Stormy Skies (On Hold)

Stormy Skies

Chapter 1

Thursday, June 11th

Adrianna

                “Please let it be a girl, please let it be a girl!” Katie and Rena chant from the window. I watch them silently from the blue and fuchsia colored armchair. Apparently Lisa got it for a cheap price at a yard sale, and gave it to Samantha as a gift. Ivy and Jane are on the couch (this one is lime green- another yard sale find) talking about Jane’s crush, Scott Anderson, and if Jane Anderson sounds weird or not.

            I roll my eyes all the while.

            I’ve only been here six days, and I already wish I could be back with Grandma in Missouri. Arizona is making me miserable. Let me list the ways.

            Summer hasn’t even officially started, and I’m dying from the heat.

            Mrs. Taylor (Lisa) has the two most annoying daughters in the universe, Jane and Katherine. Katherine (or Katie, as she prefers to be called) is 12, and Jane is 14.

            Jane and Katie have the most annoying friends, who they see daily.

            Jane and Katie’s friends are the daughters of Lisa’s friend-since-grade-school, Mrs. Brooke (Samantha). Their names are Ivy and Rena. Both are half-Chinese, because Samantha’s ex-husband is Chinese, but Rena looks more like her American mother. Ivy looks Chinese. Ivy is 15, only a few months older than Jane, while Rena is 12, like Katie.

            Jane and Katie’s parents divorced when they were eight. Neither likes to talk about it. All I know from Lisa that they never get to see him because he’s pretty much disappeared. 

            While I’m explaining things, I’ll tell you a bit about myself.

            My name is Adrianna Michiko Wilson, and I’m 16 years old as of last November. I’m part Japanese- my middle name is after my grandmother. I’m adopted, and that’s why I’ve only been here for six days. I’m definitely not the Taylor’s real family. I’m also a vegetarian.

            Life here in the suburban home of the Taylor’s hasn’t been all that great. There’s constant heat, its loud all the time with little girlish screams over toys and make-believe (that would be the inseparable duo of Rena and Katie) and teenage shrieks over boys and make-up (that would be the inseparable duo of Ivy and Jane), and if that isn’t enough, Lisa’s always playing her old music from the 80’s.

            At the moment, I’m sitting on the ugliest couch in history, listening to all the annoyances in the house, and waiting for Lisa and Samantha to hurry up from the airport with the Brooke’s new daughter. She’s adopted, like me. And she’s 16, like me. And, she’s an orphan. Also like me. Her name is Sophia. Or Sophie. I can’t remember. Apparently Samantha was inspired by Lisa when she adopted me to be a “kind soul to the homeless” so she went ahead and adopted a grown teenage girl as well.

            “SHE’S HERE! SHE’S HERE!”

            Aha, she’s here.

            Instead of a girl stepping out of the Brooke’s old pickup truck, out steps a boy who looks to be around our age. Apparently he’s good looking, because Jane and Ivy are squealing with excitement.

            “You get to live with that guy?” Jane asks.

            “This is turning out to be such a good day,” Ivy sighs dreamily. Rena looks confused.