Chapter 1 – I’m Not Okay

            Zella sat down in her new living room. The floor was cold against her bare feet, but she simply mustn’t wear shoes on the new imported Chinese carpet in the living room- or so her stepmother had said. Her hotheaded step-mom was the whole reason her dad made them move. Anything for Angeline.

            Zella’s icy blue eyes filled with tears of anger. Had her father mentioned their moving to her at all? No. He had dropped her off at school yesterday, just yesterday, collected her files from school, and drove off. Zella knew something was up then, but she didn’t care. It wasn’t like she had tons of friends to say goodbye to, or any boyfriends to break away from. She was the ninth grade loner at old Ridgeway High.

Ridgeway, where we had lived forever until Mom…

            Zella was deep in thought until she heard a loud shriek from the other room. She peered into the hallway.

            Angeline stood over Zella’s younger brother and sister, twins, Erik and Rose. Rosie was crying, and Erik was glaring up indignantly at Angeline.

            “You can’t hit her!” he shouted. “I’m telling Daddy!” He was about to stomp off, but Angeline grabbed him by the shirt.

            “If you tell Daddy, then I’ll tell him that you want to go to military school!” All three children gasped. Rose continued to whimper. Zella looked down to see a huge gash on her face. First, the mention of military school, then Rose’s face, it was all too much for Zella to handle.

            “You bitch!” Zella cried. “How dare you! How dare you bring up military school! How dare you hit her! You deserve to burn in Hell!”