I stood there like a complete idiot, just staring at my parents. I couldn’t believe it, any of it.  I ran up the stairs, and mom ran after me.
“I don’t think I can handle this mom!  You don’t know what he and that dumb group has put me through!”  I sat on my bed, tears rushed down my face.
“Look,” she grabbed my hand lovingly and smiled, “you are extremely brave.  I know this is hard for you but you have to forgive them.  You’ve been through so much, but Carter has too.”
“Alright, fine!  I will cut him some slack, but don’t expect me forgive him.”
“Thank you sweetie,” she paused, “I am so proud of you.” She smiled.
I smiled back.  It wasn’t a real smile though.  I was still angry, and sure that I would always be. 
“Guys,” Dad called, “He’s here!” All of my six siblings were excited.  You could tell by the way they all ran down the stairs, tumbling over each other, squealing of excitement.  I can’t blame them, he’s moving in with us, it’s like getting a new sibling which is always really fun.  I however, was by far, the most miserable person.  Probably the only miserable person…
All of my problems started last Winter.  Everything was going amazing for me.  I had friends that would support me no matter what, a family that was somewhat normal, and a boyfriend, Carter, that loved me for me, or so I thought.  Turns out my “friends” were all plotting to go against me, my parents had triplets (which made my house hectic), and Carter went along with my friends and abandoned me.  It get’s worse.  I have to spend everyday at school with them.  I have a lot of my classes with them, but we don’t talk much, I hate them and they hate me.  It’s still awkward though.  That’s only one reason I loathe Carter.  The second reason is way way way worse.
A few days after I was exiled from my little group, we broke up.  He broke up with me.  I wasn’t really angry at him for that, but a week after, he started dating my best friend, Bella.  I was so angry.  No words can explain how infuriated I was.  Both of them were my best friends, and they both betrayed me.  TWICE. 
A few months later, in the Summer, they broke up.  I was still mad, but it was hard to be when I heard the reason they broke up.  Carter’s parents died while on a cruise.  I don’t really know what happened.  I felt bad, really bad, yet my hatred for him kept coming into my brain.  I didn’t want to be mad anymore.  I couldn’t help it.  That gets me where I am today.  My parents were extremely close with his, so they agreed to have him move in with us until custody things were settled. 
“Jordyn,” my mom grabbed my hand before my father opened the door, “Remember what we talked about last night. Give him a chance, and try to forgive him.”
“Okay,” I said reluctantly, “I promise.”  I took a deep breath and watched my dad’s hand as it went towards the brass door knob.
“Hey Carter! Welcome! Come inside.”  Dad hugs Carter, and he smiles.  Then my mom.  “It’s good to see you honey,” .  My brothers and sisters say hi too.  They all know what happened, so they jumped on him giving him a hug.  My turn.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
“Here, you can follow me, I’ll show you around the house, and we’ll get you settled,”
“Thanks.  Its good to see you,” He smiled.  I smiled back.
The rest of the morning and afternoon wasn’t bad.  I showed him where we kept everything in the kitchen, how the laundry system in our house works, where the bathrooms were, and all of the other rooms.  I’m proud of myself.  I kept my promise to Mom.  I was perfectly nice.  Or at least I thought I was.  He seemed really overwhelmed though.  I probably should have gone easier on him. 
Dinner was a whole different story.  It was tedious.  Dinner at my house is NEVER boring.  Carter was staring at me the whole time.  I stared at him too.  The noise completely drained out.  My heart was going to beat out of my chest.  I couldn’t bear it.
“Alright,” I stood up and scooted my chair in abruptly, “I can’t take this.  May I be excused?”
“Um.  Sure honey” My mom said looking at me with her did-something-happen-what’s-wrong look.  As I stomped up the stairs I could sense the awkwardness and confusion at the table.  The rest of the night went on as usual.  I brushed my teeth, changed, and went to bed early.  The rest of the summer was the same, the awkwardness died down though, and we didn’t talk that much.
Then came the first day of school.  As I walked into school, I felt something strange.  It felt like people were whispering.  People were staring at me, so I ran to my locker.  Bella, my ex-best friend was waiting there.
“What do you think you are doing,” she hissed at me.
“What?”
“You know what.”
“Sorry I don’t”
“Well fine, let me give you a little recap.  Carter moved in with you.  I know you’re going to try and get him back.  He’s mine so paws off.”
I stared at her blankly.  “There’s nothing going on between me and Carter, so chill.”
“Whatever.” Bella flipped her hair, and walked off.
Nothing out of the ordinary happened for the rest of the day.  People still whispered, I ignored it though.  It doesn’t bother me anymore I’ve gotten used to it. 
As I walked through the front door, I saw Carter in the kitchen.  It’s only been one day so we haven’t really gotten used to each other.  I tried my best to sneak upstairs without him noticing, but that didn’t go very well. 
“Hey! I didn’t hear you come in.” he smiles.
“Uh yeah, sorry, I just have a lot of homework so I’m gonna go up to my room.”
“Alright, by the way your parents left a note, no one’s going to home until later, so it’s just me and you.”
“Cool, I’m gonna go. ”
“Wait! Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure?”
“Are me and you cool now?”
I’ve been dreading this question.  Somehow I knew he would ask that.  I still didn’t know how to answer.  If I said “Yes” I would be lying. I hate lying, I suck at it.  People always tell me I can’t lie for my life.  I thought about the question, suddenly a wave of anger flooded through me.  “How could you think we are cool?!  We aren’t, we will never be cool.  I will always hate you.  Leave me alone!  You may still live here and I may need to be nice to you, but just know that I hate you!”  I gasped.  I couldn’t believe myself.  I had no idea what just happened.  Carter’s expression made me feel so guilty.  So I ran.  I ran to my room and locked the door.  I didn’t want to think of what happened so I just did my homework.  An hour later I heard a knock at my door.  It was Carter. 
“Can we talk?”
I sat and thought about what I said.  I wanted to apologize. I took a deep breath. “Sure, come in,”
“Hey,”
“Hey,”  I looked up at the chipping paint on my ceiling, “look I’m really sorry for what I said and ”
“No,” Carter interrupted and sat on my desk chair, “You don’t have to apologize, I hurt you really bad.  I regret everything I did. “
“Me too.  I shouldn’t have yelled at you.  It’s just that I was so angry for so long, and I kept everything bottled in.  I guess I just exploded when you asked me that.”  A tear rolled down onto my cheek.
“Please forgive me.  Please.  I just want things to go back to where they were before.  I don’t want you to hate me anymore!”
I took a deep breath.  The silence was deafening, but I had to think.  Being angry for so long has caused such a burden on me.  I don’t want to hate or be angry anymore. Maybe I should just forgive him.
“Things aren’t ever going to be the same,” I stopped and took a breath, “But I’m willing to try.”
“Really? Thanks!  I can’t wait.  I’ve missed you.” He smiled and grabbed my hand.  I didn’t mind.  I was happy. 
“There’s just one problem…” I said reluctantly.
“Let me guess,” Carter shook his head, “Bella?”
“Yea.  She thinks we’re a thing.  Like that would ever happen.”
“I guess,”  he looked at his hand then looked back up, “we should talk to her.  Let’s call her.”
“That is probably not a good idea.”
“Why?”
“She hates me with a passion.” I smiled.  I don’t know why.  I find her hatred for me a bit funny now.  I know, it’s weird.
“We should at least try.”
“Fine,”  I said reluctantly, “we’ll talk to her tomorrow.”
The rest of the night went on.  We talked for hours.  It was like one of those talks where it feels like it’ll never end.  I knew it would though, and it did.
“Good morning guys!” my mom exclaimed.
“Who wants breakfast?” my dad asked holding up a plate of pancakes.  The dining room filled up with thrilled voices.  We all finished breakfast.  Carter and I left later to talk to Bella.  We walked to her house. 
“Are you ready?” Carter asked.
“Yea, I’m good.”
“Let’s do it.”  We both took a deep breath.  I stepped forward and rang the doorbell.  Bella answered, and invited us in.  Everything went exactly the way I wanted it to.  Bella and I are now cool.  We agreed to make peace.
This whole experience made me realize that forgiving may be hard, but it is a whole lot better than keeping so much anger and hatred follow up.  I now know to forgive, but never forget.