- Secca Lake, my dad's and my favorite place. I could just imagine us playing, laughing and chatting…….

At that time, who knew what life would bring?

"I understand Mr. Riley but please understand my problem too. I must have a loan extension. I…I... Know the restaurant is centrally situated. But there is too much competition around." Alice said over the phone

My mother Alice, after father's death all the responsibilities of this house came over her shoulders. But she never let us feel that sadness.

"Thank you very much Mr. Riley," she whispered over the phone

"Mom! I'm home," I shouted as I entered in.

"Where were you Madame Elizabeth?"

"Secca Lake"

"Secca Lake. Why?"

"To meet someone"

"Who?"

"My boyfriend!"

"Yeah riiight!" She hit me lovingly on my back.

"Ouch, mom!"

"Bills, bills and bills," I said scanning through the mail. "What is this? Private and confidential?"

"That's for me," my mother said snatching it away from my hand.

I didn't care much about it. I looked at her. She looked so pale, so depressed.

"Where you crying?" I asked softly.

"No." She answered quickly. "You were crying."

"No mom!"

Mother and I, we used to always lie to each other like this.

"And what is this? What is this? What is 'single women marriage bureau' letter doing in our house?"

"Why don't you ask your Grandmother? It must be a new plan to get you and Jessica married."

"Why doesn't she leave me alone?"

"Why doesn't she leave this house?"

"Mom!" I shouted. "But I don't want to get married!"

"And neither do I. Plus I don't believe in arranged marriages. And what stupid plan to get us married to twins who live together in the same house so that WE both won't get separated? I can certainly not live with this boring old rag pot throughout my life"

I stuck out my tongue at my sister Jessica as she came down the stairs in her usual chirpy self.

It's fascinating how alike we look; yet it is too strange. The same shoulder length blonde hair, blue green eyes, same dimple. But we have nothing else in common. All similarities end beyond our looks.

We fight. Oh boy! Do we fight? Sometimes we just turn the whole house upside down. We go for days without speaking. But in spite of everything, she is my best friend. My soul mate. And I certainly can't live without her.

But right now, after that little insult, I wasn't about to tell her that.

"My point exactly. I can t live with this walking 'geek turned fashion model' through my entire life"

"I wasn't a geek"

"You were"

"No I wasn't"

"Of course you were, darling"

"Oh! Stop it you two", my mother interrupted. "I have a lot of work to do. So take your silly fights somewhere else, ok?

"Yes mom!" We answered in unison

"Actually Liz, I wouldn't mind living in the same roof with you" Jess said putting an arm around my shoulders as we went into the living room. "I have managed twenty years with you, the other twenty can be tolerated."

"Gee thanks, Jess! That's so kind of you. But what about the rest of your life? Are you planning to live only till forty?" I asked her curiously.

"No. I plan to live longer. But you may not." She pointed out.

"What do u mean?" I asked sharply, pulling away from her.

"Well… Liz, for one thing. Just look at you. No offence sis, but you already look about fifty. Twenty more years, that makes you seventy and after that…" she laughed, "Liz, listen to my advice. Let your hair down. Enjoy life! This isn't good for you, believe me!"

"Whatever" I muttered, rolling my eyes. "I am pretty happy the way I am"

"I don't think you are so sure about that"

She smiled one last time, almost sympathetically at me, before disappearing out of the house.

I stared at her in disbelief. What she said did hurt but I didn't really care. I know I am not like the other girls, but the problem is I don't want to be like them. Maybe I am just used to this dull, boring life. I have never really thought about living life like Jess and her friends. And seeing the condition of our house, I don't think I will have enough time to think.

Right now I had an important job to do.

"Grandma." I shouted as I marched across to her room. "Grandma!"

My Grandmother, Rose. She is my father's mother and has been with us since our father's death. Her two wishes- one, to get us married of to twins and the other to get my mother out of our lives.

"Why are you shouting?" She asked calmly as if nothing had happened.

"What is this?" I said producing the letters in front of her.

"The marriage bureau?" She squealed in delight "The photos have come?"

She scanned each muttering smart, handsome, wow like a lovesick teenager.

"But we don't want to get married!" I screamed as loudly as possible, hoping at least then it will get drilled into her head.

"Oh! Elizabeth." She wailed, "If you don't get married, how will you get children?"

"Oh! Don't worry Grandma," I said grinning. "The baby will be born. There is no need to get married at all"

"What?"

I grinned to myself as I started out of her room. I climbed slowly to my room. As I opened my book to read…

"Yeah! Hurray!"

I closed my ears to reduce the noise.

That must be David, my stupid brother. He is a crazy basketball fan. Can't blame him though. The entire male population in our family is gaga over the sport. I remember playing with dad when I was around thirteen. I fell in love with the game then, but no one else knows about this secret interest of mine.

I left my room once again and entered the room, which he and Sarah shared.

"David!" I screamed for what seemed like the thousandth time today.

"Off the TV. Always basketball. I am trying to concentrate on something. So KEEP IT DOWN!" I threatened him as I snatched away the remote.

"I cannot play the game" he said with a false pout "so does that mean I can't watch it too?"

"Don't get cute with me okay?" I told him throwing back the remote as he grinned victoriously.

David is not normal either. No no… he isn't the dull, boring type like me but he is handicapped. He was in an accident when he was only four years old. That little accident proved to be fatal for his legs.

"Good morning, Liz" Sarah greeted me. "Have you seen my doll house?"

"Not now, Sarah" I said impatiently.

"This is mother, this is you, this is Jess, then Steven, David, myself, and…"she said pointing to each of those cute dolls that were prettily dressed.

That's when Grandma entered.

"David! Aww… my favorite grandson. You are looking just like that Potter."

She cooed, hugging him.

"Harry Potter, Grandma!" He said trying to free himself from her grasp.

"Good morning, Grandma" Sarah said.

"Whatever" Grandma muttered.

I winced as I saw Sarah's face paling. She quietly went to her dollhouse and removed the Grandma doll from her 'perfect family'.

Grandma hated Sarah as much as she loved David. Our parents had adopted Sarah. Maybe that's why Grandma never thought her as a part of the family.

I hugged Sarah before leaving. She smiled through her tears. Even an eight year old had understood how irritating it is to live here.