I'm a big sis my name is Yarelin, my sister's name is Penelope. I'm the oldest. How am I supposed to be the role model? It all started on a Saturday afternoon my sister and I went to a restaurant. A random man came up to our table but it wasn't the waiter. 

He said my moms names, “Amelia” 

Dad asks, “What is going on?”

Dad had just gotten back from the bathroom. The man and dad started arguing. Mom started crying, I was confused but then I realized what was happening. I quickly got my sister out and told her we were going home so I got on my skateboard and told my sis to get on my back and we went home. We got home safe, my dad started calling me on my phone but I didn't answer, instead I texted him that we were home.

 I'm waiting in the living room. Dad and mom came back at 9:45 pm. I was still in the living room.

 I asked, “what was going on?”

 Dad said. “Were getting a divorce”

 I started to panic, I didn't know if I should cry or be angry. Mom started crying again and she started to apologize. Dad had enough so he told mom to get her act together.

 “How long has she been with the other guy?” I said. 

“A couple of months, '' Mom said.  

She said it like it was nothing, like if it wasn't that bad. l lost it and snapped at her.

 I started yelling, “Ok then how would you feel if I went out and did something like that, you have two kids what the f*ck is wrong with you?, what were you thinking? What are you going to do now?

 “You know what go to that man” dad interfered 

Dad had enough so he went to his room and started packing things. Penelope woke up and asked dad,”what are you doing” 

“Nothing gust cleaning, why are you up so late you should be sleeping go to bed.”

 Mom was trying to explain to me that the guy was her second lover. Dad said he was going to stay for two more weeks for Penelope and me but didn't want to sleep with mom and he slept in the living room. After a few minutes I went to bed without saying anything to mom.

                                  Chapter 2         

The next morning, I took Penelope to school. On the way Aron was waiting for us, he is my best guy friend. Penelope likes Aron like a big brother. When Aron met up with us he was on his bike and I was on my skateboard.

 Aron asked, “Penelope, are you going to ride with me.”

 “Yes of course”  said Penelope 

We took her to school and went on our way to school too.

                                       ***                                

In pe class we got to play basketball, Aron insisted on doing a 1v1. Aron tried his best to block me but I was simply too good. At the end of the game I made 25 shots and Aron made 19 after we changed in the lockers the p.e teacher said out to me after 10 minutes. I finally went to lunch. 

Aron asked,” what happened, what did the coach say to you?”

Coach said to me “if would be interested in joining the basketball team”

“Why don’t you sound excited?” 

At first I didn't want to tell Aron that my parents are getting divorced but I ended up telling him. He was so supportive and I asked if he could stay quiet and not tell Penelope. After school we went to pick up Penelope. When we got home my mom was waiting for us, Aron had left so it was only Penelope and I.

“Penelope, go to your room,” mom said.

 “Yarelin give me your skateboard now”

Mom broke it and she started yelling at me like it was my fault. 

“Look what you did Mom, why did you do that, it's my skateboard!”

 Mom had realized what she did. Her reason was that she took it out on me for what had happened with dad. I went to my room, and 10 minutes later, dad came up to apologize. 

“I'm sorry for what happened earlier.”

“I don't want an apology from you it’s mom that has to apologize”

                                   Chapter 3

The next morning I was going to get my board and I realized that it was gone. I had forgotten what happened last night. Penelope was up.

 “Where is your board?”

 “Oh yah I let someone borrow it.” 

“What! you never do that”

 “I know but this person needed it, let's go to school.” 

We started heading to school. Aron had been waiting for us.

 Aron said "what took you so long and where is your skateboard?” Penelope answers for me,” She let someone borrow it.”

Aron knew i wouldn't do that, so he let it go and asked Penelope if she wanted to ride in his bike like always she said yes. 

                                     ***

We were in social studies class. We were  supposed to be working on a project. 

Aron asked again "I know you wouldn't let someone borrow your skateboard, so what happened to it? 

My mom broke it after you left. She literally had no excuse my dad yelled at her cuz she did it out of anger.

 Aron was sorry he asked if he could bring me and Penelope home. We found our parents arguing 

"Penelope, go to  your room and listen to music. 

My dad was screaming that he was leaving soon so our mother. Mom saw I was in the doorway and saw that Penelope went to the room. 

Dad said “I'm leaving at night so Penelope can't see that I'm leaving.” Dad was going all the way to New York. 

“Can I go with you?”. 

“No, you have to stay home with your mom and sister.”

I didn't want to stay with her. I would much rather go with him. Dad went up to Mom's room and started getting the stuff out, but then he realized there was no flights for that night 

" You have to stay for one more night," mom said.  

Mom tried  to convince him to stay but Dad had made up his mind.        

                                Chapter 4 

 I asked my best friend if he could take Penelope to school while I was gone. I was planning to go with my dad a day or two after he left. I asked him to make an excuse to Penelope and he was okay with it. Mom knew he said that he wouldn't do it, Mom didn't know so I had to lie to him if he was able to take care of Penelope. Two days had passed by and I decided to finally go visit dad. Of course I didn't tell Mom but I left around 9:30 a.m and then I realized it wasn't 9:30 a.m it was 10:00 a.m. I quickly asked Aron if he could take me cuz my mom wouldn't take me he said yes but he was kind of worried because mom wouldn't take me. We got there at time thankfully but the worst thing is that I had to leave my suitcase behind. I was so thankful to Aron. On my way to New York I started worrying cuz I didn't know where I was since it was my first time visiting, I got my act together and said everything was going to be alright. I just had to find a way to get where my dad lived. A few hours passed and I finally got to New York. A few days before I asked him where he lived, so it wouldn't be suspicious.I couldn't find where he lived so I decided to go to a park that was nearby where there were a lot of people.

This guy came up to me and asked, “are you lost Miss?”  then he realized we were somewhere around the same age but 

“Yes I am lost. Can you please help me.”

“Can I see the direction?”

He started to explain where to go and he noticed that I looked confused. ”Do you want me to take you to your destination?”

“If you can, that would be wonderful.” I said thank you when we got to Dad's apartment.

We finally got to my dads apartment and I knocked on the door. He opened the door and was shocked to see me standing there. “What are you doing here, does your mom know that you are here?”

“No but I left a note saying that I was coming to you.”

“Just come on in, do you want something to eat?”

“Yes please.” I noticed that his apartment was a mess, there was clothes everywhere, the dishes were not clean, the trash was full and there was food everywhere. “Do you want me to help you clean the apartment?”

“Yes we can do that so we can eat, you must be starving.”

After cleaning up we finally sat to eat, that's when I decided to tell dad about basketball. He was really excited for me but the only issue was that I needed signatures from both my parents. I didn't really want to tell mom about basketball since we were not on speaking terms. 

“Do you want to go to a basketball court”

“Yes of course I want to show you my basketball skills.”

When we got to the basketball court I noticed the guy that helped me get to my dad’s apartment. I didn't think much of it, dad and I started playing basketball.  A few minutes past buy and dad and I finished playing.

The guy came up to me. “ There's going to be a tournament in a week, you should definitely come.”

“Really that would be amazing, where can I sign up?”

“You don't have to sign up, it's a free pass for you.”

“Thank you, I'll definitely come.”

I walked towards dad and I told him about the opportunity that I can do. We got home and I started looking for the tournament on dad’s computer. It was getting late but I decided to stay on the couch and look at the requirements for the tournament. It was 10 p.m when I noticed the time and I decided to stay longer in New York for the tournament. I called Aron to let him know that I was going to stay longer but it wasn't Aron that answered the phone. It was Aron’s mom that picked up the phone just by hearing her voice I knew something was wrong. 

“Hi Yarelin, this is Elizabeth.”

“Hi, is Aron around?”

“You didn't hear that Aron got into an accident, I thought he told you.”

“What! No I didn't know, thank you for letting me know.”

As soon as we got off the phone, I told dad about Aron’s accident. At this point I had no idea what to do. I was shocked by the news, a lot was going through my head. 

“What do you want to do, the tournament is tomorrow, do you want to stay or leave?”

When dad said that I had no idea what to say… Should I go or stay?