Chapter 1
June 1st 1997 journal entry 1.
Hi, its MJ. HAPPY SUMMER. Well not for me. My mom is making me go to my stupid aunt’s house for almost the entire summer. I wanted to go to parties, hang out with my friends, have sleepovers but nooooo my mom had to make me spend time with my aunt. She didn’t even ask me! What kind of mother does that?!
I am leaving tomorrow! Even worse, I won’t get to hang out with the love of my life Danny. I’ve liked him sense the third grade and I finally asked him to hang out this summer! Mom ruined everything! I have to pack and I have nothing to wear!
So, I have to go all by myself! I’m probably going to have no friends and be one of those kids that sit alone at lunch! Ugh whatever. I have to go my mom’s taking me shopping for clothes. MJ out.
“MJ come on or I’m leaving without you!” My mom yelled from downstairs. “Comingggg!” I yelled as I got my black converses on. I ran downstairs. “Maria are you really going to go out like that?” I sighed, I was wearing shorts that when to my knees and a white, red, and orange stripped tank top. (my mother liked to be mean to me about my clothes it’s totally a joke…cough-nope-cough)
With my converses of course. My mom wanted me to dress “nicely” and not “like a boy” that’s the one good thing about going to my aunts. I’m getting away from her. “Mom, I’ve already told you I’m not wearing those stupid summer dresses!” My mom sighed. “Fine, before we go, I have a surprise for you!” I smiled.
We had this thing, well me and my mom did, that every day on the first day of summer she would give me a gift! (Well, all it took was begging her to start making it a tradition.) I closed my eyes and when I opened them a camcorder! (For all you wierdos that don’t know it’s a video recorder.) I jumped up and down.
“Oh my gosh you got me a camcorder ahhh!” I hugged her tightly. I took it and looked at it, it was so cool I had been wanting one forever! (although it could have been in a very dark blue or a green, of course it was pink but that’s making me sound spoiled so I’m going to shut up now)
Once we got to the mall, my mom dragged me to a store called “minnies boutique” that sounded like fun. (I was being sarcastic if you were wondering.) We walked inside and I almost threw up. Pink and purple was everywhere and the dresses looked awful. No girl dressed the way my mom dressed me when I was younger.
She would put pink bows in my hair and make me wear dresses that made me look like I was going to a ball. When I got older, I started telling her no. She didn’t like that. She tried every way possible to get me to wear that stuff. Bribery, punishment, yelling, spanking. Nothing worked.
“Oh, sweetheart look at this!” I faked a smile. “It’s ok.” I said. But when we went to wet seal, that’s when I got excited. My mom hated this store but I loved it! I walked in quickly and went straight to the boots. I picked out some black boots and some more shorts. They were just a tiny bit shorter than the ones I had on.
I bought a blue tank top and a tee shirt and my mom didn’t look to happy but I don’t care. (to be honest it made me kind of happy) When we walked out of the store there he was. Danny. I looked at him but was careful not to stare for too long before looking away. I didn’t want him to come up to us because my mom was here.
After we left the store, we went back home. I started packing. While I was packing my phone rang. I walked up to it and un-latched it from the phone base. “Hello?” It was lacey, my best friend from the fourth grade. “Hiiii!” She said. “Oh, hey lacey.” I said. “what’s with the Debby downer mj?” She asked. Lacey always called me MJ and I called myself MJ but only close friends got to call me back.
“Look, I’m not going to be here for summer.” I said. “WHAT?!” She yelled and I pulled the phone from my ear. (that hurt) “Ow maybe tone it down a little.” I said. “Sorry, it’s just that we had this whole summer planned out!” I sighed. “I know that’s what I told my mom but she wouldn’t listen!” I said. “Want to come over I’m leaving tomorrow.” I said. She sighed. “Yea I’ll be right over.” And we hung up.
30 minutes later lacy rang the doorbell. “who’s at the door?” My mom shouted. “Just lacey mom!” I said, I swear I heard my mom sigh my mom thought that lacey was a bad influence on me…she was right. “Laceyyyyy!” I said opening the door. “MJJJJJJ!” We did our secret handshake; it’s how we greet each other. We went back to my room and I started packing again. “I’m so going to miss you!” She said. “Yea me to.” I said. “Here it’s your going away gift!” She said hanging me this top that looked way to revealing. “Ok lacey I’m never going to wear this!” Lacey sighed. “Look girl, my advice, go out…live a little make new friends and have fun, were only 15!” I rolled my eyes.
“Ok...” I took the dress that was black and way too short for my liking. I put it in my suitcase with everything else. “We should take a video my mom got me a camcorder!” She looked shocked. “No way!” I nodded. “Yes way!” I started to take a video. “Hi MJs new camcorder, I’m the first one to come on here because I’m the most important person in her life!” Lacey said and then laughed. I turned it around to face me. “Ignore her she’s cocky!” I said and then lacey threw a pillow at me making me drop the camcorder and it stopped recording. “Hey!” I said still laughing.
After an hour lacey was going home. “You better not forget to write me!” She said. I smiled. “I could never.” I put my suitcase downstairs for in the morning and I got into my pjs. I laid down. I did not want to go. (maybe I could pretend to be sick, which sounds more contagious chicken pocks or strep throat?) The next morning my mom woke me up at 9 am this was not my idea of the perfect summer. (AT ALL) I was so tired. I got dressed and it was already hot outside. I walked out of my room and my dad was sitting in the kitchen sipping his steaming black coffee. (I never understood how he could drink hot black coffee.) He was the only person I was actually going to miss. He hugged me tight. “I’m going to miss your kiddo!” I chuckled. “Me to dad.” I said. I almost teared up. (I SAID ALMOST OK!?)
June 2nd 1997 diary entry 2.
Hi its MJ and were heading to my aunts now, I don’t want to go to some stupid small town, it’s probably so boring. I think it’s called Briarwood or something like that. (very weird name for a town by the way) And I really don’t want to go. I barley even know my aunt it’s going to be so awkward. I just hope she’s not as controlling as mom; I haven’t seen her in years. My mom and dad are going on a stupid honey moon trip and I’m stuck in this stupid small town with no friends.
I just wish I could do whatever I wanted. Then I would stay. I just don’t make friends easily so I know I’m going to be lonely. Hopefully there will be cute boys. Hopefully I’ll make some friends. I just know I’m going to miss lacey. Well hopefully I will be able to record some more.
We still have an hour to go, and I’m so bored. I forgot my stupid cassette player at home so I just know I’m going to be bored. At least I got 30 dollars out of my mom. Maybe I can buy a new one. I took a video clip the pretty sky on the way there, that way I at least have one clip in her…Anyways I’m going to try and take a sleep nap, I meant nap. Don’t make fun of me. MJ out.
I woke up to my mom tapping me on the shoulder. I sighed and got out and my aunt came up and hugged me. “Hi…” I said while she was hugging me and she smiled big. “Hi, oh my gosh Maria you got so tall!” I cringed at the name Maria, everyone called me MJ or Mari, only the people I don’t like call me maria. (maybe she was going to be one of those people) “Thanks...” I sighed and walked inside as I heard my mom apologizing and that I had just had a long drive and I was tired.
That’s a lie by the way. I didn’t want to be here. I walked upstairs and found the guest room; it had pink sheets. (ew) I sighed and put my bag on the bed. I went back downstairs and my mom was down there. She walked up to me and I tried to get away but she caught me in her hug.
“I’m going to miss you.” I’m not. “Me to mom...” She let me go and she kissed me on the forehead, I wiped it off. And she was gone, my mom and my aunt never got along…I never knew why, my mom said it was something that happened to them when they were younger but that’s all I could get out of her. “Hey maria what do you want for dinner?” She said smiling. “I’m not really hungry.” I said. “Oh, well I’m just going to cook some chicken soup!” (I hated soup)
I forced myself to smile a little. “Ok, I’m going to go unpack.” She nodded. I went upstairs and unpacked everything. I put up my clothes and got out my camcorder and put it on the dresser. I hung up the one poster I brought from home. I feel a little better, I guess.
I went back downstairs and I ate dinner. It was just me and aunt Haylee. “So, are you glad to be out of school?” I nodded. “Yea.” I said. “I also miss my friends.” I said. “We were supposed to hang out this summer.” I said sharply. (maybe if I made her feel bad and made her crazy, she would send me back home) “Oh, well I guess you got stuck with me.” She said chuckling. (I didn’t find it funny.) “So how are you guys holding up after-.” She started but I cut her off. “How do you think we’re doing?” I snapped.
“Your right I’m sorry I didn’t mean to bring it up.” I nodded. “Its fine I don’t like talking about it.” She nodded. “So, I was thinking that maybe you could look for a summer job tomorrow, we have a library and an ice cream shop, you could also be a baby sitter for some of my friend’s kids!” I sighed.
(The last thing I want to do is work DURING SUMMER) “Sure, I’ll look tomorrow.” She smiled. “Great, also tomorrow, go out and explore have some fun meet some people, you know there’s so many kids in this town. I nodded. “Sure.” But the only person I wanted here right now was lacey.
I didn’t want any other friends, or to meet new people I was fine with my one friend. That sounded sort of depressing but whatever. But it’s true. After I finished eating, I was about to go back upstairs but my aunt called out and said.
“Want to play a board game?” I sighed. “Sure.” I said turning around and sitting down in the entertainment room. She brought out guess who. As we played, she said. “So, in the newspaper there have been a lot of people going missing.” My eyebrows raise. “Really?” She nodded. “Yea, people are just going missing at night.” Now I’m interested. “Has anyone been found?” I said. “No, nobody knows what’s happening.” She said. “Wow.” I said.
I ended up winning and I rubbed it in her face. “Ok ok I get it; we should get to bed.” I smiled and nodded. “Yea.” I went upstairs and brushed my teeth. I put my light brown hair in a braid and got my pjs on. Once I did that I got into bed and turned on a lamp and got out my journal.
June 2nd 1997 diary entry 4
Hi, its MJ. I know that I’m writing in the same day but my mom said it’s good to write as much as I want or some shit so here I am. It’s not so bad here I guess, I’m going to explore explore tomorrow. I wish there was a phone here, I miss lacey. I can’t sleep it doesn’t feel right. I miss my bed. But I’m think I’m going to get a job though!
I’m going to try to take more videos tomorrow and maybe I’ll make some friends, I don’t know. Well, I better get to bed I’m waking up at 9 am tomorrow so I can get ready and explore goodnight. MJ out.
I woke up in the middle of the night, I heard something downstairs. I slowly and quietly walked downstairs. I saw something glowing outside the window; it was purple and blue and it was bright. I walked towards it and then someone put a hand on my shoulder. I jumped and turned around. It was my aunt. “What are you doing maria?” She said. “I was just looking at that.” I turned around.
Nothing was there anymore. What the hell? “But it was right there...” She sighed. “Let’s just go back to bed, you’re probably just tired.” I nodded. “Ok…” I went back upstairs and laid back down. What the hell was that?
