Generation 1; Chapter 3

I had been right! Today was better because it was the weekend! Yay! 

I hadn't really seen much of my Dad recently since he had being going to gigs and performing in the park. That was how he met Mocha. She loved to watch all the performers that came to Appaloosa Plains. 

If he wasn't working or training, he was with her. I didn't mind, it meant that he had a smile on his face. She was really nice to him and to me, so it was fine. 

Now that it was the weekend I could spend more time with Dad. I was happy we could actually have a family day out. The first time we could since moving to this town. I was so excited. I didn't care that Mocha was coming with us. It kept my mind off school and Plum. 

We went on a nature walk around Cinnamon Crest Falls. If one thing that Appaloosa Plains did right it was the views. Mocha brought with her some poles so that we could go fishing. I had  never fished before, neither had my Dad.

Even though we were not that good we managed to catch a few fish. 

We all then sat down for a picnic that we had brought.

Dad and Mocha seemed to be a bit nervous. They kept giving each other this nervous glance when they thought I wasn't looking. 



"Ahem" Dad cleared his throat "Nilly, I have something that I would like to ask your opinion on." 

I looked up from eating. "Sure, what is it?"  His question kind of worried me.

"Um, I was thinking of having Mocha come live with us and we just wanted to know what you thought of it?" 

Have Mocha move in with us? Well, this was sudden. But it did mean we could start expanding the house and Dad would be happy, too. 



"I guess it will be good. When will she move in?"  

"Well, we need to upgrade the house first, add another bedroom - that might take a week or so. Then after that she will be living with us. Is that ok?" 

"Yeah, I suppose." I knew I should have felt happier. Dad had his smile back. It was just too sudden. 



The week went by so fast. We had to spent it in a hotel while the house was being upgraded. I still went to school whilst Dad went to work. Finally, we could go home. All three of us. 

The upgrade wasn't much, only adding an extra bedroom so that Dad and Mocha had somewhere to sleep. We finally bought a bookshelf (I loved reading into the night) and we managed to get a cheap dining set so we didn't have to eat on the sofa. At last it was starting to look homely. 

Generation 1; Chapter 2

It was official, I HATED it here!




There was only six other children in my class. Not surprising since this was a small town. They all had the top of the range laptops while there was me, with a tatty notebook and pen. Not only was I the odd one out. There was a girl here that was absolutely mean to me and I didn't know why! Her name was Plum Jam. It seemed that she was the leader of the class.

It wasn't noticeable at first but I did wonder why everyone except Drizzle avoided me. Then the name calling started. It was the usual 'loser', 'freak', and 'no name Nilly'. But then they started taunting me about my mum... or lack of a mum.  She told them not to talk to me. 
Luckily, I had Drizzle. He told me that the only place that they wouldn't ever bother me in was the library. I loved it in there. 



The old books, the comfy chairs and best of all the company. It was bliss. We could read the books, just talk and be ourselves without Jam and her gang around.

We managed to stay in the library at break and at lunchtimes for a few days, until the teacher had noticed us missing from everyone else. Technically we weren't allowed in the library without a teacher present. 

So we had to go outside with everyone including Plum. Just great.




We stayed away from everyone. Sitting on the benches just talking and reading. 'Till Ocre called Drizzle over. That left me on my own.

Plum came over and started her usual tirade. "Why don't you go back to where you came from. No one wants you here, you freak" 



I ran away from her, which didn't do much as she followed right behind me yelling "no name Nilly can't even afford a laptop, how pathetic are you! Aww, do you want your mummy, haha!"  

That was it! I had had enough!



"Plum, why are you always picking on me? I have done nothing to you! I don't care that I don't have the latest brand things or that I don't live with my Mum and my Dad. Enough is enough, This has got to stop!"  I screamed at her.

Her face contorted into an angry scowl before she lept on me. Punching and kicking me, the dust of the playground surrounding us.  




Once she had finished beating me up I turned away from her. I didn't want her to see the tears in my eyes.




"You don't belong here" she said as she turned and went off with Forest and Polar laughing at me. 

Even though the teacher was outside with us she didn't notice a thing. Funny that adults don't really notice what was going on right under their noses. 

I wasn't able to see Drizzle 'till the end of the day. Plum saw to it that he didn't come near me. Whilst we sat on the school fountain in the hall, waiting for Drizzle's mum to pick us up, I told him everything. 



"Oh, Nilly, we must go and tell Miss Vermell, Plum can't do that!" 

"But she will make my life even worse. I can't even use the toilets here without her threatening me" I whimpered. I knew that I should have told someone, but it could have been worse if I did.




"We have to do something, Nilly." 

"Let's just drop it. We can ignore her, she will get bored soon." 

"If that is what you think is best." I could tell that Drizzle was annoyed that I wouldn't tell anyone.

"I am just glad that I have you around, Drizzle" I truly was glad. He was the only thing in this town that made me really happy. 

A car horn beeped outside. It was his mum. I gave Drizzle a quick hug before we left to go over to his house. Feeling slightly better that tomorrow was a new day. 

Generation 1; Chapter 1

So here we were in this podunk town. Compared to our old house this one was a shed. We spent all the money moving from our old town to this new one. We only had enough money to buy this house. It was barely furnished. The living room was in the kitchen. There was only one bedroom, which daddy said I could use, and a bathroom. Daddy slept on the couch in the living room. 



He said that once he had found a job we could renovate the house, making it bigger and prettier. 

After everything that happened I had completely forgotten. A new town equalled a new school. I had to make new friends. I wouldn't ever see my old school friends ever again. 

Since we didn't have much money now we couldn't afford a car or the school bus service. So I was having to walk EVERYWHERE. On the plus side I did see some pretty sights whilst I was walking to school. 



It was scary going to class for the first time. Everyone already knew each other and I knew no-one. I was given a buddy to help me around the school. His name was Drizzle Giallo.  

 

He seemed to be sat apart from the other children. Maybe that was why he was made my buddy. So that I could be his friend, too.

I went 'round his house after school so that he could help me with my homework, since at my old school we had never learned fractions just yet. Daddy wouldn't mind as long as I came home before curfew. 



Drizzle lived on an old farm. I guess most people in this town did. It was huge. I met his older sister Gorse, I didn't think she liked me much. I also met his Mum and little sister, BonBon. 

"So how are you finding Appaloosa Plains, Vanilla?"  Drizzles mum was very warm and comforting. She made me feel as if I was a part of her family already. 



"Um, it's ok I suppose, it's a bit quiet. I miss my friends." 

Before long it was time for me to go. I promised Drizzle's mum that I would come back again. At least now I had something good in this town.

Whilst I spent the day at school and over at Drizzle's house, Daddy was out finding a job. I came home to find him all painted up.



"What are you doing?"

"Well, the only job available in this whole town was a performer. This is my new work outfit. Do you like?"

I couldn't help but laugh out loud. He looked silly. As long as it put food in out bellies I didn't care that my dad strutted around town in a mime outfit. 
Even though he had to act all smiley in his new job, I could still see through the face paint how hurt he was.



 I was glad he was doing something rather than staying at home on his own.

After all the excitement of today I thought it was best to go to bed and see what tomorrow was going to bring. 

Prologue

It was the worst time in my short life. My whole family was breaking apart. 

It all started when my Mamma was caught with the Nanny. Daddy found them when he came back from work early.



After I had come in from school I went straight to my room. I could still hear everything. The pitiful pleas of my mamma saying it was all a mistake and that the Nanny didn't matter. How she was stupid for not realizing what she had. 

I heard my Daddy saying he couldn't live like this. It wasn't fair on him or me. 



I tried my best to drown out the noise but nothing worked. 'Till sleep got a hold of me. 



I awoke in the middle of the night, my stomach growling. In amidst the fight I didn't have dinner. 
I crept downstairs, glad that the fight was over. Trying to see if there was any food in the fridge.
There were footsteps coming down the stairs, Mamma came into the kitchen. She smiled at me as she went to the fridge and got out some eggs to make a waffle for me.

"You know mummy will always love you, don't you, Nilly?" she said as she watched me eat. 



I just nodded my head since I was busy devouring the waffle and trying not to think about their fight earlier. They always seemed to work things out. This was another thing that they could work out, too. Couldn't they?

Mamma took me back to bed, tucked me in and turned out the lights. That was the last I saw her. It didn't occur to me why there were bags by the front door or why Mamma had gotten up in the middle of the night, too. 

She had left us. Left me.

All she left for me was a note, which daddy wouldn't show me. He said that I wouldn't understand it and that he would give it to me when I was older. 

That's how we ended up here! In this podunk town. 



Daddy said he didn't want our old neighbors to pity us, and it gave us a fresh start. I thought it was because the house reminded Daddy of Mamma and what she did. 

"It's just you and me kiddo!" He said, as we arrived at our new front door "You and me!".