Sweetie Pie

"Good morning my sweet little jingle bell!" Mama said as light poured over my face. As I opened my eyes I saw her opening my window.

"Morning Mama!" I said, grinning as she kissed me on the forehead. I got out of bed and crossed my room to my closet. I carefully went through each article of perfectly folded clothing, choosing a light pink shirt and a pair of light blue jeans. To make my lovely outfit complete, I picked up a vegan belt from a hook, and pulled it through the belt straps.

"You look great, Bells," Mama said, collecting my pajamas in one big sweep. She hurried out of my room, muttering something about a kettle, and tea. I smiled as I made my bed before I followed after her. I walked down the small rackity staircase slowly, as I made my way to the dining/kitchen room. My mother turned away from our tiny little kitchen as I seated myself at the head of the table. She put a plate of eggs in front of me, followed by a steaming mug of green tea. I grinned.

"Thanks Mama. I should make breakfast for myself, though," I said, taking a bite of my eggs. I swallowed and continued. "You know, like a normal teenager." I sipped some of the green tea as she answered.

"Sweetie," Mama said, pouting. "I would never let my daughter make herself her own breakfast!"

I ate some more grumpily.

"Honey," Mama said, looking at a peice of paper over the kitchen sink. "You have Social Studies today, are you prepared for the quiz?"

I looked at my hand quickly. "Yeah, I studied four times this week, and five last. I think I'm pretty prepared!" I smiled and kissed Mama on the cheek. I ran upstairs to brush my teeth, and brush my hair and make sure I looked good. Then I put on my shoes, grabbed my backpack (packed the night before) and headed towards the door. Mama came over to me with my white coat, and slipped it on my shoulders. I did it up and ran out the door, yelling "Bye Mama!" as I went.

My best friend, Jasmine, was waiting for me at the end of my street.

"Heeey Jingle," she said, grinning in that sly way she always did when she had an idea. Her black hair swirled around her face.

"Hey Jaz... what's up with the extra bag?"

We both looked down at a large, black bag on Jaz's arm.

"Oh, nothing... important," she smiled again. My stomach churned. This had happened last year too, and almost exactly on this day.

"Jaz," I said sadly. "Next thursday is Valentines day..."

Jaz looked at me, the smiled still peaking on her lips, now in a straight line. "Oh really, Bella? Is it? I had no idea! Well, I'd better pick a valentine then! You gonna ask Mac out to the valentines day dance?"

"No!" I practically yelled at her. We had been walking for a good 10 minutes, and so the school yard might have heard me.

"Oh Bells, you'll never get a date if you don't ask! We are in grade 7 now! We can't just hide from things like this! We need to stand up and fight! We need to make our emotions clear. It's not like I'm asking you to ask a strange emo old guy to go out with you! It's Mac! Quiet, shy, cute little Mac... He's not emo, and he's not old, and he's not a stranger. It's great!"

I looked at her. "Isaac isn't emo, old and he's not a stranger. Ask him out."

Jaz looked like she was going to barf. "Isaac? He's gross. Sure, he's not emo or old or a stranger, but he's strange. It's just not right! I don't even think he's human... troll maybe..."

I rolled my eyes. We were at school.

"Look," Jaz pointed towards the little kids playground. "It's Monique, the word that rhymes with witch."

A blonde girl with bright blue eyes and a group of seven girls stood on the little kids playground. She was giggling and pointing at different people.

I rolled my eyes and kept walking.

Jaz stayed routed in spot.

"Jaz? Come one. I think I see Naomi over there."

Jaz stayed still.

"JAZ! JASMINE!" I tugged on her arm. "Jaz, come on!!!"

She blinked at me. "They're pointing to Naomi."

I followed Monique's perfectly polished finger towards Naomi, my best friend. Naomi had the bottom of her bleached blonde hair blue. Her light brown roots were coming in. She was bopping her head to the music that was probably blaring from her head phones. Her jeans were torn apart, and her makeup was dark and shimmery and her shirt said "POINT AND STARE... DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE?!" in large writing. Monique was obviously trying to prove Naomi's point. I ran up to her.

"What are you wearing?" I hissed.

"Um," Naomi took out her headphones. "Say what?"

"What are you wearing?"

"Uh, clothes?"

I rolled my eyes. "'Point and stare, do I look like I care?' Is that really the best shirt to wear to school?"

Jaz came up behind me.

"Nice shirt Nao," she said smiling. "Too bad Monique saw it."

"Shame," Naomi muttered. She put a head phone back in and handed one to Jaz. Jaz took it and they both nodded their heads. I checked my phone, 1 new message, and then told them I was going to work in the lab.

When I got to the computer lab, I checked the text message.

Hey Bells, nice friend u got there!! ~M <3 <3

Monique. We used to be best friends, but then I saw the monster she truly was. She still had my number though. I logged onto the computer and checked my email. 14 new messages.

I flipped through it.

"Spam, spam, spam, chain mail, spam, spam, Monique, spam, spam, chainmail, spam, spam, spam! rebelgirl@yahoo. com..." I opened it. It simply said "Hey". I re read it. Again, and again, and again. Finally I hit reply and typed.

Do I know you?

I didn't know whether to tell Jaz and Nao or not. I decided not to. Why would they care? It didn't matter. I logged off my email and started my work. At the end of the day, I rushed back to the computer lab for a reply. Nao and Jaz looked at me oddly when I told them I had to check my email, but let me go.

"See you tommorow, Bells!" Nao called as she left for her jazz class.

"I gotta jet, Bella, but I'll see you later?" Jazz muttered, grabbing her bag and leaving.

"Yeah, sure" I said, a little late.

I logged on, a little too eager. Yahoo! loaded up my email at a painfully slow pace, and I drummed on my mouse. The librarian shot me a dirty look. I stopped, and the white screen blared at me.

0 new messages.

I blinked.

Slowly I logged off, and went home. I was not going to tell my mother about this.

When I got home, I did some homework. After dinner, I checked my email again.

When I got on, Monique IMd me.

BING

Moni16: Heeey girly! sup?

JingleBells: Hey Monique...nm...

Moni16: Ur not gonna ask how im doing?

JingleBells: Nope. Y?

Moni16: Thats kinda the nice thing to do

JingleBells: The nice thing to do is not point at peeps cuz they r different

Moni16: You mean like naomi?? yep, im soooo soz bout that!!!

JingleBells: No ur not! i g2g by

Moni16: Byby!! <3 <3 <3 XOXOXO

JingleBells: Yeah, watevs

I logged off.

Feeling hopeful I checked my email.

Rebel Girl had, indeed, replied.

I clicked open and waited for my computer to load. It was old, and crappy. I was hoping for a new one.

From: rebelgirl@yahoo. com

To: jinglebells@yahoo. com

Yes you do

I clicked reply.

What is your name and how???

Are you my cousin from England???

I hit send and looked at her reply again. She had sent it an hour after I had sent mine, which meant that when I checked my email after school it hadn't come up. Maybe she lived far away, so it took a while. Or maybe my email was screwed up.

I played some girly games online before shutting down my computer. I changed into my pajamas and got ready for bed. Then I grabbed my latest read and lay on my small, small bed and read until my mom came into my room and told me that if I didn't go to bed, I'd lose the book.

She smiled, of course, but took the book away anyway.

When I woke up, it was Saturday, and I had no school.

Jaz called me, almost exactly when I had stepped out of my room. I grabbed the yellowish phone, still in my pjs and answered.

"Hey, it's Bella," I said sleepily.

"Hey its-Bella. My name's Jasmine. Could I speak to normal Bella?" she asked, laughing at me.

"Yeah sure. One sec. BELLA!!!" I held the phone to my chest. "BELLA COME DOWN HERE!" My mom looked over her shoulder at me, holloring for myself to come down to answer the phone I currently held.

"Oh wait," I said into the phone. "I'm Bella. What do you want?"

"Okay grumpy!" Jaz laughed. "I wanted to know if you'd like to hang out with me? It's a cordal invitation."

I rubbed my eyes. "Um, sure Jaz. I'll be right over?"

"Kay. No wait, meet me at the school."

I nodded, even if she couldn't tell. "Okay, I'm going to go wake up now," I told her. "Bubye." I hung up before she could say anything.

"Who was that?" Mama asked, laughing.

"That was Jasmine," I muttered. "She wanted Bella, but Bella wouldn't come. Oh well. She says she will call back."

Mama laughed. "Hon, make sure that you don't come home too late, okay?"

I nodded and gave her the thumbs up as I dragged myself up the stairs. I got dressed quickly and brushed my teeth, put on deo, and ran a comb through my hair.

I quickly checked FaceBook. According to this, Jaz's sister Callie was "In A Relationship" with "Bryn Morris". I laughed and quickly posted "Going to park with Jaz. What kind of crazy shtuff will she get me in this time???" Then I logged off and ran to the school. When I got there, Jaz was waiting where Monique normally sits.

"Hey Its-Bella," she called. "Let's go inside. I need to get something from my locker."

I headed towards the school entrance and Jaz caught up with me.

"I asked Joey to leave it open," she muttered as we went inside. Joey, the school custodian, was Jaz's cousin's boyfriend, and he always wanted the family to accept him, so he'd do all these crazy things for Jaz, wether it was in his best interests or not. Once, he'd even helped her put a peice of stinky cheese in her cousin's purse, with a note saying "Dear Honey, I hope you like this lovely gift! Love <3 Joey". He didn't realize.

We walked into the school and opened Jaz's locker. She pulled out the black bag from the day before.

"No one goes into the gym except for Thursdays and Fridays, right?" Jaz clarified.

I nodded. "Yeah, it's locked otherwise. The teachers say they go in, but we all know they don't."

"And the dance is in the gym, right?"

"It's the only place big enough."

"And so, if we were to host our yearly prank in the gym, not only would it have no chance of be ruined by someone before the dance, but it'd be seen at the dance, right?"

"Yes, I suppose. But we aren't going to sabotage the dance, Jaz."

"There, my dear Jingle, you are wrong."

"Jaz, why didn't you pull Nao into this instead of me? You know this is her thing!"

Jaz pouted at me. "Nao had to go to her Uncle Fred's... I dunno why."

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, let's see this whimsical prank."

Jaz grinned and emptied the bag, right onto the floor. Three dozen cans of "BLACK SLIME-it's permanent" fell out.

"Perma-slime?" I asked.

Jaz nodded. "Joey bought it for me."

"He's stupid. Don't take advantage of stupid people."

She laughed. "No, taking advantage of stupid people is why they are here!"

She opened one can and showed it to me. Black goo oozed out, onto the can. I backed away. "Growty, Jaz."

She grinned again. "I know right!" She collected her prank and headed towards the gym. "Come on, let's perma-slime this gym!"

An hour later I walked into my bedroom. Covered in black goop, and tired. The gym had been schooled by Jaz and my perma slime wrath. I took a quick shower and logged onto my email.

1 New Message

From: rebelgirl@yahoo. com

To: jinglebells@yahoo. com

My names Julia and we knew each other when we were little ask your mom. And no I don't live in England.

I hit reply.

Okay. Hi Julia. Your name is kinda a problem. No offence, of course, but my J key doesn't work very well. It sticks :P How little? PS my name is Bella, but I like Bells better. My friends call me Jingle. So... where do you live? And what is your last name? I'm adding you to my contacts.

I hit send before adding Julia ? into my contacts. Surprisingly, Julia ? was online.

Me: Hi Julia. It's Bella.

Julia: Oh hey

Me: sup?

Julia: In my room, in my house, in my state. You?

Me: Nm... just came home from... nvm

Julia: Nevermind ooh sound fun!

Me: yeah, it... was

Julia: Are you going to get in trouble?

Me: No

Julia: Okay.... so where do you live?

Me: I'm not supposed to tell any one that but i live in Canada

Julia: Where in Canada?

Me:In BC actually

where do you live?

Julia: I live in Edenton, North Carolina

Me: wow. we live really far apart!!!

Julia: Yea but I own a Jet so not too far for me

Me: omg, u own a jet?!

Julia: Yea and a mansion. DOnt you?

Me: no... i live in a sorta small house

Julia: O I didn't know. So have you figured out how you know me?

Me: no

how DO i know you?

Julia: Umm I'm not sure if I should tell you. Did you ask your mom?

Me: no...

Julia: Well, you really should by the way my names Julia Lee Andrews so mention it to your mom okay? Now i gtg the rents are coming! BYe!

I logged off my email.

The next day, I called Nao.

"Mayo, it's Nao. Sup?" she picked up.

"Hey Nao Mayo, it's Bells," I muttered, twirling my hair.

"Yo Jingle, hows it goin?"

"You, me, and Jaz, 15 minutes, Ice-cream Parlour, kay?"

Nao paused. "What is going on, Bella?"

"Nothing, I just, I have to tell you guys something..."

"Fine," Nao said, clicking her tounge. "Tell Jaz, I'll meet you there."

I nodded. "Thanks, Nao. I'll see you in 15."

I hung up and dialed Jaz's number.

"Jazz music sucks," Jaz said.

"Yeah, so does Jingle Bells," I replied.

"Bells! Sup?"

"Meet me and Nao at the Ice Cream Parlour in 15. K?"

"No can do, Bella," Jaz said sadly. "I'll be there in 20. Is that coolio?"

"Potato," I agreed.

She hung up, and I grabbed my jacket. I got on my bike and started to ride.

Mr. Big, the ice cream expert, smiled at me as I walked in.

"What ya gettin' today, Bella?" he asked me.

"Chocolate Hazelnut with pink sprinkles, and a swirl of whipcream on top, svp!"

He grinned and started scooping.

I sat down at the colourful table we called ours. Nao walked in a few minutes after me.

"Mango banana, dipped in blue raspberry, and covered in M&Ms, please," she skipped over to me and sat down.

She smiled. "What's this news that you dragged me away from my laptop to tell me?"

"I've been talking to someone online." It came out so fast and confused I was suprised when she understood me.

"Like a boy?"

"No. A girl. From the US. Who claims to have known me. When we were little."

"Probably just some pedo trying to get you to trust him," Nao shrugged as Mr. Big came over and sat our ice creams on the table. She took a scoop and closed her eyes. "Mmmm mm mmm! Mr. Big, you da bomb!"

Mr. Big smiled and left.

"She knows my name!" I whisper-yelled.

"Then she is your mom's friend's kid." Nao shrugged again. "No biggy, Jingle, I doubt she is dangerous."

I groaned. "But that's the thing Nao! I don't know that!"

"Listen," Naomi said, looking at me straight in the eye. "Did you tell her where you live?"

"Well, no, but I told her I live in BC-"

"Okay. So no. Did you tell her your full name?"

"No, but she knew it anyway."

"So yes. Did she say anything about meeting you?"

"No!"

"Then your fine. Trust me. She's probably someone lonely who found you in some memory book or something. It happens ALL the time!"

I frowned. "I guess your right."

"I'm always right!" Nao said as Jaz ran into the store. "Aren't I always right?" Nao asked her, turning around.

"Always," Jaz replied. "Why?"

Mr. Big nodded towards her. "And for you?"

"Mango Peach Twizzler please!" she hopped over to us and plopped into a chair. "What's goin' on?"

"Jingle has a web stalker," Nao shrugged.

"Ooh cool! Your first one?" Jaz said knowingly.

"She knew my name, Jaz," I said quietly.

"Oh, that's new. Cool. So, what's the big emergency?"

"THAT IS THE BIG EMERGENCY!!!" I exploded.

Suddenly a little tune went off in my pocket. Dee Didley Dee! Dee Didley Dee! Dee Didley Dee!!!!!

I practically jumped.

"That ain't my phone," Nao said, eating her ice cream.

"It's yours, Jingle," Jaz said, fishing my phone out of my pocket. "It's Mac. He says Hey."

"Okay. Give it to me. Now." I grabbed my phone. "H-e-y."

I hit send.

"Can I text him?" Nao asked. "I'll tell him you love him and plan out a future for you two!"

"No!"

"OMG pleeeeeeeaaaaassssseeee!" Jaz whined.

"NO!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

Dee Didley Dee! Dee Didley Dee! Dee Didley Dee!

"Mine," I growled. "Aw! He said 'Sup?'!!! What do I say?"

"You say N-M, U?" Jaz replied idly.

I typed it in and hit send.

A few seconds later, I got a reply. Nao grabbed it from my hands as I opened it up to read it.

"'NM, wanna come to my parte on sun? tell n + j 2 cum 2!' Party? Let's go!" Nao read aloud.

"Okay, sounds good," Jaz muttered, texting someone.

"I dunno guys," I muttered. "I might not be allowed to go. Ask him if there is going to be an adult there?"

"Jingle! That's so lame! When you are in grade 7, you start going to parties at which there are no adults! It's the way it rolls. Come on!" Nao started typing on my phone.

"What did you say?"

"'Sure, ill b there!'" Nao read.

"No! What if I'm not!" I cried.

"Don't worry. I have to go. Here's your phone. See you girlies!" Nao stood up and left.

"I have to go too. Sorry, Jingle. The stalker's gonna turn out as nothing," Jaz said, walking away.

"I guess I have to pay the bill again, huh guys?" I muttered. I stood up, handed Mr. Big a $20.00 bill and left.

"See ya, Mr. Big!" I yelled as I went.

When I got home I checked my email. There was no word from my mysterious stalker.

The same with the next day.

And the next. I was starting to worry.

On Wednesday, the school was abuzz. Everyone was so excited for the dance, none knowing that it was completely perma-slimed, and no one had seen it. Nao peeped in when we had a free period and laughed. "100% slimed!" she laughed. She gave us both high-fives. "Niiiiice!" She grinned.

"Okay. We need to get to class," Jaz said, hurrying away. We followed her.

That day, I didn't get any emails from my stalker that day, either.

Thursday: Dance Day.

Classes seemed to fly by in the morning. Everyone had little cards on their desks in each class, as a gift from their teachers. They all tried to be pleasant and happy as we all yelled in our classes. Lunch came and girls put on dresses, and guys gelled their hair. Jaz had shoved me into a fluffy pink dress, and had done my hair and put some make up on my face. She wore white and looked much prettier than me, until she lathered make-up on and then she looked like a mess. Nao was gracefully flitting around us wearing blood red. She had bright red lipstick on and kept on pursing them and going "Ma! Ma!"

As the bell rang, we all filed into the gym. And goop fell on us.

"What happened?"

"Who did this?"

"What kinda decorating counsel is this?!"

"What the...?"

"Oh My GOD!"

"What a dance?"

Every one freaked out. Jaz looked incredulous.

Nao nudged her. "Don't look suspicious. Look put out."

We both frowned. Then a brave kid stepped out into the middle, and asked a girl if she'd like to dance. She nodded, and they started dancing in the goop. I kicked off my shoes and joined Nao and Jaz in the middle of the dance floor. Soon almost everyone was dancing. Monique stood, extremely put out, in a corner.

A DJ had set up in a good chunk of non-slimed area, and was blasting tunes. Everywhere, people were laughing as friends and dates slipped and fell in the goop. It wouldn't stain any outfits, but it would stick. As I was swaying the the beat with my friends, I felt a tap on my back. Behind me, two of Mac's friends stood laughing. Mac stood ahead of them.

"Woot! Come on bud! You can do it!" they yelled.

"Um, Jingle," Mac muttered. His dark blue eyes looking up at me from behind his flop of curly brown hair was so adorable.

"Hey Mac," I smiled as sweet as I could. Jaz and Nao had stopped dancing.

"Um, uh, would, uh, you, uh," Mac stuttered. Even cuter.

"Yes, she'd love to dance," Jaz said, rolling her eyes.

Mac smiled. "You would?" Mac asked.

I nodded. I took his hand and he started to sway with me.

Behind me I heard Nao laughing. "You dweebs gonna ask us to dance?"

Apparently they said yes, because Jaz and Mac's friend Tyler soon were dancing next to me, and Nao and Jack were close behind. It seemed like everything had fallen into place. I smiled. This was how my life was supposed to be. I even forgot my stalker. Mac even asked me out after the dance. I was in paradise.
When I got home I checked my email. There were no emails from Julia.
I frowned. I was starting to really worry. What if she was dead? Or hurt? Or had decided she hated me? I started to imagine different images and situations. They all made me sad. She had probably just forgotten about me, and it was nothing, like Jaz had said. I called Nao.
"Mayo Nao Tayo!" she laughed.
"Hey Nao, it's me," I said sadly.
"Bells! OMG I'm so glad you finally called! JACK ASKED ME OUT!"
I laughed. "Yay! And you said...?"
"YES! DUH!" Nao squealed. "I'm at his house now! In the bathroom...."
"What?" I was astonished. We were only in grade seven. What was she doing in the bathroom.
"OMG NO! BELLS! I just excused my self to go pee. But I really wanted to call you! And I was putting makeup on, but.. you know!"
I laughed weakly. "Okay."
"I'm playing monopoly with his family! I'm so good! Me and his brother Josh are on a team. We are winning!"
"Like Charlie Sheen?"
She laughed. "Hell yes!"
I laughed again. "My stalker stopped emailing me, Nao."
"Wow! That's so amazing!"
I frowned. "No it's not! What if there is something wrong?"
"Omg, Nao, you got attached didn't you?"
I whined. "NO!"
"Okay, well I have to go. They'll think I'm taking a dump if I don't go downstairs soon. Figure it out. Byeeee"
She hung up.
I cried.
My mom came in at 1:00 am to make sure I was having a bad dream and not being murdered.
She sang me a song and slept in my bed for a while.
"I'm sorry I woke you," I whispered as I fell asleep.
On Friday, Mac asked me out on our first, official date. I said yes. I thought about telling Julia, but she wouldn't understand. I checked my email that day to scream in joy. Julia had emailed me.
Hey, I haven't talked to you in a while. Have you asked your mom about me. But I want you to ask this. Can you ask your mom if I can come visit you guys. I haven't seen her in forever or so my mom says. See ya, Julia Lee.
I had no idea what to reply. I thought for a while. I couldn't reply easily.
I don't need to ask! It'll be fine
I hit send. That night, I was all jittery. I fell asleep late, and when I woke up in the morning, it was to the sound of my doorbell.
I had no idea what time it was. I was still in my white boyfriends-tee and my sweatpants. I opened the door.
A girl with jade green eyes, dirty blond hair, and straight white teeth. Her skin was almost as pale as mine, if not as pale. I kind of blinked at her.
"Hi..." I said, groggily.
The girl smiled weakly. "Um...hello. I'm Julia Lee Andrews."
I gasped.
"Is your mom home?" she asked, her voice a little braver.
"No, well, um... No, I don't think so... I, uh, I just wI oke up..." I laughed weakly.
She frowned. "Oh, um, well, wait. You are Bella, right?"
I nodded, completely shocked.
"Well can I come in. I have something to tell you and I think it might be best if you sit down..." she looked at me kind of anxiously.
I nodded, and let her pass me. I led her to my tiny bedroom.
I told her to sit on my bed, jammed against one wall. I kind of stood there, awkwardly.
She didn't seem to notice.
She got up.
I sat down.
She paced, looking like she was about to explode. Finally she did. "Okay, there's no easy way to tell you this, but I'm adopted, and so are you, and were sisters."
She stopped pacing and looked at me.
I didn't know what to say. What a lie.
"Get out of my house," I whispered.
She looked hurt and rejected. She whimpered a small "okay" and turned to leave.
I snapped out of it. I stood up and grabbed her arm.
"I'm so sorry. That was a mistake. I should give you time to explain before jumping to conclusions like that."
She smiled. "Yeah, I was pretty freaked out, too."
I sat on the bed.
"So I'm adopted, huh?" I asked her.
She smiled sadly. "We both are."
I burst into tears. She sat down next to me and hugged my shoulders.
"Who's my real mom?" I whisper through my tears.
"Well I have a name, but no face."
I nodded.
"So what are we going to do?"
"The first step is, we need to talk to your mom."
I sniffed. "Talk to my mom? I can't do that. She'd flip. For many reasons. One of which being that I let a strange girl I met on the internet into my house!"
"She needs to know. You can tell her I opened the door and barge in if it helps."
I laughed at Julia's joke. She was cheering me up. She was turning out to be a good sister.
"No, I'll just tell her the truth." I wiped my nose.
She laughed. "Okay, wait, when did I become strange? I'll have you know I am perfectly normal on the days I'm not telling someone we're related!"
I laughed. "She'll find you strange, Julia Lee Andrews. So, what's my real name?"
She laughed again. "Don't worry, it doesn't change much. It's Bella Lillian Andrews."
I sighed in relief. At least it wasn't something like Penelope Charisma Applebottom.
"So what was your name before I barged in here?" she asked.
"Bella Louise. No middle name."
"No offence, but I like the Andrews last name. And now you have a middle name!"
I nodded.
"Guess so!"
She looked at me. "So..."
"I'm hungry," I said, rather abruptly. We went down to the kitchen and I poured myself a bowl of cereal.
Julia told me she needed to make a phone call and stepped outside. I just waved her away and ate. I thought as I ate.
What was I going to say to my mother? I tried a few things out in my head. 'Hi Mom, guess what! So Julia here came over, she's going to be staying here a while, oh, and I found out I'm adopted. Julia here is my sister.'
I growled at my bowl. Cheerios floated around lamely in my bowl, drowning in the milk. That's how I felt. Drowning in my thoughts. And as milk was as big apart of cereal, my thoughts were as big apart of me. I didn't know how much time passed, I just sat there and stared at the pathetic excuse for a breakfest I was eating. I saw a note on the fridge. I reached over and plucked it off the magnet. The little hearr that held it there clanged to the ground. A tear rolled down my cheek as I fixed it.
I sat back down and read the note.
Jingle-
I had to go to work really early this morning
Sorry I wasn't there to wake you up
I'll see you later tonight
Cereal is in the pantry
Milk is in the fridge
Love,
Mom
The O in Love was a heart. I cried. I reread it at least six times.
When I finally looked up, wondering where Julia was, I saw her standing in the doorway.
I quickly wiped my tears away.
"Um," I muttered. "From my mom, telling me where the cereal is..."
I dropped the note on the table, angry at myself, and at her. She didn't tell me.
Julia walked over to me.
"What's emotional about cereal?" she asked.
I laughed. "I really, really, really don't know."
She sat down next to me. "So what's wrong?"
I sighed. "I don't know. The fact that I'm adopted. I can't believe that she didn't tell me. And that she isn't my mom. She seemed like my mom. I mean, I never doubted she wasn't my mom..." I laughed again. "Enough about me. I'm not hungry," I said, pushing my bowl away. "Come on, I'm going to show you the mall!"
She smiled at me. "Well okay then. I never deny shopping! Oh wait! I have something for you at my hotel!"
"A gift? Now I feel bad!" I said, whining a bit, but honestly I was really excited.
"I didn't want to show up empty handed!" she smiled. "And it's not like you had time to prepare!"
I laughed and went upstairs to change. I put on some of my nicer clothes, trying to look like Julia, just as pretty as she was. I kind of failed. But I tried, anyways. She went outside, saying something about John. I didn't understand. But I changed, and then hopped down the stairs and went outside. In front of my house, a stretch limo stretched. I gasped. A man was standing in front. He tipped his hat to me as I gasped in suprise. Julia laughed at me, grabbed my arm, and pulled me in.
"So this is YOUR limo?" I asked in astonishment.
She shook her head. "No, it's a rental. Mine's at home."
"Oh... Wai-you have your own?" I gasped.
"Yeah," she said, as though it was normal. "You have to remeber, I grew up like this."
I had nothing to say to this, so I took advantage of the fact that we were there. "Oh look. We're here."
Julia laughed. She opened the door. "Let's go!"
We got into the mall. When we got in, we were faced with the blaring lights of the food court.
"Take me to your favorite store," Julia said.
"Hmmm," I muttered, looking around. "Okay...follow me."
"Okay," she said, following me. As we walked she said, "I'm buying."
"Nu uh you aren't!" I laughed.
She laughed along with me. "At least let me buy you one thing."
"Ha, I can't disagree with that!"
I pulled her to my favourite store.
"Choose one thing you love any price."
She turned around and started browsing a rack. "Hmmm... I like this. What do you think?"
She held up a strapless red dress. "For you, of course," she replied.
I gasped. "Really?"
"Yeah, it would look great on you," she said. "For me...How about this?"
She pulled off a shimery greendress with a snowflake in the middle.
"That's pretty!"
"And how do you think this would look on me?"
"Amazing!" I muttered, turning around and looking at other things.
She handed me the red dress. "Well you try this on, and I'll try this on."
"Ok..."
"You don't think it will look good on you?" she guessed.
I turned around, and went into a changeroom.
I put the dress on. It seemed to look okay.
Feeling a bit self-concious, I stepped out of the changeroom and twirled for Julia.
"You look amazing!" she exclaimed.
Julia's pure adoration made me feel better about the dress, and I believed her for a moment. I looked in the mirror down the hall.
"Uh," I said. "I look awful!"
Julia looked at me for a second. "Um... That's not you..." She tried not to laugh at me.
I poked her. "Twirl," I demanded.
She smiled. "Yes Ma'am!" she twirled.
I gasped out loud. "WOW!"
She paused and raised her eyebrows. "What, that ugly?"
I bit my lip. "Well...." I said, teasingly.
"Meanie!" she gasped, and turned around to stomp off. She was a good actor, but she turned to face the mirror, so I saw her smile as she walked away.
"I've heard that term before," I said. "I don't fully get it."
She turned around and laughed. "You owe me now," Julia said, smiling like she knew something.
"Owe you?" I asked, genuinly confused. "What for?!"
"For lying to me, of course," she said plainly. "Wanna know what you owe me?"
I raised my eyebrows. "What?"
Smiling, Julia said, "I want to meet your friends today, before I meet your mom."
This caught me offguard. My friends? Why would she want to meet them? They had nothing to do with her, the same way my mom did. What would my friends think of Julia? I stuttered. "Why?"
Julia looked honest. "Because I'm your big sister I think I should get to meet them." She went quiet. "Unless you just want me to go home and not meet again." She looked at her feet.
I started. "No! Julia! I'm so glad I met you! I mean, youkindofturnedmylifeupsidedown buuuuut! You're really cool, and I'm glad you found me!"
"But not cool enough to meet your friends?"
"That's not it. Not it at all. I'm afraid they aren't cool enough for you!" I was hoping that it was the right thing to say.
"What do you mean? I'm a dork." She grinned and crossed her eyes.
"Anyone can do that," I said, doing the same thing.
"Nope! It's not the same!" She said, laughing. "So do I get to meet them?"
"Grr I guess!" I shrugged at her.
She smiled. "I win!. Ok well change out of the dress give it to me, and I'll buy it while you call your friends so they can meet us."
When I paused she poked me. "Go," she said.
I ran into the changeroom and changed. I ran out and handed her the dress. As she walked away, I pulled out my cell phone.
4 missed alerts. I had a text each from Nao and Jazz. They were both saying Hi. One from Monique, and one from Mac. I kind of freaked out, but then I calmed down and texted Nao and Jazz. U BOTH R COMIN 2 MEET JULIA. C U @ THE ICREM STORE IN 5.
I didn't care what they thought, they were coming.
Julia came back.
"Ready?" She asked.
"Yeah, I'm just waiting for a reply." I pocketed my phone.
"Okay well where would we meet them...?"
"You'll see," I said, tugging her to the exit.
"Not fair!" she said, smiling. 
As I pulled her along, I chattered on about my friends.
We climbed into the limo and I leaned over and whispered the directions to the Ice Cream Parlor.
"Okay," I said, turning to Julia. "Tell me about your friends!"
"Well I have a best friend back home named Lilly she's not at all like me. She's rich like me. I have another friend who doesn't live in Edenton she lives in New York her names Jane."
"That makes no sense." I stared at her. "'She's not at all like me. She's rich like me.' What??"
"I meant personality wise," Julia said.
I tried to reply but she interupted.
"When are we going to be there?" She looked out the window while I checked my phone.
"Jazz is coming." Before she could reply, I muttered. "So is Nao."
"Cool. Where are we going?"
The driver was about to reply when I said "Shhh! It's a surprise!!!"
"Please Bella! Please John! Don't leave me out of this!"
"I'm sorry, Julia, we have to."
She frowned. "Not fair!" she cried. She glared at John's head.
Without looking back, John laughed. "It's not nice to glare at people, Julia Lee."
"It's not nice to keep secrets, John Hedgegrow."
"Just be quiet, we'll be there in a few seconds."
She just smiled at me, showing me her teeth, and turned to look out the window again.
We pulled up in front of the Ice Cream Palor.
She stepped out and looked around. "Are they here already?" She was nervous.
I laughed.
She gave me a nervous smile. "Shall we?"
I saw Nao sitting at one of the table. Her hair had been dyed magenta. She looked lazily up at me.
"Nao's here!" I called out to her.
She nodded at me and followed me as I sat next to Nao. Julia didn't look at anyone, she just sat next to me, leaving a single open chair for Jazz next to Nao.
"Nao," I said. "This is Julia. Julia, Nao."
Nao nodded. "Hi."
She picked at her icecream.
"Oh, I totally forgot! Julia, do you want some icecream?"
"Can I get just chocolate?" she asked. "Oh and hi, Naomi."
"Ya. Mr. Big? Can i get my normal and a chocolate for my friend?"
Mr. Big smiled and started scooping icecream.
"Where's Jazz?" I asked Nao.
"Thanks," Julia says. I nod at her.
"I dunno," Nao says gloomily.
"Nao? Is something wrong?" I asked.
"He broke up with me!" Nao cried.
Julia, who looked like an expert on boys, scooted next to Nao. She hesitated before putting her arm around Nao's shoulders. 
"Hey, I don't really know you, but if any boy is stupid enough to break up with you than they aren't worth your tears," Julia said, smiling.
Nao blinked. "You think?" she whispered.
"I know," Julia said.
I was silent. Maybe Julia could solve this.
Just then, Jazz appeared.
"HELLO!" she said loudly.
"Jazz," I said quickly. "Shut up."
"Who is this?" Julia asked.
"This," I said, "is Jasmine."
"Hi!" Jazz whispered.
"Hey!" Julia whispered back. She turned to Nao, who still sat sollumly. "Do you feel any better?"
Nao, the drama queen, looked up at us, her hair dropping around her face. She didn't talk. I wondered if she would start crying and make this huger than it was. It'd been a week since they'd danced. But then she swallowed back her drama and said quietly, "I guess I am."
"That's good," Julia said. I expected someone to reply to that. Julia looked at me.
I sighed quietly. My phone buzzed in my pocket.
"Answer it." Nao demanded of me, after a minute of me gazing off into space.
"Answer the phone," Julia added.
It was a text. Two, actually.
The first was from my mom.
Hey hon, i am going to b home a bit l8. if u w8, ill make u ur fave pasta. kk?
The second was from Monique.
hai gurl! u were kinda rude last time we taked, so i thought u might b pms. sok, i forgve + forgt, rght? lol txt me l8er? ~M
I read it allowed to the girls.
"Who's Monique?" Julia wondered.
"Eugh!" Nao cried. "Don't get me STARTED on Monique!!!"
"She's just some girl. She used to be Bell's best friend, but now she's just a snob."
"Oh I can't stand those people!" Julia agreed.
I nodded. "She was nice." I whispered.
My mom's text was bothering me. Why couldn't she have been my real mom? Why didn't she tell me?
"Well are you going to tell them who I am, or would you rather wait?" Julia asked.
Great.
That meant that the cat would be out of the bag and Nao and Jazz would want to know.
I sighed.
"What?" Jazz asked.
"She's my sister." I whispered.
"You're what?" Nao gasped.
"My sister."
"But your mom.."
"Isn't my mom. I was adopted."
I almost started crying.
"We both were," Julia added. As if that made it better.
Why was I thinking such mean things? I slowed my brain. This isn't her fault. I reminded my self.
I took a few long, deep breaths.
"Bella?" Julia asked. "Are you okay?"
"It's just... crashing down on me now," I whispered.
That's when I started crying.
They all stared at me.
Suddenly, I wished that Julia hadn't found me. I could hvae lived my life not knowing, and been happy.
Nao and Jazz hugged me.
I wasn't normally the one who cried.
"Oh, Bella," the cooed.
"I'll be right back," Julia said, and bolted to the door. I could see her hair hitting her back through the blurry film of tears.
"Bella," Jazz whispered. "This doesn't change the way we think of you!"
Neo stroked my hair. "Ya! We still love you!"
"And you're still the same person!"
"You're mom still loves you!"
"Oh honey!!!!!!!"
They cooed and comfort for what seemed like years, but it just went through one ear and out the other. I wasn't who I thought I was. It felt like my whole life had been a lie, but at the same time, I felt relieved. I had figured out the answer as to why I didn't look like my mother when all my friends looked like theirs, it explained why my grandmother treated me differently than her other grandkids, and more importantly, it explained why m mother never talked about my father. I simply didn't have one to speak of.
And it explained Julia.
Julia, the bearer of bad news, was in the same boat as I was. She was adopted, without a biological family, too. She didn't have a mother who looked like her, and she probably was treated differently by those who knew, too. But maybe, maybe Julia was as hurt and confused as I was, maybe she had no idea what was happening too. Maybe Julia only came searching for me, just so we could know that we existed, and who we were, but then go back to our lives. Or maybe she was curious. Curious what her real sister would look like, curious who a true tie was, curious about who she was. And in a sense, I was glad she had come, glad that I knew, before it was too late. I was glad, and sad, and confused, and I wondered, hoped even, that Julia felt the same too.
Julia came back in.
"Julia," Jazz said, smiling. "Are you okay?"
"I think she needs a nicname," Nao added. "If she's staying for a while."
"Yeah, I'm okay," Julia said, trying to smile. "I'm staying, only if I'm wanted though."
"Wanted?" Nao laughed. "Jules, I think you're wanted."
Jazz chimed in. "Jules? Me like!"
I smile, my friends knew what to say. They would help me get through this. That's why I loved them.
Julia smiled, and it was real. "Me too," she said, confidently. "I guess I'm staying then," she added.
"Well, you have to meet my mom first," I muttered. How would she take this?
"And now I'm freaked out again," Julia said, laughing nervously. "When do I meet her?"
"Dinner," I said nervously. "Tonight. Do you like pasta?"
"I do," Nao said. "So I'm coming."
"Me too." Jazz hugged me.
My friends would be there for support. I'd be fine.
"I like pasta...." Julia said, awkwardly. "So.... I'm coming to dinner?"
I nodded. "Yes. It'll be..." Awkward as hell.
"Nice," Nao said, finishing my sentence.
I nodded again. "Yeah, nice...."
Julia nodded with me. "How about I'm just your new friend... until dinner is over?"
I sighed. "Sure," I bit my lips. I didn't know if my mom would fall for that.
"We just have to be good actors," Julia said.
"Right." I nodded.
That night, when my mom came home, Jazz, Nao, and Jules were upstairs in my room.
I surfed up ways to break it to your parents that you knew you were adopted, but all I got was "How to break it to your parents that you're gay" and "How to break it to your parents that you're pregnant".
"Bells, are you as nervous as me?" Jules whispered, leaning her head against the wall, and closing her eyes.
I looked over my shoulder.
"Umm, I don't know. Are you nervous?"
"Well... yes," she muttered.
"I am too, but not that nervous. This is my mom... I mean, this is the woman I thought was my mom my entire life. You learn to trust."
"Oh and maybe we shouldn't tell your mom my last name at first or she might figure it out," Jules suggested.
"Make sure you call her by her new name!" Jazz pointed out helpfully. Her and Nao had been reading magazines, oggling Cody Simpson and Justin Bieber.
"Miranda from California says that when she confronted her mom about knowing that she did drugs, she went in strong, confident and, whatever this word is, because her friends gave her support. So I cut out a peice of paper and wrote SUPPORT on it, and now I am giving you this SUPPORT to you. Here. You now have my support," Nao said, handing me a peice of scrunched up paper.
"Ummm thanks?" I muttered.
"It's good to know you support her, Nao," Jules laughed.
We all laughed for a couple of minutes.
"GIRLS!" Stephanie called up the stairs.
"Yeah Mama?" I asked, awkwardly.
"DINNER!!!!"
"COMING!!!"
With me in the lead, we filed out of my room. I heard Jules mutter "Oh God," as we went down the stairs.
We all sat at the dining room table, Jazz and I using living room chairs to sit. Stephanie served the pasta. It was steaming, the sauce red and delcious looking, little peices of pasta poked through. Cheese Ravioli, my favourite.
"This looks yummy," Jules said aloud.
"Thank you," my "mom" said. "Jules, right?"
"Yes ma'am," Jules says smiling.
"What's that short for, love? Julia? Jules? Julie? July?"
"It's just Jules," Julia replied. "It's a long story about how I got that name!"
"Oh, I'd love to hear it sometime!" Stephanie smiled. "So how was your day?"
"Mine? It was good, full of fun," Julia replied.
"Eh, normal," Nao said, munching on a piece of bread.
"Great!" Jazz said enthusiasticly.
I didn't say anything.
"Bells?"
"Huh?"
"How was your day, sweetie?" she asked me.
"It was okay."
"It wasn't fun?" Jules teased.
"Yeah, it was great," I replied boringly.
Jules nodded and put down her fork, her plate empty.
I was full, so I did the same.