Chapter 1: Let's Begin

A Chapter by Vanessa

October 1, 2011

Journal Entry #1

My brother gave me this journal yesterday for my 18th birthday. I looked at it and thought I was way too old to have one but maybe it's not such a bad idea. I hadn't actually planned to use it but what's the harm in trying?

There's not really much to tell since it's only thursday but tomorrow night I'm going to celebrate my birthday; then I'll have something to say. But for now I'm just going to say a little bit about myself. Well, I'm Tiffany Harding and like I said before I'm 18 (woohoo?! What's so damn special about that? Okay, I know you can legally do a lot of stuff like smoke or go out of the state/country without parental permission but people do it anyway. I just don't really see what the big deal is. It's not like somethings going to happen and make an 18 year old do something really important).

What else... oh, well, I'm a cheerleader at my high school. No, I'm not the 'queenbee' or a b***h at West Athens High but people do know me. Although, sometimes I wish they didn't. It's not always good to be known.

So I have a brothernamed Liam and a sister named Katie. We live with both our parents, Courtney and Jeff Harding. Honestly, I have no idea how they have stayed together for so long with all the fighting. They were high school sweethearts... correction... they were junior high sweethearts (who stays together that long?)

Besides that I have a boyfriend named Ethan. We've been together about eight months now (making it my longest relationship up to date). He's a good guy and he's one of the best choices I have made (note: my previous boyfriend was a stoner).

Now let me tell you about my friends.

There's Stephanie Bennington, the goody-goody of our group; anything bad you do in front of her, well, you're just asking to get caught. Then there's Janette Liers, the 'queenbee' of our school. Anyone who gets caught on her bad side should just transfer out 'cause there is no going back. Rachel Dawson i the 'crook' as most people have come to call her. She looks sweet on the outside with her golden locks of hair but she can make anyone do her bidding. Finally, there's Darlene Hillson, my best friend since before birth. Her mother and my mother were bes friends in high school, so it's no wonder we'd be just like them.

Darlene and I have done almost everything together and there are no secrets between us. Anything that happens we go to each other first. It's not always good to tell all your secrets but it seems to work alright with me.

I don't think I've left very much out but even if I did there are so many more pages for me to write more and more. Tomorrow, if I have time, I'll write about what it's like to live in SoCal.

That's all I have to say for now. I plan to write in here everyday even if it's just a few lines. Something is something; and sometimes less is somehow better. More tomorrow.

<3 / Tiffany

Tiffany set her journal down on her bed and packed her bag for school. Since it was Thursday she knew that meant there was a longer practice to prepare for the pep rally on Friday. She loved cheering it was what she loved the most but it took up so much of her time. She didn't complain as much as she used to but she still hadn't yet gotten used to it.

"Tiffany! You're going to be late to school!" her mother yelled from the living room. She looked at the time and smiled, she had about forty-five minutes to get to school. She went downstairs and looked at her mother confused.

"Mom, I have a long time until I need to get to school and the bus won't be here for another fifteen minutes. Why the rush?" She asked her. Her mother smiled at her and extended her hand. Tiffany looked at her mother strangely and said, "What?"

"Well, you might want to start warming up the car if not you'll never gett there," she said.

Tiffany smiled and said, "You're letting me use your car?" but her mom shook her head and started going towards the garage door.

Her mother looked at her while opening the door and said, "I don't think you want to be using my ratty old car,"ha, if only her car looked old, "You're dad and I decided it was time you had you're own; as long as you take care of it you can keep it." All she did was nod as her mom turned on the light to show her the new car. It was shiny and silver wsith a big blue bow on top. She was expecting maybe a small car or something simple but she definitely didn't mind that brand new Lincoln MKS. Tiffany stared at the car with her big brown eyes, "It's- It's," was all she could come up with.

She hurried over to her mother and gave her a big hug, "Thank you so much, I love it."

"You're welcome sweetheart," her mother said.

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