Where I Belong BOOK 1

Chapter 1 Lost child

My name is Anissa, I am ten years old and I live in Ohio with my mother Emily. I am a somewhat shy girl, but I hide it well which works in my favor especially now where I am currently backstage at a world wrestling entertainment event(WWE). My mother(Emily) was a good friend to the security guard from way before I was born, he agreed to sneak us in so I could hang out back stage, to complete my mission. My mother sat with me for a while as we watched superstars walk by. Most of the men my mother knew, she would point out each one and tell me something about them. I wasn't really interested and she could tell, she got annoyed and said let's continue. I followed behind her as she led me to the men's locker room where she gave me a note and told me to give it to the first superstar I saw. She made sure I was okay with the plan and then pulled me in for a big hug plus a kiss and then left for the exit. I assured her many times I was fine to be on my own, but in reality I was a little scared. I was on a treasure hunt per say, I was here looking for my father.

I knew for a while now that my father was a wwe superstar, but I didn't know who he was exactly. My mother didn't mention my father to me when I was younger, I didn't even think anything about it until I was about five years old and spent the night at my aunts house. My cousin was around my age, and we were running in her backyard. My cousin tripped on a branch and scratched up her leg, when she started crying her father picked her up in his arms and calmed her down. I remember watching them wondering where my father was, I wanted to be in my dads arms, I wanted to be held and have my father rub my back. I wanted my father. I waited to my mom picked me up the next day and asked her, "where is my daddy"? My mother told me he was away on work and one day I would see him. I guess that satisfied me for the time being because I didn't bring it back up to my mother until years later. I wasn't even thinking of my dad when I was in my living room drawing a house on my notebook while my mother and her friend Betty was watching television. Betty turned to a channel where the men were wrestling, she was talking about one of the guys moves and then asked my mom "which one of these guys is anissas father"? I jerked my head up fast and I could tell my mom wasn't happy with her friend. I was called over to sit with my mom and she told me stories of how she was a wwe groupie (whatever that means) and followed many of the superstars around before she was pregnant with me. After she had me she stopped traveling and settled down in Ohio. I asked her which one was my dad, but she just smiled at me and said "one day I will tell you, but for now it's a surprise". I was annoyed by that but I let it go. I was very passive and sweet when I was younger. I was the little girl all the moms would say, was such a big helper, or so polite. I just went with the flow back then, and didn't see any reason to act out.

About 11 months ago my mom got married to a complete moron who I don't get along with. I've been going out of my way to make him miserable, I figured it's only fair since he makes my life miserable.

I started acting out a few months after my mom started dating the loser, my behavior has been getting worse and frankly I don't care. I don't like school, I don't like adults, and I sure as heck don't like rules.

Things came to the breaking point last week after I was brought home by a police officer(again). My mom was responsible for a huge fine for me destroying someone's property. The moron gave my mother a choice between me or him, not a surprise she chose him. They came to the decision I was going to be living with my father for a while so my mom and the moron can enjoy being married and give me a chance to work on my behavior. (My behavior is just fine, thank you very much). I didn't get a vote in the decision which again didn't surprise me, I don't get say in anything anymore. I however don't mind, getting away from them and being with my father sounds fine to me, the catch is I still don't know who my father is, so here I am at a live event with all these men and women walking by and I'm not sure what to do.

I wasn't sure what was written in the note my mother wrote, she wrote it privately and folded it up before handing it to me. She told me the note would explain that I'm looking for my dad and the person reading the note would find him for me. I didn't mind coming here but I was nervous about coming here by myself and really wished my friends could of been with me. I don't have a lot of friends mostly three girls who are called the brood. I became friends with the three older girls, Jenny, marissa and Laura at the time my mother started dating the moron.

They were all much older then me but, noticed I spent a lot of time alone. I didn't like being by myself but I preferred it over being in my house cooped up with my mom and her annoying boyfriend(the moron). I would stay outside in my backyard to avoid him and his (perfect) daughter. He thought his daughter was the greatest person in the world. He boasted about everything she did, he could talk about her for hours which was nauseating. Every time he came over he would brag on his daughter, no matter the subject he could make it about her. She was the best student, the best dancer, the greatest friend, the most caring child, blah blah blah.

By the way the moron I keep referring to has a name which is Steve but I like calling him moron much better. Morons daughter Sally is the perfect fake child. She is so nice and respectful in front of her dad and my mom, but to me she is a snob. She always tells me how wonderful she is and how lucky I am to be getting her as a sister(gag). She takes my toys and hides them and says I lost them, she makes fun of me behind the adults backs and calls me names. I tell my mom what she does and she tells Steve but that's as far as it goes. According to him his daughter wouldn't behave that way so I was obviously making it up.

To avoid those two I spent tons of time in my backyard which is where my friends noticed me. There is a path near our yard that goes into the woods which is where the brood(their group name) would hang out.

Almost everyday I would watch these older girls walk in and out of the woods many times a day. I didn't know what they did out there but they spent hours there at a time, some days they would carry items into the woods with them but would come back out without the items. There was never anyone else with them it was always just those three. After about a month of seeing me in my yard the leader of the brood Laura stopped on her way to the woods to talk to me. She was real nice and asked me why I was always outside and alone. I instantly liked her and told Laura all about my moms boyfriend, his daughter and how I felt lonely and like an outsider in my own home. She seemed like she understood how I felt, she didn't tell me I was wrong or I was being ridiculous(my mother told me I was acting ridiculous a lot)she just listened. Laura stayed for a while that day just to keep me company.

After the day Laura stopped to talk to me, she started making time everyday to stop and say hi or just to ask how i was. She eventually introduced me to the other members of the brood. I liked them all but Laura was by far my favorite.

One day I had just gotten into an argument with Sally. She was teasing me as usual and when I tried to ignore her she ripped one of my books, and told her father that I did it. I explained that it would be dumb of me to rip my own book, but like always her father took her side(she got away with everything). I was so mad that I stormed out of my house and into my backyard. The brood was heading to the woods when they heard my door slam and noticed me sitting on my bench crying. They came over and asked me what was wrong, which i told them and to my surprise they asked me if i wanted to join them in their hangout. I was excited that these cool girls wanted me to see their secret place(after all they were in their teens and I was going to be turning 8 in a few months). I accepted right away and they helped me over my fence. I followed them to their hangout( it was an old hut that they been fixing up and it was super cool). The hut was surrounded by acres of land on three sides, if someone wasn't looking for it they would miss it completely. The brood invited me inside, I walked inside the hut and was shocked at how big it was. There was enough room for at least 20 people. The brood had furniture inside consisting of 2 couches, bean bag chairs, a small fridge, table, and some cots. I spent a few hours at the hut that day and enjoyed every minute of it. I continued going to the hangout a few times a week and then eventually I was there everyday. I became like their little sister and I felt that I belonged. I was apart of a family with these girls, and they acted like they loved having me around. The only problem( I didn't see it as a problem) was the brood were rule breakers and by hanging around with them I was basically their student.