CHAPTER 1

"Reich?"

"Oh! Yeah, mom?"

She gave me a worried look. "Sweetie, put down that book already! You've been reading it since last night. "

"Mooom! Some moms even force their daughters to read books, but you - you're forcing me not to! But fine, for your peace of mind, I would. What's up, mom?" I replied smiling.

" I know, but don't compare me with other moms! I am unique, didn't you know? Oh and anyway, reading too much is bad. Come on, let's buy all the other things you need for school, school starts the day after tomorrow, you know."

"FINALLY! I mean the shopping.. not the schooling part." I grinned at her.

In turn, she gave me a look.

"Okay, better dress up. Let me remind you, It's school supplies shopping ONLY, and clothes are not school supplies."

Hm, mom knows me well. But bags..

"Bags aren't counted too, or slippers, and well, everything else."

"Hmph."

Whatever mom says, I know she's gonna buy me a lot more than school supplies. She couldn't resist her only daughter left at home, could she? Oh, it's cause my older sisters-Sophie and Suzie Danes stay at a dorm for college and can't stay for the summer because of their summer jobs.

"What to wear, what to wear?... Aha!"

I held out my beige sundress and white gladiator sandals and started dressing up. I also pulled my long brown hair into a pony tail and examined myself in the mirror. The door opened and mom peeked in.

"You ready? Oh, you look so pretty." She said admiringly.

"Thanks, mom! Yeah, I am. Let's go."

We headed to the mall and started the "strictly school supplies shopping only" trip. We went straight to the bookstore when we got there.

"So, anything new?" Mom asked.

I laughed at her question.

"Mom, why are you asking me that? Nothing! I stayed home all summer, how could there be?"

"Any boys, you know, calling, texting, sending letters, or anything?"

"Sending letters? Mom, we don't even e-mail anymore! You gotta get more updated. Chatting's the thing now."

"Okay, Fine. Chatting. Don't change the subject."

"Mooom! Why are you being like this? Of course there's NO ONE!" I said, and laughed.

" I never went out the whole summer, except now. Oh, and the other time I was with you too. Shopping, remember?.. Wait, are you afraid I have someone, or afraid I have none?" I added suspiciously.

"Neither. I'm just asking. Are moms not allowed to ask anymore?"

"No, but you're being silly mom!" I replied, laughing again.

Soon enough, mom was also laughing with me.

After all the school supplies were bought, mom started towing me to the parking lot! I gotta think of a plan, and quick!

"Uh, mom? Can we look over there? I think, I saw that guy you like, the one in that movie, with the horse or whatever! Let's see! Come on, faster!"

"Really? Where? Is he good looking?"

Mom is so obsessed with these shows she's watching, she watches every single episode! I hid a smile and started walking tothe directions of some shops. On our way to the "superstar", I spotted a cute little store with nice clothes and started leading mom towards it.

"Where is he? And why are we here?" Mom questioned.

"Oh, that wasn't him! He just looked like him. Mom, we're here anyway, so can you buy just one shirt? Please? "

"He really wasn't here, was he?" Mom asked, I tried not to giggle.

"No. Sorry Mom." I smiled.

"Reichelle!"

"Mooom!"

"Okay, fine, at least you are honest. Go on, pick one."

"Yay! Thanks, mom." I said, and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Okay, to cut the long shopping trip short, I got a cute yellow bag, a striped tee, new pair of plaid doll shoes, pair of flip flops, oh and 3 pairs of pajamas. Strictly school supplies shopping, huh? We reached the parking lot and stepped into the car.

"Shellie, you gotta stop torturing me to buy you stuff. By the end of the year we'll be broke!" She said joking.

Yeah, my mom calls me Shellie or even sometimes Shell, or Shells, or Reich, all coming from Reichelle. It actually stuck, so even my friends call me Shellie or any of the three nicknames I have.

"I wasn't torturing, I wasn't even in my maximum pleading mode level, I just looked at you then you bought it." I replied giggling.

"Fine, fine. Just don't tell your father."

"Haha. Sure, mom."

I love car rides, I can sleep in a car better than a bed. Weird, huh? I also like listening and singing along to the radio or Cds in the car. I don't know, maybe the best place in the whole world for me is the car. How bizarre. I started yawning, and felt a little tired. The sleeping potion of the car has already worked its wonders on me. Hmm.

Later on, I woke up from my nap and figured we were entering the village. It was dinner time already and dad was sure to be at home at this hour. Oh no.

"Shellie! Where have my two girls been?"

"Hey, dad! Oh, uhm, shopping. So much for not telling you." I giggled, and lifted my two arms to show all the shopping bags.

"That's..a lot."

"It was on sale." Mom explained.

" Okay. Sure, sure. Dinner?"

"You guys go ahead, I'm beat." I replied.

"You okay, Shells?" Dad said, worry clear in his face.

"Yeah, just tired." I assured.

"Okay. Night, honey." Mom said and kissed me goodnight. Dad did the same and I headed up the stairs to my room.

I placed the shopping bags on my desk, got my PJs on, brushed my teeth, said a little prayer and dozed to sleep.

____________________________________________________________________________________

"REICHELLE DANES!" She must have been saying that for a while now, with that unusual tone of her voice which she only uses when she's mad. With that, I woke up and changed into a sitting position.

'What? Alright, alright! I'm awake. What's the problem, mom?" I can't even get my eyes to open.

"It's the last day of summer, Shellie. Do something productive."

Oooohhh. She said the P word. In mom's dictionary, it meant go out and play. Maybe she's thinking my life's too boring so she's asking me to go out and make some friends, or meet a boy I'll finally bring to the house and have a relationship with. Poor mom, she hasn't come to the realization that -that dream will forever be a dream. Maybe I should just answer God's calling and enter the convent, or maybe be an old maid and take in as many cats as I can. I held out a big sigh, cause with productive she meant no reading books. Oh no! If I don't follow, she might ban me from my mini library. Hah. I sound like a nerd sometimes.

"With productive, I meant no reading books" She added.

I told you.

" Okay, mom." I said with a sad expression.

" Good girl. Now, get up and eat breakfast.'

"Coming."

I rested my head and waited for the sounds of her footsteps. Maybe a minute more, I thought to myself.

"SHELLIE!"

"Okaay! Yes, mom. I'm going to the bathroom already. Sheesh!"

"I thought so."

"Moms." I muttered.

So, I did what I was told. I took a quick shower and picked out a purple buttoned blouse, a denim skirt, and took out my new doll shoes from a shopping bag.

"Reichelle! Come down already!" I can hear my mom say by the stairs.

Mom's so demanding sometimes.

"Okay, mom! I'm coming down the stairs already." I said, and met her at the end of the stairs. Then, she returned to the kitchen.

"Morning, dad! What's mom's problem? She's pushing me out."

He chuckled. " She's not. Understand your mom sometimes. She just wants you to do stuff other than reading." He said, and drank some coffee.

"Fine. Man, dad! I thought you were on my side."

"Sorry, not this time."

"Listen to your father." Mom cut in, and gave me waffles.

"Hmp. I don't have a teammate to back me up around here; I sure miss Suzie and Sophie."

"Stop whining. Go on and eat." Mom ordered.

I ate as slowly as I could, like when I was a child. Before, mom would always watch me eat until I finish, just like now.

"Just finish it already! Take big bites!" A little more and maybe mom would try and spoon-feed me again.

"Mooom!" I complained.

I take in my last bite, with mom still watching me intently. When I put my spoon down, she suddenly pulled my chair out and started pushing me towards the living room, where the front door was located. Dad was sitting on the couch to watch the news before going to work.

"Daaad!" I cried for help.

Mom was already opening the door and pushing me further out. I was now standing at the porch.

"Bye, honey! I love you! Have fun!" Mom said, and closed the door to my face.

Wow. Mom can really go overboard sometimes. She's like a mad mom! I started walking without any idea where I would go. I didn't want to visit my friends, besides I'll see them soon enough. It's good not to be with them all the time, cause sometimes you may get tired of your friends too, and it's normal, it's not a bad thing. How about I hit the mall? No, too much people. It's school tomorrow, the mall will surely be jam-packed with hormonal teens. The park playground sounds nice; I haven't been there for a while. And, not too much people go there. Okay, off to the park then.

I started walking to the park's direction with my hands in my pockets. I'm gonna spend the whole day in the park? Other moms would think reading is better than doing nothing all day, right? Why does mom think otherwise? Minutes later, I reached the park and looked at the fountain in the center of the place. I missed this park. Mom would take me here all the time when I was a kid and dad joins us during weekends, when he doesn't have work. This is the place where I learned how to ride a bike, and every time I fell, it seemed mom was gonna have a heart attack. I guess this part of me never really left. I love the park. Maybe I should hang out here more, that would make mom happy. I walked to a nearby park bench, sat and stared up at the clear blue sky. I want to lie on the grass and stare at the sky all day long. Hey, maybe this wasn't a bad idea after all. Moms do know best.

You know, maybe this is the place where I will learn how to love too. It's an entire day, someone may come along. Maybe this is the place where I'd get my training wheels off and start risking the possibility of falling. Maybe, this is where I will finally learn to start living- in the true sense of the word. And living starts with dreaming. This is where I will fall, stumble, get bruises, and maybe, meet someone who will reach out his hand and make me smile. Maybe. How romantic, love at first sight in the park? Well, if I am gonna start dreaming, better make it good, right? Sheesh. Shellie, you're out of your mind.