Kinship (revised)

Chapter 2: Preppy-Blondes and Bad Impressions

“Hey Pandora! Show us some of you witch tricks!” A girl yelled in a desk as I sat up in front of the class.

“Yeah, can you turn me into a frog or something?” A boy questioned as the class broke out into laughter.

“You know what, I have never seen her do anything too witchy. But in the fourth-grade she snorted milk out of her nose!” Karen added as she laughed.

“Yeah, and she also had the biggest crush on John North. She used to sit by his house and try to spot him in the windows!” Jake announced proudly to the laughter of the class.

“Wake up Ann!” The teacher said as she turned to look at me.

“What? I said giving her a confused glare.

“Wake up!” she yelled again.

Slowly I opened my eyes to see my mother hovering over my bed.

“What?” I said groggily as I sat up.

“It’s eleven-thirty!” She yelled waving her hands about.

“So?” I questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“Get up! You can’t sleep all day!” She said like a crazy person.

“But I can, mother,” I said as I curled back in to my blankets, “but I can...”

“Pandora, get up.” She said as one final last warning as she left my room.

With a dramatic sigh, I began to get semi-dressed. Throwing on some basketball shorts, even though I was very non-sport-oriented, and a T-shirt. After brushing my teeth, throwing up my hair, and washing my face, I was ready to face the day. I grabbed the current book I was reading, and ran out to the tree in our backyard. Resting my back against the bark of the tree trunk, I fully immersed myself in the story.

“Hey, why are you in our backyard?” A voice asked, bringing me out of my story world.

“Excuse me?” I said, bringing my nose out of the book. “I am pretty sure this is my backyard?”

“We’ll we just moved in here,” A boy said gesturing to the house next to ours, “and we were told the property splits at those bushes”

I looked over at my Mom’s rose bushes and sighed. This was the kid I was supposed to be nice too? He was already coming off as rude and unfriendly.

“Look, that house has been empty for years. I always sit here, no one ever seemed to have a problem with that. There’s no clear line where the property splits! Besides, have you ever heard of sharing? What are you going to do with this tree that causes me to be in the way?” I peeved as he sent me an unwelcoming glare.

“Have you ever heard of trespassing? We own the land!” He yelled as he pointed to the bushes.

“Fine, you know what. Have fun tomorrow trying to find your way around school! Have fun being called: “witch” all day and sitting alone!” I yelled as I grabbed my book and stormed inside.

“That little spoilt brat! Who does he think he is claiming land! I tried to be kind, but no! What a little son of...” I muttered until my Mom interrupted me.

“Ann, who are you talking about?” My Mom asked.

“That kid who moved in next door.” I grunted as I sat on the couch.

“I told you to get along with him!” My Mom grumbled.

“I tried! He was so rude! I was just reading under the tree and came over and told me I was trespassing! He didn’t even try to be respectful!” I yelled.