The Princess Diaries

Chapter One

Dear diary.

Today was an interesting day, to say the least.

I woke up at the usual time and had my usual breakfast (two pieces of toast and some avocado) and was sitting at the table in my stupid school uniform waiting for Mia to join me. That girl is late most days anyway, but today she was dawdling because she had a speech to do and so I knew I wasn't getting in on time. Mum had huffed when I reminded her of this fact when she wondered what was taking her so long, and started ranting about the unfairness of making Mia do the speech when everyone knew she had stage fright.

I had rolled my eyes and reminded her that school was a stupid institution that was designed to mimic the workplace and so of course you were forced to do things you didn't want to do. Usually, I would have used the opportunity to beg the woman to pull me and Mia out of school to save us from more suffering, but then my younger sister appeared, and I have to say, she didn't look good.

Her bushy hair was worse than usual and she had bags under her eyes that were framed by glasses, her usual fair skin was pale and marred by frown lines.

'You feeling confident?' my mum asked, despite seeing how Mia looked.

'Not really,' she replied, dragging her feet as she came to sit at the table. I had passed her over a bowl with cereal in it and she started eating as Mum came over and kissed Mia's cheek.

'Ok now just remember,' she started, walking back to her ladder to carry on painting, 'when you make your speech, don't look at the people. Pick a spot on the back wall, don't take your eyes off of it, speak loudly!'

'Thanks, mum,' Mia said standing up to put her bowl in the sink and taking my plate with her. I stood up as well, grabbing my black backpack and the trash bag then went to stand by the door, waiting for her.

I'm sure it's obvious by now, but if not I'll remind you, dearest diary, that my white 1976 Cadillac convertible was and still is my pride and joy, my dearest baby. Should I die alone, I will still be happy as I'd have my car.

I was walking home one day using a new path when I spotted it outside someone's house with a sign saying for sale on the inside.

After finding out the price I was quick to get all the money together, borrowing from my mum, my best friend Sarah and Mia. Even my estranged grandmother from Europe contributed, on the condition that I up my maths score that my mother was updating her on (traitor).

Obviously, I also used some of the money I had been saving from working at the dinner, but it was worth it. Sarah and Mia hadn't minded lending me some money so long as I drove both of them to school every day, and I paid them back in the end.

Mia decided she preferred going on her scooter to school with her friend Lily, but she still demanded lifts now and then.

That was why I was driving both of us to Lily's house to drop her off before I went to get Sarah. I pulled up at the curb outside the building as Mia jumped out, going to the back to get her electric scooter out of the boot.

'See you later Mia, good look with that speech,' I called, pulling away with a wave as I saw Lily leaving the house.

'Bye Val,' Mia called back, Lily behind her and giving me a wave.

I drove off towards Sarah's house which, luckily enough wasn't too far from school, thinking about how glad I was that I'm a junior now and a year closer to being done with it all. Although I still have no idea what I wanna do when I leave, (Mum always says something in politics because I'm good at persuasive speaking, but Sarah thinks I'm too impatient and stubborn for that. She says ill end up murdering someone because they don't do something my way, but I disagree.)