Chapter 1
Verity Coudere is my name, not very creative, I know but my parents wanted me to have a name that stuck out from others and wasn’t very common. It was quite hard for me to believe that it was the end of my eighth grade year. If I was totally honest, I had no clue what I’d do this summer. I like to draw in my journal a lot, and it’s my only hobby. I never was good at making friends, so I didn’t have any. I have an older sister, named Veronica, who was already in high school. She was only a couple years older than me, and she’s a total brat. That’s just the sum of it.
Today’s my thirteenth birthday, and like every other year, Veronica will try to ruin it somehow. I walk into the front door with my backpack in hand and I get a giant “surprise!” yelled right at me. My mom and dad had big smiles on their faces, and Veronica… Well, she was scowling. I couldn’t wait until she was eighteen and left. “Thanks,” I said, my smile ever so faint, “But you don’t think I’m a bit too old for this now?” I asked. In reality, I was actually happy, but I knew if Veronica heard those words, she’d be happy, and make the day about her.
“Nonsense, honey,” My mom replied. “You’re never too old for birthday parties.” She chuckled as my dad set me at the dinner table and my mom went into the kitchen to bring my cake in, handmade specifically by my parents.
Everything went surprisingly smooth the rest of the day, and there were no problems between anyone. I got a couple presents, which was fine with me. Despite that, we didn't have enough money for the little things, we always got something on our birthdays. Veronica had to be the adult that she is and help pay the bills and stuff so as soon as she turned sixteen, she had to get a job without complaint. Personally, I thought that it sucked to be her, and it did. She had a couple more months until she turned eighteen and then I had the house to myself. But nevermind that. After thinking about it, I went to the park.
My parents are still fairly young, they had Veronica during their Junior year in high school, and then had me four years later. I was a struggle growing up apparently, and I still am, according to Veronica. But we never got along because of us being different from each other. She is popular, and I am a loner. But as far as I was concerned… we’d never get along, not in a million years. If I’m being honest though, I want her to like me more. I just don’t know how I’m going to do that, but I’ll figure it out somehow.
