The Love/ Hate Relationship

Chapter 1


  I guess most middle aged women, with four beautiful children and a husband that is always away on buisness, would never consider going back to school but I did. My husband supported me one hundred percent, but my kids seemed petrified. I could fathom why, though, I've been there for them their entire lives, and now, after all those years, I'm going to school to get a job!
  After all of the research I've done, I decided on a community college close to home. They offer courses for for women with families, like me, but the only way for me to get in, is to write a life story. That's exactly why I'm sitting  in a hotel room with my husband, while my children are outside playing with their cousins (Or my best friend's children, whichever you prefer).
  Anyway, the first memory in my lifetime that I can remember is when my baby brother, Matthew Marcus Johnathan Corcetti, was born. I was almost two-years-old when my parents left one night while I was asleep. The next morning I woke up, and Grammy Alexandria (My mother's mom.) was at our house taking care of me. I wasn't a wild child so I just sat and played with Grammy Alexandria.
  I was young, practicly a baby, so it seemed like no time from the time I woke up untill hours later when my parents walked into the door with the new baby. The first thing my mother said was, "Angie, I want you to meet your brother, Matthew. And, Matthew, this is your big sister, Angie."
  At first, Matt was a pain because he got all Mom's attention. It seemed to me that Matt was my parents' favorite.
  As we grew, Matt and I grew extremly close. I think it was because we were only one year apart. My brother and I did everything together, we even shared most of the same friends. In retrospect, I think Mom was proud she raised us to get along so well.
  It was unusal for Matt and I to be as close as we were in our early teenage years. Most outsiders that visited our small town of Starr Mississippi were flabbergasted to learn that he was my brother, not my boyfriend.


Chapter 2


  At age sixteen, I made a decision that would change my life forever. I was agonizing over it for a year and a half, but I wanted to enroll at a high school in California.  It wasn't much to look at, but, according to the website, there was a lot going on inside.  That was the kind of perk I needed to get my journalism career moving.  I mean I worked for the newspaper at Starr High, but it was the same mundane stories every week.  I needed something new, something exciting.
  I brought this idea up to my mother, but she completely disagreed.  "Angelina, there's no point in dragging the whole family across the country to pursue a dream that might not ever happen.  Angie, sweetheart, I've read some of your writings, and they're not really all that great."
  "Maybe if you give her something new to write about . . ." My dad started, but never bothered to finish because my mother shot him a look that said don't you dare.
  "Mama," Matt spoke up.  "I love Angie very much, and I know that whatever she puts her mind to she can do.  If Angie wants to go, and I know I've objected to it before, but let her go."  I gasped in surprise after he finished.  After all the time he said no, he turned around and said that?  What happened?
  "Alright, fine." Mom sighed in defeat.  "Just to make sure you like it, you and I will stay there alone for a while.  Dad and Matt can move in after we're sure it's where we want to be.
  "Thank you, Mom." I smiled, almost crying.


Chapter 3


  It was exactly three weeks in counting until my birthday, the day Mom and I left for Californa.  We picked a nice house about three blocks away from the school that I wanted to attend and rented it.  (Mom and I made a special trip up there just for that).  Now, we had to drive up.  We loaded the back of our light blue '82 Dodge Caravan with my bed, my dresser, the small black nad white TV in my room, and the rest of our luggage.  Mom and I could share a bed and dresser for a few months.
  I felt at home as soon as we were settled in. Luckily, the house came with a refrigerator and a stove, but we had to supply the food.
  "Angie, go out, find a grocery store,and buy us some food." Mom said, handing me a fifty dollar bill.
  "Sure, Mom." I said.
  I circled the town, but I still couldn't find any grocery stores.  Eventually, I saw a girl that looked about my age walking down the street.  I pulled over and rolled down th window.  "Excuse me,"  I was really polite.
  "What do you want?' she asked in an unconcerned voice.
  "I was wondering if you knew where the nearest gorcery store was?"  I asked.  The girl was making me nervous.  The way her long black hair lay straight down her back, or how her dark brown eyes looked like she was on an angry rage, or the way her dark skin contrasted with the white t-shirt she was wearing.  I'm not saying I was scared because whe was a different race than me, I was scared because I've never seen anyone that angry in Mississippi.
  "I was just heading there, wanna give me a ride?" the girl asked.
  "Sure" I smiled allowing her to walk around the car and hop in the passenger's seat.
  "So," she started making small talk as we were shopping.  "What's your name?"
  "My name is Angie." I smiled.  "What about you?"
  "Me?  I'm Jeanette McConley.  Nobody at school likes me because they all think I'm stuck up."  she said.  Looking at her I could tell why people would think that though.  Jeanette was stunning!  If I were a guy, I would've definitely wanted her.  After a short pause she wondered, "You new in town?"
  "Yeah.  Actually, my mom and I just moved in today." I admitted.
  "Cool" Jeanette sighed looking into her cart.  "I'm done.  What about you?"
  I glanced into my cart.  From what it looked like, I had everything Mom and I would need for the next few days.  "Yeah."
  We checked out together, but after I put the groceries in the car and pushed my cart back to the front of the store, Jeanette was nowhere to be found.  After a while, I saw her walking.