Prologue


"I don't want to move!" I cried to my mom.I was 13 years old,a normal,music-loving girl who found out that she was moving to California.
"I don't want to either,sweetie," my mom said through her tears.She dropped her voice to one decibel,"But we have to get away from daddy."
I dropped my mp4 player on the hard wooden floor.
"That's

why were moving!" I screamed at her.
"Yes," she said quietly.Slowly,she wiped the makeup off the right side of her face.I didn't know she was even wearing makeup.
I gasped as a black and blue bruise covered my mom's once beautiful face.
"Yes," she said calmly,"Daddy been beating me up."
After that I followed her plans like a dog chasing a stick.
My mom went to a counselor telling the cheesy-smiley woman her problems,while I soaked up my time with my friends,who I didn't tell I was moving to California.
On the week before we were moving.My mom said I had to tell my friends good-bye while she told Nana.
I told Embry,Jacob,Quil to meet me in our "Secret Hideout" which was in the woods.
As I twirled my extremely curly hair,I thought about what I would say.
They appeared in the woody path."What happened,Carmela?" Jacob said,seeing my distraught face.I burst into tears and told them about my sob story.
"I d-d-d-don't wan-t--t t-t-to move!" I cried as snot dribbled down my face.
Quil took a tissue from his pocket.I grabbed it and honked.
"I love you!" Jacob blurted out.We all stood in silence.Then,Quil smacked him in the back of his hair,"Way to go,Mr.Smooth.'
And,for the first time,I giggled.
The big day arrived,and as I was getting in the car,the boys huddled together and pulled out a blue album book with our adventures and fun.
"Can you come with me?" Jacob asked.I looked my mom,ever since my dad went to jail(last week),she has been smiling,but I never tell her that.
She smiled and motioned me to go on.I turned back to Jakie and nodded.
We went to the beach in silence.When we went in blue waters,the cold water licking my toes.I realized this would be the last time I would be in the waters of La push.I looked up at him with my big gray eyes.
We stared at each other and inched closer to each other and kissed.
He grinned my favorite grin."I gave you this," He showed me a necklace with a wooden wolf posed in mid-howling position.My favorite animal.
"I made it just for you.That means nobody could ever replace the way I feel for you."
"It's beautiful," I whispered.

Life in California was fair.I made friends and changed slowly over the 4 years.My brown hair now looked like carmel and chocolate withs it's light brown hair and tiny chocolate streaks,t reached down my back and cam to my butt.I lost weight and grew the athletic body that I always wanting since I was younger, but was still discouraged because I was 4'8".
One day,I was reading To kill a Mocking Bird

for class when the phone rang.Expecting it to be Carly,my best friend,I picked up the phone.
"Hello?" I said.
"Yes,this is the police department.Is this Carola?" The lady asks.
"Carmela," I said calmly.
"Yes,we are sorry to inform you that there has been a car accident with your mother in the car.She was intoxicated."
I yelped.I dropped the phone and ran out the door.
I ran to Carly.She opened the door.
"My mother's dead!" I collasped into her,overcome by grief.
"Whoa,whoa,what happened?" Carly said.Her warm brown eyes were concerned.She wrapped her arms around me as I explained what happened to me.
Carly put her hands over her straight brown hair,a sign that showed she was thinking of what to do.
"Okay,we have to go to your house in case the police come,I'll ask my mom if she can come." She squeezed my shoulders,comforting me.She went into the kitchen.
I sat on the brown leather couch.Why did this happen to me? What did I do to deserve this? I put my face in my hands and cried. My mom was happy.She was happy...
I thought about where I would go.My mom was born an only child and both her parents died 7 years ago.My dad is in jail and we don't even know where his family is.
I rubbed my eyes in frustration and exhaustion.That only left Nana,who was in La Push.I think her number is in my mom's phone book.Let's just hope that it isn't disconnected.
Carly's mom ran into the room and instantly hugged me.She smelt motherly,like White Diamonds perfume and cookies.
I sobbed into her.My mom never smelled like that,she smelled like fruity perfume and something else,something that I loved...
Care.
We walked to my house in silence.My mind was churning and worrying.
I liked it that way.
The police arrived,trying to find out what to do with me.I sat there silently while Carly's mom did all the talking.She told what happened and talked about custody,since I was seventeen and not yet eighteen.
"Do you have any relatives?" the cop,who had to much aftershave on asked.
"No," I said quietly.
"Anybody you know?"
"Yes,her name is Nancy Blue,she used to be my Nana until I moved.She isn't on anything and she doesn't have medical problems,well,not to my knowledge."
Nana was 41 when she started watching me,now she would be 46,not an old age.
I got used to my mom's death.I get to used to traumatic changes,my mom used to say.
I packed my bags as they made the plans,I just stood there,waiting for an instruction or just sitting and being silent.I wasn't myself,they could tell.
We threw a short,sweet funeral.Just the way my mom would like it.Many people came to pay there respects or just to wish me luck,moving back to La push.
On the last day before my departure,I was going through my room when I came across a box marked:

La Push Memories


It had my mom's sloppy hand-writing.Curious,I opened it up.It had only to things in it,a necklace and a blue photo album.
"Oh!" I gasped,I opened the album,it had a picture of me and three boys.
My best friends.
I flipped to another page,it showed Quil posing next to a tree,Me tied to the tree,Embry on top of the tree,waving his arms and Jacob laughing his head off.
I wanted to look at some more but the trucked beeped.Carly's mom and all my other friends were planning to go to the airport to say one last goodbye.
I put on the necklace and grabbed my things.
I had on dark green shorts that had a white vine crawling up.I also had a white halter top.I hopped in the Hummer H3.Carly's mom made arrangements for me to get a vehicle at La Push.She said it was on her,even after we read the will,which my mom wanted me to have everything except the furniture,who she gave to Carly's mom.
I was financially supported but I didn't care about money.The only thing that I was excited about was going to La Push.
"What a nice necklace," Cherry said as she touched the wolf, it was still my favorite animal after 4 years.
I lived in the memory, Jacob had given me it,sweet Jacob,my first kiss. I remembered how warm his lips were,how they caressed against mine. I wanted to see Jacob, to tell him I didn't forget him. To tell him I lov-
"Hello!" Carly gripped my arm and shook it.
"Huh?" I asked.
"I said where did you get it from, Ms.'Day-Dreamer'?"
"Oh, I got it from an.... friend."
Diana sat up from the back seat, " Where did she get it from, I don't think you can get it from Claire's."
"Um, it was a guy friend, and he didn't get it from Claire's, he made it."
Carly leaned back from the front seat, she reached over and gently touched the necklace with her gentle ebony hand. " It has such fine detail, I mean look at how the wolf is arched, how skillful the hand is, he must be-"
Snoring interrupted Carly's sentence. Cherry had her dirty blond haired head laid back on the seat, fake snoring.
Diana and I bursted out laughing. It felt good to laugh. I looked out the window and realized in shock that we had made it to the airport.
You feel the tension in the air, as we went in to security.
I swallowed hard before opening the door. I heard the slam of two other doors. I watched as Cherry, Carly and Diana appear from the other side of the truck.
They huddled together. I watched them, feeling tears steam in my eyes. This reminded me so much when I left La Push. I closed my eyes remembering the day when my Mom told me about the difference between a crush and true love...
My mom sighed as she stared at the mirror. She lifted up her hair, huffed and slouched.
"Whats wrong mommy?" A four year old tiny me asked picking up the doll that slipped from her hands.
"My hair is to long,honey, it makes me look so short.
I frowned and nodded my head in agreement, my hair reach my waist and I was only five.
"NO!" my mom said looking at me, her light brown hair whipping from behind her.
"Honey, please," she begged, kneeling to my height, "Dont cut your hair foor as long as you live," She stuck out a finger, "pinky promise me."

I closed my eyes as slow tears ran down my face. "I pinky promise mom, I do." I said quietly.

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 16.04.2011

Alle Rechte vorbehalten

Widmung:
To the fans of my stranger series,to my sister,Cameron Johnson and to my cousin,who does not like her name and doesn't want me to tell,Bellafani