The Journal

Chapter 1 | Superstitions Lie

Does anyone know what it’s like being the only girl in a group of popular boys? To be in the 10th grade and single? To be a lip virgin? To be the daughter of a retired model? To be the middle child in a house full of girls? Not good. I’m hated by many other girls in school, to other boys I’m unapproachable, and I have to deal with the fact that I’ll never be as outstanding as my best friends are.

How rude of me! I didn’t even introduce myself! I am the infamous Evelyne Marie-Antoinette Graciela Fajardo; Evie for short. For those who can’t already tell... I’m one third African American, one third French, and one third Hispanic. It sounds like a beautiful name for a beautiful girl, no? Well, I must have not inherited the traits my parents and my two sisters have, because I’m too plain compared to my family.

Diana, my mother, is only 38 and a retired model. The African American and French genes come from her. She has ageless medium brown skin, plump lips, striking features, and horrible sight that she hides with contacts. Most people we meet never even believe she’s my mother which is a little creepy to me. If you were wondering, no, she’s not anorexic or had to starve herself. She, in the model world, was categorized as a plus size model. To us normal people, a plus sized model is about a size 7. Weird, right? My mother kind of acts like a child at times due to her childhood being taken away as a model. Just call her Princess Diana and us her loyal servants.

My father, George, is 37 and basically a stranger to me and the rest of my sisters. When we were little, he had a mistress. So I might have some trust issue with men... Whatever. When my mother found out, she instantly kicked him out the house. George was happy to oblige since he was madly in love with that other evil woman anyway. He’s in our lives, but we only see him every other weekend and it can be weird with “them” – his separate family. Therefore we’re pretty much a house full of feminist.

My younger sister, Brandace, is 14 years old and in the 9th grade. Out of all of us sisters, she has the longest hair and is spoiled rotten. You would never guess it if you didn’t know it – she’s cute and innocent on the inside. However, she can be a little reckless behind my parents back. Okay maybe I’m lying; she’s really reckless. You’ll see later... Bran is like my mother’s doll which is perfectly fine with me as long as I get to do whatever (I’m a real party animal! Sike). Besides her being a bad behind kid, she’s really smart.

My other younger sister (they’re un-identical twins), Teria, is the most attractive one out of all of us. Her hair is a wild curly mane that gives her just the edge that’s needed, and her eyes look like they came right out of a magazine photo. However her overall first impression is sweet and kind with a sprinkle of danger. She’s like my mother’s younger clone, but with the personality of my dad. By that I mean: Teria’s laugh is loud, she chases after guys (vice versa for my dad), she’s beyond great at Math and business, and some other things.

Then, well, there’s me. Evie. I’m that best girl friend in the entire world (notice my space between “girl” and “friend”; I fear those words won’t combine, like, ever), the flank in a tribe that gets no attention, that misplaced Barbie heel in the bottom of your closet...

Yeah, that’s me. You’ll learn more through 'The Journal.'

When I have free time and want to get away from the world, I write in my journal. It’s full of all kinds of things: doodles, short stories, poems, raps, entries on what I think of people, etc. It’s basically a main necessity for me; I call it The Journal. That may sound informal to you, but it has significance.

“Are you seriously writing in The Journal right now Eve?? It’s the first day of 11th grade for me and 10th for you!” Rayon’s voice suddenly boomed in my ear.

I jumped at his sudden presence and closed The Journal quickly so he couldn’t read. “Back up dude. You scared me.”

“First scare of your sophomore year! Awl, I’m so proud and honored!” He pretended to wipe fake tears.