I am just getting home from my best friend’s house. Her name is Elena and no one’s around. Its 7:00 at night and my parents plus my twin sisters Nelly and Kelly are out of town because they went to North Carolina to visit my grandmother for a month. My grandma has cancer and she has had it for three months. The doctor said she only has six weeks left but my family is staying for her funeral, that’s why they are staying for a while. I am alone, and bored so I go to bed. My name is Marissa Neman and I’m 14 years old. I live in Nashville, Tennessee. I don’t go to school, I get home schooled by Elena’s mom. My mom and Elena’s mom are really good friends. My mom thinks that our school and neighborhood is really bad so Elena’s mom had offered to home school me and my twin sisters. That is how I met Elena. I get up in the morning and I get ready to go to the mall with my friends Elena, Christy, and Josie. When I go in the bathroom I am already dressed and ready to go, while I am in there I decided to straighten my hair. When I am looking for my straightener I look up in the mirror and I see my twin sisters staring at me.


I ask, “What are you doing here?”
They said, “We just wanted to tell you that grandma died last night and mom and dad are really disappointed in you”.

I said, “That’s why I didn’t go because I didn’t want to see her die!”

Nelly said, “Before grandma died she said to tell Marissa that I was sorry.”

Nelly asked, “What did you do?”

I said, “I got sick once to and I never got anything. I told grandma that I never
wanted to see her again.”

Kelly said, “Think more about grandma instead of always thinking about yourself,
and you weren’t dying, grandma was. We came back because we didn’t want to see
her funeral and mom and dad are still there.”
I said, “I am going to the mall with my friend’s today so do whatever you guys
want but you are not coming with me ok.”

They said, “Ok, but we are going to the movies with our friends.”

I said, “Ok but come home at 8:00.”


Marissa went to the mall, but she felt guilty for not seeing her grandmother. After the mall she went home and packed to see her grandma’s funeral and the twins followed her. They got there by having their grandpa come get them because their mom and dad
were really busy in helping out with the funeral and it was 8:00 in the morning. We had finally arrived at North Carolina and the weather as pretty nice, but I feel sad that I didn’t get to tell my grandma goodbye. It was my decision not to go but now I feel worse here than I did earlier.

I go up to them and my mom said,” Thanks for not seeing your grandmother, oh and by
the way she said she was sorry for something, I hope you’re happy”.
I said, “I am sorry but it was my decision. You try to be sick for two months from the swine flu and having a 105 fever. Also that was before grandma was sick.”Grandma didn’t send a single card or flowers.”
My dad said, “Your grandma cared about you and she always will, but don’t mad at her because she just found out that she had cancer the day. You got better. She had a lot on her mind that day.”
I said, “She already knew I had the swine flu. That could have been one of the things on her mind and I am sorry for not coming until now but I was so mad at grandma. It has to be all about the twins doesn’t it since they are a year younger than me.”

My mom said, “What does that have to do with your grandmother and they behave
more than you do that’s why they get special treatment.”
I said,” That doesn’t mean that you ignore me like you usually do and any other parent would love their children so much. You know what once we get home I am going to live with Elena”.
My dad said, “We will talk about it later for now lets focus our attention on your grandma ok.”
The funeral went on and I am still upset. We are back home and I think I
am going to get in trouble by my parents but I don’t care anymore since I am going to
live with Elena. She already knows and her mom loves me so maybe they will treat me with more respect than my parents ever have in my life.
My dad said, “We have discussed you moving and we decided that since you are 14 years old now we wanted to let you know that you can go to your friend’s house and live there if you want, but you have to come on holidays.”

I said, “Ok but why did you say yes, you want to get rid of me that much?”
My mom said, “No, we would never do that but you act so misbehaved when you hang out with Elena and her friends.
I said, “This is why I am moving because you don’t want me as your daughter.That’s why I stayed at Elena’s for a long time.”
They both said, “We understand that but that doesn’t mean we never loved you.”
I said, “Yes it does and I am leaving tonight so have a good life with the twins and I am not coming on the holidays!’’
My mom said, “Fine, but you will be sorry if you don’t come see us.”
I said, “No!”
I went upstairs and packed. I am thinking thank you God, I am getting out of here! I am done with my family. I go downstairs and I see my mom, dad, and the twins all happy. I am saying to myself good thing I am leaving tonight. I go to Elena’s and say goodbye to my family. I finally arrived at Elena’s. I had dinner and then we went upstairs so I can unpack.

Elena said, “I can’t believe we are sisters now, I am so excited. I planned our whole night. We will watch scary movies; get our nails done and other stuff we can think of!” I said, “I am done with my old life and I am staying with the new.” Elena said, “Yep and tomorrow we will go to some other country because I want to see what people do and how they live in other countries!” I said, “Ok, let’s go to Italy!”