Life's a Party

Chapter 6

It's been two weeks since I got here, and I already love the quaint old place. School was starting in a week and I was a little nervous, but I guessed I'd deal with it when it was time to. Why worry now?

Keeping his word, Steve had showed Taylor and me around town. He took us to the best ice cream parlour and the tiny mall. At the end of the day, he took us to Aunt Becky's café. I walked in and was hit by the smell of caffeine and baked goods, also recognizing the chocolate cake I had had some time back. Aunt Becky immediately greeted us, and rung up three cups of cold coffee. Suffice to say, that was my new favourite place.

I was currently in the town's local library, where Steve had dropped me off and promised to pick me up in an hour before driving off to meet his friends.

I was in the classics section with my music blasting on my earphones and reading the dusty spines of the books. I turned the corner and crashed into someone, falling onto my backside and sending both our stuff flying to the floor. Stunned, I looked up to see an equally dazed girl looking back at me. She seemed to be my age, with curly brown hair and a fair complexion.

"I'm so sorry!" Both of us apologized at the same time, and got shushed by the librarian.

"It was my fault," I said softly, helping her up and bending down to pick up my bag while she did the same. Now, that shouldn't have been a problem, but when I looked down, I saw two identical bags. The girl seemed to realize this too, and snorted.

"Um, I think this is my bag," she whispered, and opened it to check. After looking inside, she zipped it shut, but looked up at me with wide eyes. "You read the Mortal Instruments?!" she squealed, unable to hold her excitement.
She grabbed her bag out of my hands and opened it, holding out the next book of the series I was currently infatuated with.

"Yeah I do! They're the best books ever," I reply to her, grinning.

The librarian shushed us again, so I motioned to the front door of the library, silently asking her to come outside with me so we could talk without being told to be quiet.

The minute we stepped out, she stuck her hand out and said, "Hi! My name is Lucy and I have a feeling that we're going to be very good friends. I mean, after all, you do read the Mortal Instruments."

I laugh at her straightforwardness and shake her hand, replying with, "I'm Roxanne, and I agree with you."

"Great, since that's over and done with, how about we chat over a cup of coffee, because frankly, I'm starving." She bounces on the balls of her feet, waiting for my answer. When I laugh and nod, we walk up to the coffee shop across the street and sit at a table.

"I'm so glad I bumped into you, I've been here for a week and not once have I seen anyone my age. I thought the people here locked up their kids or something," she jokes. "Maybe you can introduce me to your friends," she says, suddenly shy.

So she was new here too? "Actually, I just shifted here two weeks back too and I don't know anyone here either," I say.

"Really? That's awesome! We could hang out then! Where do you live?" she asked, and when I told her the address, her face lit up.

"I live right next door! I can't believe I haven't seen you before!"

"So you're shifting into that cute little cottage?" I ask her. She eagerly nods at me.

"That's nice!" I say and she smiles.

"I'm glad you're here, I was so worried I wouldn't fit in here. It's such a small town, they probably know each other from kindergarten," she tells me, and I can't help but agree.

Lucy tells me that she shifted here from California with her father, and that her mother passed away when she was a child. She loves reading books just like I do, but we have different tastes in music. Apparently her dad's job was the reason they shifted here.

I told her about myself too. About how I had an older sister and that I was living here with my aunt. When she asked, I told her that I was sent here for rebelling and misbehaving, which she understood as untrue. 

I had forgotten what it felt like to have a friend, to have someone to talk to. Lucy was my first real friend in years, and I had known her only a few hours, while I knew the people back home for a very long time.

She was hilarious and witty, yet very kind. She was very easy to talk to. All my worries about having to make new friends vanished.

When it was time to go, I asked if she wanted a ride home since we lived right next to each other and she turned around to call her dad while I turned to Steve.

"I made a new friend," I grinned at him, and he smiled back.

"Wow, really? I didn't know you were capable of making a friend, Roxy!" he smirked back at me. I just stuck my tongue out at him.

"Can we drop Lucy home? She and her father are the people that moved in last week."

"Sure, hop in."

I introduced the two of them, and we had a pleasant drive home.

##

That night, when I was finished with dinner and was lying in my bed, I thought of my parents. They sent me here to get my priorities right, to right all my wrongs. They probably thought that I wouldn't like it here, that I'd consider them sending me away a punishment for my apparent misbehavior. I did in the beginning, but not anymore.

Since I was clearly not in the wrong- I had my priorities straight and I was not ill-mannered, their plan had backfired. I was here, living out my supposed punishment- for at least the next two years- totally happy and enjoying my time, having more fun than I ever would have at home; and they were fighting with each other. Who's happier?

I'm glad I got away from all that fighting.

I had a great mother figure in my life, one who was way better than my real mother because she actually cared. I had my sister with me, which was always a plus. I had a new brother-if that's what you can call that goof- and also, I had made a real friend.

I now had so many people in my life that actually cared for me here, while there I only had Taylor. I got everything, and my parents got nothing.

So, instead of being mad at them, maybe I should thank them. After all, I am savoring every moment here. If I stay mad at them, I will be letting them affect me, and they will get what they wanted. Not a disciplined daughter, oh no, but a miserable daughter. Me being mad at them will influence my decisions and that will make me miserable. The anger will remain, putting me in a foul mood and preventing me from enjoying it here.

So, I decide, I will let go of that anger. No use holding grudges that will eventually hurt me. I will not let anything or anyone ruin my life anymore.

I am my own person, and I make the best decisions for myself, nobody else.

##

Hey guys!
I know everyone's probably checking their calendars to see if it's been a month yet, but I promised I'd update faster, and as an apology, I updated earlier than I said I would.
Really, I couldn't stop writing, it was like the words just spilled out.
I must admit, I'm not very happy with the last part of the chapter, but I'm going to come back and change it later on.

Vote, comment, and make my day!
-Mishi