Chapter: T

I sighed as my dad drove us tothe new age restaurant that was built a couple months ago, Chez Rivier. It was a very fancy place. My dad never usually did things like this, unless it was important. I guess it has to do with moms two-week shopping trip.

We walked into the restaurant and took our reserved seats. While we were waiting for our appetizers things were relatively quiet. Dad was fiddling with his wedding band staring at it as if it were more interesting than my day at home. He put the ring down and stared at my sister and me. "I'm sorry that I've neglected to ask you this Trinket, but how are you?" he asked.

My name is Trinket it's an odd name, I know, but it's what my parents named me. I have a little sister named Charm. At one point in my life I was scared that if my parents had any more kids they would have names like 'Knick-knack' or 'Bauble'. My mother named us such weird names because she wanted us to be different, so she says. I guess it's better than what our aunt named her children 'Praline', 'Brownie' and 'Hershey'. I guess my family on my mother's side is pretty weird.

"I'm fine." I said in a 'yeah, whatever' kind of tone. I didnt exactly want to make small talk with dad, I knew that there was something up, I just didnt get why he couldnt just come out and tell me. It's not like I was ten anymore.

"And you Charm, is everything fine with you too?" father asked.

"I guess so," She shrugged.

"How are the two of you doing in school? I bet your smart just like your mother." Father said gingerly. A little too gingerly in my opinion.

"Cut to the chase dad, what's going on with mom?" I asked.

"Honey, your mother isn't a bad person for what she did. She's just very confused about what she wants." he said avoiding my eyes. I could tell that he was embarrassed by what he had to say.

"Well, what does she want?" I asked.

---

I sat on my bed with my eyes staring towards the ground. I couldn't believe a word father had said. Yet somehow I knew in my heart it were true. I heard a knock on my door.

"Come in," I answered.

Charm came into my room with tears on her face. I needed to be strong for Charm. Dad obviously wasn't taking what had happened very well, so it was up to me. "Charm, we're going to be happy in our new house," I told her. I knew in my heart that I needed to convince myself that this was true so I could convince Charm. But I just couldnt, this was so sudden.

"But, what about mom?" Charm asked. "Why would she do this to us? To dad? She ruined him."

"Your right Charm, she did, but, she didn't ruin me and as long as I'm around things will be," I sighed and looked into Charms eyes, "just fine. Look, it's getting late but I'm going to help you pack your room up, okay?" I asked her.

"Trinket, I'm twelve years old. I'm nearly thirteen! I can take care of myself." Charm said spinning on her heels back into her own bedroom.

I found it funny how she felt so old, when really she wasnt, I remembered when I was her age, but when I look back I realise, I didn't know everything.

I looked on my dresser at pictures of my family and me. I started putting them away into a box. I thought of how out of character mother was acting. She had acted so selfishly. If you're thinking that she left dad for another man and that's why we have to move, you're wrong.

Mom learned she was going to get a large amount of money from one of our relatives whom had passed away. She wanted to keep the money all to herself so she went about it in steps. She sold our house so she could get more money then she tricked our dad into divorcing her. It was all quite clever really. She made him think it was mortgage papers he had to sign and he signed it, making half of his possessions hers. And since she divorced him before the inheritance came she got all the money from the inheritance, the money from selling our house and half of dad's possessions. As soon as her plan was complete she split, leaving both Charm and I behind.

Pretty cruel isn't it?

As the days passed on I informed all my friends that I was moving, but I was going to go to the same high school. They came by and helped us move our things. While my friends were helping us move, I noticed Charm was sitting by herself. Charm's friends were all away for the summer holidays so it was just her on her own.

I could only imagine how hard Charm was taking this, we had never moved before, so leaving her old room behind for no real reason must have been tough, I wish I could be there for her more, but there's only so much I can do without breaking down and crying in embarrassment and fear.

"Hey Charm, after we're done moving for the day, do you want to get some ice cream with my friends and I? My treat." I told her. It was a small effort but if I could make her smile I knew it would make me feel better eventually.

Charm's face brightened as I mentioned ice cream, it was her favourite. "Okay." She replied.

My three best friends who came to help us move were Summer, Tina and Lacey. The four of us plus Charm, all went to the ice cream parlour. I know it's kind of old fashion to have an ice cream parlour in town but that's we have.

"Did you know, that they're makingCrossroads High, a Co-ed high school?" Lacey asked me. I gave her a surprised look, "I know, I couldn't believe it either."

"What I can't believe is that Summer got in." I said licking my cookies n' crème cone.

Summer gave me an indignant look, "I am just as smart as you, Trinket. I just do a lot of other things than just studying."

"Yeah, like eating and sleeping and reading those mahngos," Tina laughed.

"It's Mah-n-ga, Manga!" Summer said annoyed.

"I don't understand why you waste every week of your allowance on those books just so you can read them backwards," Lacey said shaking her head.

"It's Authenticated! The only thing different from the original is the translations. Besides they don't cost that much," Summer said taking a big lick from her cone.

We all sighed and gave up against Summer's argument. I looked at Charm licking her ice cream "Hey Charm, how can you eat that disgusting ice cream?" I asked her without thinking.

"Tiger stripe?" she asked. "It was mom's favourite I guess it grew on me."

"Say, where is your mom Trinket?" Tina asked.

"Oh, she's at a farm." I lied.

"OH MY GOD YOUR MOTHERS DEAD!?!?!?" Summer screamed. We all looked at Summer questioningly. "My Nana told me our cat was at a farm then, two weeks later I found the death certificate. I thought saying some one is at a farm is just a nice way of saying they passed away."

"They make death certifercates for pets?" Lacey, asked.

"Summer, you have too much time on your hands." Tina said disapprovingly. " I've got to go home see you later." Tina said waving as she crossed the street towards her house.

"I've got to go too." Lacey said grimacing a little bit,"I can't believe Summer is so dense, She whispered to me running off in the same direction as Tina.

"I HEARD THAT!" Summer called out to Lacey.

"And then, there were three." I said with a sigh.

"Well, I'm staying the night, so of course there's three." Summer said cheerfully. Tonight would be the first night I would ever sleep in my new house. Dad said Summer could stay over because this transition would be the toughest: spending the first night away from 'home'.

When we got to my new house Dad was cooking. "Hey Kiddo!" he waved at Charm. I hated how he could pretend everything was fine and that things never changed. "Come here. Oh, Trinket could you go next door and borrow sugar for me?" Dad asked.

"Sure no problem." I smiled.

We lived in a Duplex. That's when there is one giant house divided into two. Our old house was much bigger than this dump but what could I expect, it was only dad who was working now.I went to our neighbours' house with Summer. I knocked on the door. The door flew open the second I lifted my fist away.

There stood one of the cutest guys I had ever seen. His hair was messy but that didn't mater. It's the eyes that mater. The EYES! I was smitten. I didn't know what to say so I started mumbling, "Dah-duh- do you ha-hah-have s-s-sssome sugar?" I asked.

He simply glared at me and pushed me out of the way. "Quit wasting my time. Speak full sentences you dumb red head." He said walking away from the house and me.

Suddenly I was so angry I yelled back " IT'S NOT RED! IT'S AUBURN!"

"Congratulations you said a whole sentence. You're not as stupid as I thought." He called back to me.

"Why that ungrateful, insolent little!" I started saying then realized that he left the front door open and his mother was standing there looking pretty peeved. I turned on 'suck up mode' as Summer calls it giving a sweet smile showing all my teeth," Hi, my name is Trinket I moved in next door." I smiled.