Gen. 7 Intro: Meet Bella!

Oops. It was dark outside. I was probably going to be in trouble when I got home. Luckily, I had the whole bike ride home to think about a good excuse. I mean, I was at the library. And I did look at some books while I was there. I could just tell Mom that I was working on a school report. She doesn't have to know I went there waiting for my aunt.

My Aunt Gypsy is pretty much my favorite person ever. She's funny, and likes to play and have fun. Not like my boring parents. And boy, does she have a cool job. I don't know what it is, but I think she is probably a spy, or a bank robber or something. She tells me about some of the crazy people she works with, but she never tells me names, and when I ask her what it is she does, she always says, "For your own good, kid, I'm not telling." But, she says when I'm finally a teenager, she'll let me in on what it is she does, and she might even let me join her! So exciting! 

I wish I could live with Aunt Gypsy. But I know there's no way my parents would ever let me. They don't even like me spending any time with her. Oh well. My aunt and I dream up plans sometimes, about her and I living together, staying out all night, sleeping in the day, shopping and having fun. Maybe someday, it will happen.

I put my bike away and look inside the window before slowly opening the door. So far, no sign of mom. I know I won't make it up the stairs without drawing attention to myself, so I slip off to the laundry room and find a pair of pajamas to change into. Maybe seeing me in pajamas will make mom think I've been home longer than I have. I walk into the kitchen, and realize I missed dinner. I find some waffles in the fridge from this morning, and figure it will make as good of a dinner as any!

As I eat in silence, disappointment creeps in. Aunt Gypsy was supposed to meet me tonight at the library, and never showed up. That's the real reason I was home past curfew. If my mom and dad knew that was the reason I was there, and why I missed curfew, I'd be in big trouble. I was just going to have to pretend I did it on purpose, because I felt like it, and not mention my aunt's name. That was the only thing I didn't like about Aunt Gypsy. Sometimes she didn't keep her promises. But I knew it was only because of her work, she would never not show up for the heck of it. And someday, I'd know what her work was, and it wouldn't be a big deal. I'd forgive her. Again.

After I finished eating, I went ahead and went upstairs. I knew my mom would hear me. "Bella? is that you?"

I made sure I sounded cool. "Yep, it's me!"

I walked in her room. My dad was already snoring. It wasn't that late, it was just now closing in on my bedtime. But daddy seemed to always go to sleep so early on workdays. I guess his job wore him out. Compared to my friends at school, my parents were pretty old.

"Young lady, you missed dinner. Where were you?"
"Oh, yeah, sorry. I was at the library reading books for school." 

"Really?" She looked at me with that look that grownups give kids when they don't believe them..

"Yes Mom, I swear! I was! Call the librarian if you don't believe me!"

She just looked at me for a minute, probably deciding she really would call the librarian in the morning.

"Ok. Well, don't let it happen again. Maybe we need to get you a watch. You know the police don't let children wander around town this late."

"Oh, I was home before curfew,  Mom" I lied. I already ate dinner and everything, and see? I'm in my pajamas." 

She gave me another skeptical look, then sighed. "Oh, I don't have the energy to argue with you tonight. Let's just go to bed, ok?"

"Story?"

"Bella, it's bedtime. If you wanted a story, you should have been home in time to read before bed."

I smiled at her and patted the book setting on her nightstand, the one her and I had been reading together, while I made myself comfortable on her side of the bed. "Please, Mom? Just one chapter?"

Again, she sighed, but this time she smiled. "Oh alright. I suppose after your birthday tomorrow, you won't want me to read to you anymore anyways..."

"Yes!" I snuggled down in the covers. "Don't wake your dad" Mom whispered.

"Ha," I said in a lowered voice, "you know he'll sleep through anything."
"True, true..." Mom said, then opened up the book.

I could barely keep my eyes open once she finished the chapter, and she kissed me on the head and said "Now, scoot to bed missy, you still have school tomorrow."

"Night, Mom."

"Good night Bella... I love you."

I snuggled down into my bed, and drifted off to sleep while thinking of my teen birthday that was less than 24 hours away now. And plans of what I would do with my new found freedom as a teen.

"Happy Birthday to you!!!!"

Ugh. I tried to put a pillow over my head, but it didn't work.

"Happy Birthday to you...."

My mom was playing her guitar at top volume, and singing as loud as she could. Some alarm clock! I stomped out of bed and stood behind her.

"Happy Birthday, WAKE UP! Happy Birthday to you..."

"MOM! That's the most annoying way to wake anyone up ever!!!"

"Oh now, hon, I thought it was a sweet way to wake up my birthday girl." she said, while still strumming the birthday melody.

"No, no it's not! Now get out so I can get dressed!"

"Ok, ok, I'm going. Try to change out of that sour attitude too, while you're at it, it's your birthday for goodness sake!"

As I was staring into my drawer full of shirts looking for my clothes, I remembered they were downstairs in the laundry room. And while on my way to the laundry room I saw my backpack where I left it last night, and remembered that in all my "studies" at the library last night, I didn't do my homework! Eek!

Quickly before Mom or Dad came downstairs, I got out my notebook and started writing. Hopefully I could finish this before they noticed.

After quickly finishing it up and slipping my notebook back into my bag, I turned the corner to the laundry room in search of my clothes, and WHAP!

"Haha! I got you! Happy Birthday!" Apparently my dad was waiting around the corner for me with a pillow.

"What was that for!?"

"Well, a birthday spanking... but a little more fair. Here, arm yourself!"
He kicked a pillow to me but as I bent down to pick it up, he whapped me on the head again!

"Hey, not fair!" I screeched as I smacked him as hard as I could in the behind with my pillow.

He and I traded blows while screeching, yelling, and laughing all over the laundry room.

Finally, when he had to stop to catch his breath, I asked, "Truce?"

"Yeah, truce. I think you've been properly honored on your birthday."

Just then  I heard Mom yell, "JJ! Bella! Hurry and eat breakfast before the bus comes!"

After a 'birthday' breakfast, which consisted of everyone telling me happy birthday and asking about what I wanted to do tonight,  the school bus honked and my brother and I were out the door.

I liked school ok. I didn't always get all my homework done, and occasionally I caused a little trouble on field trips, but all in all, I was an ok student. I can't say I really had friends at school, but I didn't have any enemies, so that was something. Truthfully, my friends were my brother, and my Aunt. And I was ok with that.

Of course, now that my brother was a teen, he and I didn't have as much fun as we used to. He didn't like going over to Aunt Gypsy's anymore, and I discovered if I did and he knew, he'd tell Mom and Dad on me, so I stopped telling him.

"Why are you staring at me... I'm working here."
"Let's go do something fun. Let's swim or play catch or something!"

"Can't, Bella, this report is due tomorrow. And I still have history questions to answer."

"UGH. You are so boring."

"Hey, I'm doing this so I'm free to have fun at your party tonight, remember?"

"I don't want a party. I just want Aunt Gypsy to come over and hang out, that's all."

"Oh, that's right. Nice job freaking mom and dad out when you asked for that at breakfast."
"Hey, it's my birthday."

"....."

"Well, I can see you're ignoring me now, so I'll go."
"..."

"Happy birthday to me, I guess. I sighed as I left the room. See what I mean? And I'm sure after homework, he'd start in on a game of chess, and I probably wouldn't see him until my aging up.

After calling my Aunt Gypsy just to make sure she was really coming over, I occupied myself in my room until I heard the doorbell ring. Yes! Aunt Gypsy!

I ran to the living room, only to see some dorky guy my brother had invited over. Some guy he played chess with, I'm sure.

Disappointed, I planted myself on the front porch to wait for my Aunt's arrival. And to daydream about how exciting it will be to finally be a teenager!

*buckey's notes*- Yay! Generation 7 is underway! I'm having a hard time deciding whether to move them to a new town (Bridgeport) or keep them in Barnacle Bay for this last generation. I have a storyline for them to move, but I can abandon that if they should stay. So, I'm going to ask you, dear readers! What do you think? Would you like to see them move after Bella ages to teen, or should we finish up the Wishacy right here in BB? I'll keep up a vote on the homepage for a while and you can weigh in!