Chapter 1

"Do you want me to get a special outfit for you? What would that be? a blazer or a suit?", mom said softly over the phone.

"Mum!" I called back uninterestedly. "No need to, I'll just choose something good from the ones I already have", I tried to sound as convincing as I could.

"No way sweetheart". Gosh! She used that mischievous and teasing accent which was not too controlling but firm and effective on any 16-year-old girl.

"This is not an everyday ceremony where you can afford to wear anything. Besides, apart from the clothes you left here with, I'm not so certain John has gotten new ones".

Even though I hated it, mom wasn't wrong, Dad had not bought anything for me. He'd been bankrupt and unable to alleviate himself after he got divorced from her. The mere thoughts of that particular episode brought back the pain I usually felt, but I shook my head and tried as hard as I could to push the memory back down underneath my mind.

"Alright, I'll just visit a boutique and get one then".

"Boutique?" Mom exclaimed in frustration. Though it was an audio call, I could make out the clenched jaw and furrowed brows she had on the other side of the phone.

"At what time would you do that?. The wedding is at 1 pm and the distance between Detroit and Los Angeles…., no, and San Fernando Valley hasn't reduced, has it?".

I always loathed when she used those rhetorical questions but I answered anyway.

"No, it hasn't".

Long seconds passed, and none of us said anything. I knew she was waiting for me to tell her that I'll accept the dress she had prepared for me, but deep within, I just wanted to end the conversation immediately.

I hated the fact that my mom was getting married to another person other than my dad. Though they had already been legally divorced and living apart for over a year, I still felt deep in me that it wasn't right.

How could she get married this early? Just merely a year? Did she ever love my dad? Worst of all, she had refused to tell me the name of the person she was about to get married to, later today.

When the summer vacation began, I chose to come and spend time with dad. That was when three weeks into the break, she called and informed me about the wedding; the same wedding I was expected to go back and attend.

"You've got to look super amazing. For your soon-to-be stepbrother and stepdad". She giggled excitedly.

"Stepbrother?. Mom, he has a son?". I asked in disbelief.

"Oh, I didn't mention that?".

"Last time I checked, you hadn't said anything about them at all".

It wasn't a lie. Mom had refused to tell me anything about her new husband. When I had requested his picture, all she had said was; ''It's all just going to be a little surprise. In a week or so, you'll see him''.

Gosh, how fair was it to know my mom's husband the first time only on the day he was getting married to her?

"Sorry, baby girl. But I promise you are going to love them so much". Love them? What if the boy was a dork or a weirdo?. Or worse, what if he eats raw onions? The thoughts formed in my mouth but I didn't say them out. Since I wasn't in that much talking mode, I knew I had to end the conversation.

"Alright mom, I'll go for a suit - any colour but black". I hissed.

"Perfect. I'll be waiting to pick you up from the airport myself. Bye, I need to check on how the decoration process is going".

The phone fell silent to my ear as mom ended the call. I inhaled a little, rubbed my eyes and took a skrunty look around the bedroom of my dad's ranch-style house. Most of my things had already been packaged and moved out of the room.

The only remnants were the large metal bed, wool carpet, metal table and a few of my other girlie things littered on the floor.

I detested the fact that I was leaving my dad but there was nothing I could do. The three-month holiday was almost over and he couldn't afford to pay my fees.

My phone's ringing tone suddenly cut into my Internal monologue. Glancing at the screen, I smiled broadly when I saw it was a skype video call from Julian. I picked it up and smiled even broader when I saw the faces of the only people in the world capable of making me keep smiling. - Julian Laird and Emily Betson.

Julian, Emily and I have been best of friends since eighth grade. Though they did annoy me at times, I would rather remain their friends forever than own the entire wealth in America.

"Hi Melina," They both said in unison.

"Hi, girls" I greeted back, unable to hide my excitement.

"Hey, don't tell me you miss us this much," Julian teased and rolled her eyes.

"Shut up" I clamped back.

"But isn't it obvious?" She insisted.

"Hey, what's taking you so long? Do you even plan on ever coming back?" Emily intruded before I ever got the chance to make a suitably cutting retort at Julian.

"Sorry I didn't tell you guys earlier. I'm leaving today". With a pat on the screen, I switched from the front-facing camera of my phone to the rear camera to give them a better view of the room.

"Oh!, it's…..empty," Julian said. We all burst out into laughter. I switched back to the front-facing camera.

"So, you'll join us at Darren's pool party right. 'Cuss we got something to tell you".

"Sorry guys, I won't make it. I have to attend the wedding you know". I knew I sounded pathetic, but deep within me, I still didn't want to go.

"Wait, what wedding?" Emily screeched in confusion.

"I didn't tell you?." I scanned my mind at that moment trying to figure out if I had told them about it or not.

"I'm sorry again". I ended up saying when it was obvious I had kept that important information. The truth was I'd been so angry at mom for marrying another person that I didn't tell my best friends about it.

"My mom is getting married". I broke the news at last. The smiles on our faces vanished immediately. Mine was replaced with resentment and embarrassment while confusion and skepticism shone clearly in theirs.

"Your mom's remarrying again?" Emily inquired.

"But she's just been divorced". Julian said.

"When were you ever going to tell us that?."

"I'm sorry guys. I wasn't just ready to say it. Not until now at least".

"It's fine..." Emily said. "...Who's she marrying?"

"I don't know," I replied blankly.

"You can't be serious". Julian certainly doubted me.

"I swear, girls. She refused to tell me his name or even show me his picture. All I got from her was that it's going to be a surprise. I'll only know when I attend the wedding". I tried to sound convincing enough. I had let my friends down many times by not telling them things they ought to know. I couldn't afford to let them doubt me anymore.

Long seconds passed before Emily turned to Julian and said "Maybe she's slowly turning to Moiraine Damodred. Like her mind's literally being….."

"Who's Moiraine Damodrand ?." Julian asked. She seemed not to have gotten the joke.

"It's Damodred, you dummy"

"Yeah, but who's 'He' anyway?." I emphasized the 'He' to get back at her for the joke.

"Wait, don't you guys at least watch films if it's too dull to read novels?. Moiraine Damodred is a literary character in ``The Wheel of Time franchise". She rolled her eyes long enough to show her displeasure. Well, sorry Emi, we are not aspiring actors like you.

"Hey, why don't we tell her the news". Julian suggested. I knew she brought this up to escape from Emily's blabberings.

"Sure, great Idea" I could see the joy returning in both their faces.

"Ok, what are you guys talking about?" I was now eager to find out.

"Guess," they both said.

"C'mon girls, you know I'm not good at this". I wasn't going to fall for this trick.

"But just try……." Emily began but Julian cut her short.

"Emily has a boyfriend".

"WHAT?..." I screamed, unable to hide the excitement in me. "...congratulations girl".

"I know right?".

We've never had any boyfriends before. Though there were boys at school we had crushes on, the idea of having boyfriends had not crossed our minds. What was I saying, I'd never even been kissed by a boy before.

"Yes, and it's now left the two of us, so we're waiting for you to get back here and then we get our boyfriends".

I couldn't think differently from Julian. The idea sounded so perfect.

"I'm in".

Looking at the time on my screen, I decided to end the chat and prepare the rest of my things for the flight. We agreed that we'll come up with a plan when I get back but Just the boys we had crushes on.

When we had finished, I smiled at how my life was turning out in the 10th grade. A first boyfriend, a first kiss.