Our latest moved, landed us in Orlando, Florida. My mom told us the same old story. "Girls, when we get here, I want you to invent a new person. Be whoever you want, as long as she is different from the one you just were."
"Momma, I want to be a princess," eight-year old Beth announced.
"Jenny, what about you?" She asked me. I was trying to finish unpacking so that I could disappear into my room and wait for school. I loved school because it was the only place that my mother didn't rule my life. I wasn't allowed to watch basketball, draw, and take an interest in music or cheerleading. It was like she was scared I would turn out like someone I've never met, so she took everything that I have grown to love away.
"I am going to be a girl with a normal life. A father and a mother, who will let me take interest in things other than moving and living off of ends meat." She and Beth both glanced at me.
"Boring, how about you be a girl who just moved from Australia." I could tell she had a million ideas running through her crazy head, and I didn't feel like listening.
"Mom, I'm 15 and I'm not going to sit here and make up new exciting lives to change the fact that you keep moving us around."
"Jennifer, go to your room until you can appreciate what you have, and be excited to have a great mother and sister. You are happy and healthy that is all that should matter."
On my way to my new room, I called back, "Well I'm healthy, I wouldn't say happy." I heard the stereo turn on in the living room, I knew that when Beth would get older she would feel the same way I did. I got my things ready for school the next day. Without telling my mom, I signed up for art. She would probably move us again if she found out I was taking art, but it was worth it.
The next morning I was dressed for school, happily hopping through the apartment. Beth was already awake, making a mess as usual in the kitchen.
"Beth, why didn't you wait for me?" I asked annoyed.
"Jen Jen, Why can't you just be nice to momma? She needs us." That was the thing about Beth and I, we were both more grown up than a child should be. With our mom, we were expected to be the adults.
"Beth, you'll see soon enough that this is not a good life to live. Moving is not fun. Now get dressed, so I can take you to school." My mom always made sure that I could take her to a school near mine because she was too lazy to wake up and take her daughter to school. It was my job to take her, pick her up, and talk to the teacher about her progress.
We left for school early, because I had to sign her in and I had to sign myself in. After I left the elementary school, I saw the high school, it was huge, and by far the largest school I had ever seen. It was the best sight I'd seen in three weeks. After dropping Beth off and signing myself in I headed towards my first class, English. The teacher was at her desk grading papers when I stepped through the door. She glanced up and offered a warm smile.
"Hello, you must be Jennifer. I'm Mrs. Scott, your English teacher." She raised her hand to shake mine, but I was star struck.
"Wait, you're my teacher? Your Nathan Scott's wife," My mouth was open and I couldn't seem to control my excitement, "He's like the best player on the team, and his brother they are unstoppable." Mrs. Scott just chuckled.
"Yes, dear. I know I live with him; I get that all the time. Ok so have a seat. I was looking at your transcripts and noticed that you haven't stayed at a school for longer than three months at a time."
"Yeah, my mother is a roamer."
"What about college? I know your just a freshman, but its important to think about those things," She took an extreme interest in my life.
"Well, my mom dropped out and she doesn't think that far ahead. I really think that she just expects me to stay with her my whole life."
"Wow, and your father?"
"All I know about him is that his name is Jacob, and he left when I was a baby. Ever since he left, my mom and I would move." I had never had a teacher who cared so much.
"What's your mothers name?"
"Nicole."
"What a pretty name. Well I'm your advisor, anything you need come to me. I want to help any way I can. I know you and your family tend to move around a lot, but remember that college is right around the corner and you might want to think about your options." The bell rang and kids started filing in all talking about how great Nathan Scott's game was last night.