A girls guide to traveling

Chapter 1

       "Dear, you friend Chloe is here." My mom said the disdain heavy in her voice as she made her away across the marble floors. She rested her arm on one of the columns. "Mom, I know you don't like her." I said matter of factly. My mom was lot's of things, beautiful, rich, snobby, stuck up, even a little on the rude side. But she was honest to a fault. She had made her feelings about my best friend very clear.

       "I mean can you blame me? I'm sure this crazy trip was her idea." My mom said. I stopped in my tracks turning around. "Actually it was mine. I want to go on this trip. I want to figure out who I am. Who ME is. Not the me you've told me I'm supposed to be. I just didn't want to go alone so I invited her." I said. "I know but this is the day we've been preparing for your whole life. You just graduated Vanderbilt Academy the best private school on the East coast. Now we can launch you into society. We can start looking for you a husband." She said. "That's your plan mom, not mine. Now if you'll excuse me my best friend is waiting." I walked outside to the garden to meet her.

       Chloe and I met in second grade. She just kind of globed herself onto me. In fact most people did. I was told all the time as a child I should be a model. My mom would smile politely, say thank you and then proceed to tell them I was going to be a great wife one day. And the looks people would give my mom? That's I know her idea's are kind of out there. See my mom grew up on the well off side. But she had always wanted more. My mom degrades herself. She says "Well pretty girls can have pretty lives my dear." I mean who actually calls them selves pretty? It's so vain.

       I mean sure, I guess pretty people know they're pretty but only because they get told. I had people interested in me for my looks alone. "That's the ticket my dear girl, marry for money and you'll never want for a thing in this life." Which sounds great in theory but I wanted love. I don't really think my parents love each other if I'm being honest. I feel like they have an agreement, an understanding. My dad would take care of my mom and all she had to do was make him look good. Remember things about his boss. Lie and say he's lost weight, and that his wife is a lucky woman. I couldn't lie, something about it just didn't sit right with me.

       That's why this trip was so important. I got my trust fund the day I turned 18, which was a week ago. I graduated High school and now I wanted to travel. I wanted to figure out who I was as a person. I had a pretty strict regimen growing up. Don't  eat this, work out, be thin, go get this facial let them use this hair treatment. It was exhausting. I didn't have any actually hobbies, no interests. So when I get a job, yes mom I said job. I intend to work. Like normal people. Because marrying for money was so not happening.

       I had a notebook. In it I wrote down goals. One was to discover new things about myself. The second one was to try new things and gain to hobbies. Find out what I like. I pushed my long pale blonde hair over my shoulders and my bright blue eyes lit up when I saw Chloe. Her dark brown hair cascaded down her back in perfect curls.

       "Hey friend I'm so excited to talk about this trip! I am so ready to leave. I wish this week would end so we could get going." She said. "Well I'm sad. I've said goodbye to everybody but Dalton, I invited him over today and he said he couldn't make it. Do you think he's blowing me off?" I asked. "What? Nooo, you know how boys are. Don't be silly." Said Chloe.

       "I can't help it. We've all been friends since forever. I mean I'm going to miss everybody when we leave. I think I'll call him again." I said pulling my cell phone from my pocket. "No don't!" She screamed. "What is wrong with you?" I gave her a puzzled look. She sighed taking a seat at the white iron chair. The cushion was fluffy with a floral print and it matched her pale pink capri pants.

       "Look, the reason Dalton has been ignoring you is....we've been dating for a few weeks." She said. "What? Why didn't you tell me?" "Well you know, I was waiting to see how things worked out. Ya know test the waters? But it's been great let me tell you he is such a great boyfriend." "Oh, well I wished you had told me." I said quietly.