(June 12)
Alyssa Morgan knew that this week was going to be one of the worst in the history of her life. She just had this bad feeling. And turns out, she was right. It started with the fight that Trista and her mother had.
“Why did you say those things to Trista?” Alyssa asked, her hands on her hips. Her mother’s clear blue eyes turned dark, like a stormy sea.
“She had the audacity to get smart with me. She needs to go to work so that she’ll have money for a baby-sitter. I can’t be expected to help her every time she gets in trouble. I’m sick of her.” Alyssa rolled her eyes.
“I’m sick of you.” Jane whirled around.
“WHAT did you say?” Alyssa shrugged her slender shoulders.
“I said I’m sick of you. I hate the way you’re always attacking Trista and making me and Mira out to be saints. What would you do if I went out and got pregnant Mom? Would you get mad like you did with Trista? You would do everything you could to help me out. Just because Trista wasn’t the best student, got into a little more trouble, you make her out to the worst child on the face of this earth. Truth be told, you’re sorely lacking in the good mother department. You’re going to drive all three of us away, and eventually Kira when she gets old enough to understand. I was thinking of moving back home, but that would be punishment for me. When Julie’s wedding is over, I’m going back to Paris, as far away from you as I can.” Alyssa stomped up ton her room and flung herself on her bed. Before she could stop herself, tears started steadily flowing down her cheeks. Everything is falling apart.
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Jean-Paul deeply regretted the fact that he hadn’t been spending much time with Alyssa since they had come to the United States. He had met up with some old friends. Alexia had even come along a few times. And despite himself, Jean-Paul found Alexia very easy to talk to. She had just broken up with Ryan and despite the strong front she put on, Jean-Paul knew that she was devastated. It wasn’t that long ago that Alexia had confessed that she was in love with Ryan. Jean-Paul knew exactly how Alexia felt. He had no doubts that he was in love with Alyssa, but he could also tell that she was still very deeply in love with Ryan. And who was he to stand in the way of true love? So Jean-Paul knew what he had to do. When he stepped inside the Morgan house and went up to Alyssa’s room, his courage began to falter. As much as she loved Ryan, she would still be hurt by the fact that he was breaking up with her. He knocked on the door and heard the faint “Come in.” He opened the door and stepped inside. Alyssa was sitting on her bed, her journal in her lap.
“Hey.” Jean-Paul said, kissing her softly on the cheek. Alyssa looked down at her bedspread while replying.
“Hey.” Alyssa replied. Jean-Paul sat down next to Alyssa on the bed.
“We need to talk Lyss.” Alyssa looked at him.
“Okay.” Jean-Paul cleared his throat.
“I love you Alyssa. I don’t want you to ever doubt that. But,” Jean-Paul paused before continuing. “Ever since we arrived in Orlando, your mind has been on other people besides me. I’m not mad at you for that Alyssa, because I know what you had with Ryan. I understand why your mind is constantly on him.”
“Nevertheless, I think we should just be friends Alyssa. I believe that you should be with Ryan and I’m glad that I helped you get over your fear of commitment.” Alyssa started to cry as Jean-Paul got up and quietly went to his room. It was only then that he allowed the tears he had been holding back flow freely down his cheeks. Nothing was worse than losing the one person you truly loved.
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(The Next Day)
“Alyssa! Come down here.” Mr. Morgan yelled. Alyssa opened her swollen bloodshot eyes, and sighed. I just broke up with my boyfriend, Alyssa thought to herself. I need the extra rest. Her parents didn’t need to know that though. Alyssa trudged downstairs and into the living room. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan, along with Mira and Trista, were seated in the living room. Alyssa felt a strange deja vu. The family only got together like this when there was an important announcement to make.
“Sit down Alyssa.” Mrs. Morgan said tersely. Alyssa could tell that her mom was still mad at her for what Alyssa had told her, but Alyssa didn’t really care because it was the straight up truth. Mrs. Morgan turned to Trista and Alyssa.
“Lately, both you and Trista have been a very big disappointment as daughters. You have been rude, and disrespectful and I will not tolerate it. If you wish to speak to me like that, stay out of my house.” She turned to Mr. Morgan. “Tell them why they’re here.” Jon Morgan cleared his throat.
“As you all know, your mother has been playing favorites with our children and I’m sick of it.” Jane glared at him. “Despite what your mother has just said, both you and Trista have not been disappointments as daughters. Your mother is a perfectionist who can not stand it when her daughters aren’t machines who numbly follow her every order.” John looked down at the ground. “What we are here to tell you is that your mother and I are getting a divorce.”
“WHAT?” Alyssa cried. Mira looked down at the ground and Trista started crying. “So that’s it? You guys have your first fight in twenty six years and you decided to call it quits?” Mr. Morgan shook his head.
“If it was something minor Alyssa, we would try to work it out, but this a major dispute. Two parents who have such different views on what should happen with the children cannot simply say I’m sorry and move on. I can accept the fact that you girls aren’t perfect, that you make mistakes, but this seems too hard for your mother to grasp.” Alyssa turned toward her mother.
“Why can’t you just accept us? THIS IS ALL YOU FAULT! If you weren’t such a heinous bitch, if you could accept the fact that your kids aren’t perfect, if you would learn to accept the bad with the good, we wouldn’t be here right now!” Jane’s face paled. “I HATE YOU! I hate what you’ve done to our family and I hate the fact that I got stuck with you for a mother!” Alyssa turned and ran upstairs. She threw herself face down on her bed and sobbed. Deep sobs racked her body as she cried all the tears that she had been keeping inside, along with some new ones. First Jean-Paul, then her parents. Things couldn’t possibly get any worse.
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(July 1)
It took less than a month for all the preparations to be made. From the day of that horrible argument, to this present day, John Morgan looked for a place to live, and eventually found one. An apartment in Tampa, not too far away from Trista. Alyssa had been staying in a hotel room, not even being able to stand the sight of her mother. When Alyssa stopped by the house to get a few things while her mother was gone, boxes were piled on the front lawn and movers were carrying them to a U-Haul truck. Alyssa went inside the house.
“Daddy?” John Morgan popped his head out of the kitchen.
“Hello Alyssa.” Alyssa went into the kitchen where her father was making himself lunch.
“Why are all those boxes out front?” Mr. Morgan looked down at the table.
“I’m moving out Alyssa. The divorce papers are going through and I can’t stand being in this house anymore. Things have gotten even worse since you went to stay in a hotel.”
“Why did you and Mom start fighting?” John sighed.
“Trista got pregnant. Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t Trista’s fault. But your mother wasn’t very happy that she couldn’t turn Trista into another robot daughter. Trista rebelled and fought back. It made your mother think of her as the IMperfect daughter.” He shrugged. “I did my best to defend Trista but it was a futile effort with your mother.”
“Maybe if I would’ve moved back home--” John shook his head.
“Don’t even say that Alyssa. It would have made things worse. Instead of not playing favorites, she would have done it even more. Don’t ever blame yourself Alyssa. This was never your fault. Sometimes, people disagree on major issues and they can’t get past them. I believe that your mother should have made an effort to not treat Trista so badly, but she wouldn’t budge.” Alyssa nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek.
“Your stuff is ready Mister.” John got up and Alyssa followed him outside. He kissed her goodbye.
“I love you Alyssa. I’ll call you when I get there and give you my new address okay?” Alyssa nodded numbly. John got into the U-Haul and Alyssa watched him drive away. A heavy rain started to fall, soaking Alyssa to the bone before she got into the car. Her tears mixing with the rain, Alyssa drove to the hotel, truly believing that true love existed no more.
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Alyssa Morgan
My world is falling apart as we speak. First, Jean-Paul breaks up with me. Then, my parents decide to call it quits after twenty six years. And finally, my dad moves out of the house. If my parents can get divorced after twenty six years, does true love really exist anymore? If my mom can drive her daughters away like she has, is there really any kind of love out there? If I can break Ryan’s heart like I have, am I even capable of loving someone? Will Julie and Josh end up getting divorced after twenty six years? I certainly can’t get back together with Ryan. I mean, if we got married, would we divorce after twenty six years? Would we even make it to twenty six years? Would our love die before then? Everyone in my life is tearing me apart and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.
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Alyssa curled up into the fetal position after writing in her journal. Alyssa was strong, but how strong could she be when everything was tearing her apart bit by bit. Her relationship fell apart, her family life was falling apart. Tears silently dripped down Alyssa’s cheeks as she thought about how her life used to be. Before breaking up with Ryan, before senior year. When she was happy, her friends were happy, and her family was happy. Those times seem like a distant memory, Alyssa thought to herself. A distant memory slowly fading away.
Chapter Six~A Friend In Need
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