Mood:  crushed out
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Preface
The life of Julie Madison has always been considered the best. She has the looks, the money, and most of all she is popular. As for me, her younger sister, Elaine, life is different. Extremely different. Julie is not actually my real sister, but my half sister. Many people say that parents are usually nicer to their younger child than to the older one. In my case, it is totally in reverse.
I am a nineteen years old girl with thick, brown hair that puffs up like popcorn. My eyebrow grows so much together that it almost looks like a straight line. Yeah, totally a bad image. You will never want to look anything like me. I mean NEVER! This is not just my image that is not a good thing to have but kids like me live in the school world of disaster. Going to school does not only mean to get good grades (which is totally not my problem), but the social communication with weird cheerleaders. All they do is insult and nothing else. I always wonder if there is some sort of Survival Kit for that. Well, my classmates often laughed at my cat green eyes that seemed to glow in the dark. My mother has said that green eyes are pretty and unique. I guess it is unique in my school that people think it is weird. (totally not helping Mom) Later, when I got glasses, the unclear lens made it hard to recognize the color of my eyes. (YEAH) After all these description about me, you might want to move on to someone more, you know, pretty! There is no one better to use the term pretty than for my step-sister, Julie.
Julie, two year my senior, had everything that I would never have. I sometimes even envy her. Her light, straight, and smooth hazel brown hair sparked around her. Her clear white skin is as smooth as silk. Even though I had never touched them before or anything. Ha, like she would let me, we barely talk! Her dark fringe eyelashes that is so long and curled that it can almost form a circle. The brisk eyes that lay under the lashes, wide and clear and filled with light on her face is the color of slightly faded blue. Just listening to the description makes me feel ugly!
Julie and I had been great sisters until my father, David, opened a traveling company three years ago. Through the three hard working years, there was great success. With most of the money he earned, he opened a few more other traveling companies. It came out to be a good investment. In just a few months, father earned over thirty two thousand dollars a month from all three of his companies combined! in fact, he is planning to open more. Yeah, for Julie. While I don't really care. And here is why.
Julie became overly spoiled after dad has found the fortune of his dream. None of which Julie possessed satisfied her. Julie always wanted something more than what she already has. Dad is too busy with his company to bother with Julie's grades. All Dad can do is buy her whatever she wants. As Julie grows into her teenage years, she often gets mad at her dad for nagging about her grades or not buying her what he cannot afford. And of coarse, she was not only mad at Dad, she is always angry at me. She says that I am so uncool, bugs her too much, and SO not have a sense of style. Well, hey, how can I help it. Dad never gives me any money at all. Not counting the money he gives me for lunch and $3 of spending money a month.
Well, I can't be mad at Julie for being this way. I remember her as a child to once been a respectful, honest, and polite girl until her mother's death. Julie's mom, Kimberly, had died of breast cancer. Dad was very upset with my step-mom's death. Julie was six at the time, I'd say that she was in an age not too young to not know what happened, and not too old to forget the event easily. Soon after Julie's mother died her dad met my mom, Ashley. They were married and two years after their marriage, I was born.

Chapter 1
I, Elaine Madison would not ever forget the day it happened. I was not much too old at the time I was the age four. The memory comes back to me just as if it happened just yesterday.
It was just two days before the fight that we, was the happiest family on Earth. Even Julie adored my mom and did not discriminate her for taking the place of her mom. In just a turning point, my parents turned corners. Even now, I could clearly remember those words drumming in my ears.
"Why can't you ever understand that I am a man, and I need to spend time with my business." Dad started.
"I understand honey, but ever since you started that financing company with Roger, you never stayed home with your family anymore. Why can't you stay home only for one day, when both your daughters are having a fever?" Mom pleaded trying to hold her temper down. She was really great at it. I think that I take after her in that personality.
"Who is the one that brings home the income at the end of the month? I sometimes wonder why I married you to replace Kimberly." Dad said.
"Oh! Now you're saying you married me to only replace Kimberly! You perfectly knew when you married me that I am totally different from that Kimberly of yours!" Mom got angry once compared to Kimberly (Julie's mother).
There was no way of mom keeping dad at home on a meeting day. Dad's business had the priority over his whole family and the rotating world. After father went out the door, mom ran upstairs. I crept after her footsteps to see if she was all right.
From the partially faded memory, I could slightly remembered Mom knelt down on the ground, laying her face against the edge of the bed. Her night gown spread out evenly on the floor.
I made no sound to distract her. All I did was to stand there idly feeling sorry for her. I did not know what was going on. Only the fact that my parents got into a fight. She slowly rose up from kneeling and went to the closet. She took out all her clothes and belongings along with two luggage cases. For a second I thought that she was going on vacation, away from my dad. But the thought came back that Julie and I was sick. Right when I was in the middle of thinking this Mom took a glace at the doorway and spotted me staring at her.
"Elaine, come in. I have something for you." She said with a soft voice smothered with tears. I went in and sat on the bed with mom right next to me. She held out a doll to me.
"Elaine, this doll was mine when it was with me ever since I was a child. When my mother left me as an orphanage, she gave it to me. I think that you would take good care of her."
I wanted to ask her if she was going to leave me also, but I choked on my words. I was mute, so I just nodded.
"Her name is Sally. That is what I called her." She handed me the doll and I took it, "Now go back down to the living room and take a nap. I'll be down there in a second." Mom continued.
My nap stayed disturbed by constant thoughts of sadness and loneliness. I held on to Sally tightly as if she was the most precious thing I had. I looked over to Julie, and she was asleep.
Mom came back down to the living room, where Julie and I lay in the sofa. Her red eyes drained with tears. She rushed around the house doing house chores and taking care of us. She would glance at me every time she passed by. I relaxed and finally drifted off to sleep.
In the middle of my dreams, I heard mother whispering to me, I could picture out from my sleep that mother was holding a book. Mother was use to of telling me a story every night. On the nights that she is tired or busy, she would read me a poem. She said,"Elaine, let me tell you a poem. I want you to forever remember these words." I could hear the old pages crackle as mother turned them.
"Me- by Walter de la Mare
As long as I live
I shall always be
My self- and no other
Just me."
The words drifted out of my mother's tender mouth as sweetly as honey can ever be.
"Elaine, there is one more poem before I let you get back to your sleep.
Hold Fast Your Dreams by Louise Driscoll
Hold fast you dreams!
Within your heart
Keep one still, secret spot
Were dreams may go
And sheltered so,
May thrive and grow-
Where doubt and fear are not
Oh, keep a lace apart
Within your heart,
For little dreams to go."
Mom sat there by the lightly lit lamp being mute. Then she started again with tears.
"Elaine, -- I want you to follow these two poems. No matter how other people think about you when you grow up -- keep your spirits high. And--hold on to your dreams. Someday -- I will come back to you my darling. Now be a good girl. --Sleep tight." A quick drop of tear fell onto my face.
I slowly rubbed my eyes and brushed off the tear on my face as I rose up; but I was too late, all I saw was the back of my mom holding many luggages. Then the door slammed. The cold swift wind left the living room, along with my mom. My aching heart in the afternoon is in shuddered pieces. I screamed after her, but it was too late, she was gone. I wanted to run out the door after her, but at that time Julie woke up from my screaming, and asked me what happened. When I think of it, I feel so dumb, because I spent the time telling Julie briefly what had happened. After Julie realized that my mother was gone, she and I rushed to the door. But all we saw was a taxi drive away, down my street.
I grew up without seeing her and my heart is forever throbbing.