Money, Planes, & Saying Goodbye

Chapter One

"My life is perfect. I'm popular, I drive a sick car, we live in this amazing house. I mean my life can't really get any better, Steph." I sit straight up on my queen sized princess themed bed, the thing has curtains hanging from the top. "But this isn't right. I mean it's Australia." My voice is slowly raising and I know I need to keep it down or risk my dad hearing me, but truthfully, I didn't care. "There isn't anything in Australia!"

"They have hot guys," Steph says quietly. She isn't really talking to me, just kinda thinking out loud.

I shake my head slowly. "Steph, they eat stuff called Vegemite. Like what is that?!?!"

"People would kill to be able to live in Australia, Rose. You aren't thinking this through."

I look at my beautiful best friend. Dark hair and perfectly golden eyes. She really is all I can ask for as a friend, but I think she and her wonderfully kind heart have gone insane. "Steph, I am being forced to move to Australia and all you are thinking about is when you get to come and visit. "

"Wow that one really hurt," Steph exclaimed with mock hurt in her voice. "But really, Hun, who didn't see this coming? They have been dating for like a year and a half. They had to get married sometime."

She was talking about my dad and my soon-to-be step-mom. I have to admit, I should've seen it coming but still. Who has time to sit around and think about these things?

"You are moving to the coolest place ever, you have a fashion designer as a step-mom and your dad is totally gonna give you whatever you want because you have to move across the world for him! The least you could do is cheer up a little."

I walked over to my personal balcony and spread the curtains to let the California afternoon light slide into my room. Stephanie and I had skipped school today so that we could "help pack." I have yet to put anything in a bag or even think about it and we leave in a week.

My father is flying me across the county to an island in the middle is nowhere so that he can marry "the girl of his dreams." He hasn't decided if we should move back after the wedding or what. I really don't think he has decided anything. I think he met some girl and his first thought was, 'I'm going to ruin my daughters life and force her to move to the other side of the world because it will be funny to watch her cry.'

"I'm a senoir this year Steph! It's supposed to be my big break." I sigh really dramatically as a land with a plop on my mini couch. "I am this close to getting signed. I can feel it."

Stephanie just rolls her eyes and comes to sit beside me. "Now you know as well as I do that there is just as much, if not more, of a chance for your modeling there as there would be here." She raised her perfectly plucked eyebrow to match her intentions as she looked at me and said, "I know you too well, my little Rose Blossom. What is really going on here?"

I shake my head slightly. There really is no getting past her. "He has completely forgotten, Steph. He's forgot all about her in four years." By this point I'm swallowing tears and shaking bad. "He doesn't even care."

"I'm sure that's not true." She whispers urgently. "He loves you and we both know how devastated he was. He can't just forget your mom."

My mom died when I was thirteen. No one saw it coming. The cancer struck fast and there wasn't a doctor in the world that could help. My dad payed for it all, every last penny. My mom didn't lift a finger in the last months of her life. My dad pampered her, and treated her just like a queen. My perents didn't have one of those 'close to divorce' relationships. We were lucky that they had such a good marriage but when my mom died, my dad lost his one true love and because I am an only child he didn't have anyone left except for me.

Until Madison entered my perfectly fine picture.

My dad moved on faster than I get to shoe sales. He practically bows at this stupid girls feet.

"I think your just being overly dramatic because you don't like her," Steph laughs lightly.

"Whatever," I smile slightly. She always knows how to lighten the mood snd thats definetly what I needed.

She looked around at my oversized bedroom and laughed. "You know we should probably get some of this done. We haven't actually packed anything."

I glance around and see all the stacked boxes that are simply full of air. "Good point," I laugh. "Let's start with my clothes."

Steph nods encouragingly and we make our way to my walk-in closet.