This is my first story so please, be nice.
Chapter 1:
Apollo held his wife Maria close to him. " We're finally here Maria. We're finally in America. Do you like it dear? " Maria nodded and cuddled closer to her husband. Apollo was a business man for an international design company, and he was also their lawyer. He had gotten a promotion but the thing was, he had to move to America. He didn't want to but he did it for his job and his family.
Selene grumpily plopped on the couch. She wasn't too happy about her dad's transfer from Italy to America. Sure, she like America but she loved Italy for it was her home and the place of her birth. The only thing she truly liked so far was that the town they lived in had an authentic Italian restaurant a few blocks down from where she lived and they were hiring waiters, cooks, dishwashers, waitresses and cleaners.
Selene sat up and had to put her hand over her mouth to prevent herself from crying. “ Why did papa have to move to America? We were perfectly fine in Italy. But no, papa wouldn’t listen to me. Italy is the place of our birth and our ancestor’s homeland. Never in 400 years has my family left Italy, NEVER.” She let her tears flow down her face. She buried her face into the pillow next to her on the couch.
The doorbell rand and Selene went up to go get it. The pink box was sitting right next to the greenhouse. She frantically looked around for the person who might’ve left it sitting there. She saw the mail person walk away. She guess it was for her since the return label read, ‘Loretta Alysonia Germanotta. Italy.’ She took it inside and went into her room.
She opened it and in it was colored paper, colored pencils, markers, crayons, paints, paintbrushes, a huge eraser, a few notebooks, some stencils and a stapler. Her aunt knew to spoil her with art supplies. Selene was a gifted artist and piano player. She never played the piano by book, always by ear. It would take her a few times to learn a song but she could also compose her own melodies. But their grand piano had to be sold in order to help pay for moving expenses.
She quietly shut her door and her parents were standing there like a pair of moths attracted to a light. “What was that package for Selene?” “Papa, Loretta sent me an early birthday gift. I will thank her later.” Maria coughed and said, “ You will and you will start your chores. You have to clean your room, the shower and toilet, and make dinner. Go to it missy.” She sulked back into her room, feeling unhappy.
She was going to open the bathroom door but waited a second and she heard someone heaving. She knew who it was, it was her mother. Selene knew what was wrong with her, but Maria preferred not to tell Apollo. She barged in and caught her mother puking again. “ Mom, you promised me that you’d stop once papa got the transfer. You lied to me yet again! And now I know why you sold the piano, to buy drugs to make yourself sick all the time, am I correct?” Selene waited for an answer from her mom while her mom shook off dizziness.
“ You listen here Selene. I am your mother! You are to respect and obey me no matter what I do or what happens to you! I am older and therefore wiser than you are so shut up or I’ll have to punish you again.” Selene was tired of hearing her mother’s constant crappy lies of how she was so skinny or how she didn’t eat at times or why she was so sick. Selene knew her mother had anorexia.
“ No mother! You listen up! I am tired of hearing your constant crap about his. I want to have a mother who will take care of me, who’ll live me and take me to school like a normal mother. I’m tired of lying to everyone including papa! I’m sick and tired of this. STOP PLEASE!” Selene cried. Then Maria just slapped Selene, HARD.
Selene stood there stunned. Did her own mama just slap her? She never did that to her when she was little, she only gave her time-outs or took away things. “Selene, I don’t want to punish you but if you keep telling lies to everyone I’ll have to take away your art things again. DO not say a word of this to your papa. I want you to be a good girl. You hear me?” Selene was hesitant to answer but she knew better than to keep her mother waiting. “Yes mama, I will listen to you. I promise to be a good girl, I am sorry.” Maria smiled. “Good girl, now go and make dinner for us and make spaghetti please, it’s your papa’s favorite.” Selene left, leaving Maria alone.
Selene changed into less dressy clothes and put on her short and a t-shirt and put her hair into ponytails. She stood at the counter muttering. “One of these days, she’s gonna get what’s coming to her and mama won’t see it coming. OUCH! Stupid knife.” Selene hastily put on a bandage and continued making the spaghetti her mother requested during their argument.
Apollo sat at the table and took in the smell. “Ah, spaghetti. My favorite. Oh, Selene had you thought of taking Antonio to your school’s dance yet?” She had been in school barely two weeks and her school was having a Fall Dance and Antonio was the guy she liked in her sophomore class. “Um, papa I don’t really know him. But I’ll ask him if he doesn’t have a date. Okay?” Apollo nodded. He smiled. Selene smiled back. Whenever she helped her papa or made dinner for him, he appreciated it, unlike Maria.
The family sat down and Maria looked happier. Selene was taking a huge bite of her dinner when Apollo said, “Maria, Selene is thinking of asking Antonio to her first American dance. What do you think about this dear?” Maria finished chewing and said, “ That would be wonderful for you Selene, to finally have an American friend. You could have so much fun as your auntie Loretta told me when she moved here in college. We can go shopping and do your hair too.” Selene got excited, for once she might fit in at school.
Selene finished her dinner. Then she ran into their greenhouse and jumped into the small pool they had. It felt very refreshing. She swam underwater for a few moments and swam around. She didn’t want to get out of the pool. But hearing the clock inside the house softly chime 9pm, she knew she had to go to bed because she wanted to have enough energy to aks Antonio to the Fall Dance, her first American dance.
The next day while Selene was at work, Antonio came over to her house to ask Apollo something. Antonio worked as an assistant to one of Apollo’s friends and. Selene was on her way home from work after a few hours of scrubbing and washing dishes. “ Antonio, why do you want to take my daughter to the dance? It’s her first American dance after all.” Apollo put his hand to his heart as he said, ‘my daughter’. Antonio smiled and said, “ Well sir, I like your daughter very much. You can say I have a crush on her and I would be very nice to her.”
Apollo smiled and said, “ Alright. It was very polite of you to come here and ask for my permission to take my daughter to the dance. I give you my consent. You may take her. You can ask her when she gets home from work. The two then chatted on about various things like work, sports, Italy, America, food, and fishing. They didn’t notice Selene just got home.
After Selene walked in the door, Antonio sat with her at the kitchen table. “ Selene, I’ve liked you for a while now, well since you’ve been at school for the past two weeks. And I know this will be your first American dance and your first dance since you moved here from Italy. So I wanted to ask you if I’d have the honor for you to be my date to the Fall Dance. Will you go with me?” Selene was stunned.
Selene felt so happy inside. She smiled and then laughed for a moment. She said, “ Yes Antonio. I’ll be your date. I’ll go with you.” Antonio smiled. He spoke up again, “ Would you like to meet my family in a few days?” Selene nodded. She was going to meet his family and she hoped that they would like her.
A few days passed and the Germanotta’s had been here 3 weeks. Maria was sitting outside meditating as part of her treatment. Yes, treatment for her eating disorder. Selene finally convinced her to get help. They went to the hospital and signed Maria up for treatment, therapy, and counseling. She was getting better and was very happy for her daughter for the fact Antonio asked Selene to her first dance here.
Later that day, Selene was over at Antonio’s house. They were having a barbeque. They went swimming and Selene had tried ribs for the first time and she loved them. When the sun started going away, they went inside to go watch a comedy movie, ‘Bruce Almighty.’ Selene thought the movie was awesome and really hilarious. Afterwards, Antonio took Selene into his backyard and she jumped into his arms. He hugged her and said, “ I hop you had a good time Selene. Tomorrow night is the dance so you better go and get some sleep, wouldn’t want you sleepy when I want to dance with you. Good night.” Selene said goodbye and walked home, which wasn’t very far, only 3 blocks maybe.
The next day, Selene had Antonio come over to eat lunch and get ready for the dance. Her parents were showing them how to dance. “ Antonio you put your arms around her waist and Selene, you put your arms around his neck like so.” Her parents showed them what they meant and Selene giggled. Antonio smiled and said, “ Can’t wait to dance can you Selene?” She shook her head. “ Well, let’s get you two kids ready for the dance then.” Both smiled and Apollo took Antonio into his room to help him with his tux and hair while Selene and Maria stayed in Selene’s room.
Maria helped her daughter put on her beautiful brown and white dress and zip it up. She helped Selene put on her jewelry and makeup. Selene curled her own hair and put it into two stylish ponytails. Maria looked at her daughter. Selene looked in the mirror and gasped, her mother’s help was perfect like she imagined it would be. Maria hugged her daughter with a tear in her eyes. “ Gosh Selene, you look very pretty. I hope you have a great time. Let’s go and take some pictures first before you leave.”
Apollo stood back and looked at Antonio. He helped the boy slick back his hair and put on his tux whenever he needed help. “ Okay, I have a few rules when you guys go out. No drinking, no drugs, no staying out past 1 am without permission and absolutely no sex. Got it? Apollo followed the rule of no sex until marriage. He gave Antonio a hug and Antonio said, “Yes sir, I’ll obey your rules. I’ll be nice to Selene and bring her home safely.” The two waited in the living room for Selene to come out.
Selene’s bedroom door opens and out walks Selene, all dressed up and beautiful. Antonio helps her put on her corsage and Selene pins a flower to his tux jacket. Antonio hugs Selene and says to her, “ Wow Selene, you look very beautiful all dressed up.” She hugs him back. “ Thank you Antonio, you look handsome as well. My dad is great isn’t he?” Antonio nodded and the two said their goodbyes and they went to go get into the waiting limo with their friends.
When they got to the dance, Selene was nervous at first but dancing with Antonio helped her to calm down. The songs were a mix of slow, fast, medium and dance tempos. Selene couldn’t believe all the fun she was having. “ So how is your first American dance Selene?” She blushes. “It’s better than I imagined. Everything is beautiful, from the lights to all the dresses. Everything is wonderful.” Antonio looked into her green eyes and said, “ That’s great.” they continued to dance.
Then as a song called, ‘Hey There Delilah’ was playing, Antonio was slow dancing with Selene. “ Selene, I’ve liked you for a while. I wanted to ask you, would you like to be my girlfriend?” Selene was stunned at what just happened. She gasped. “ Yes Antonio, yes. I’ll be your girlfriend.” Selene smiled happily. Then at the end of the song, Antonio leaned in closer to Selene and said, “ Close your eyes.” She did so and Antonio kissed her for the first time. Selene got what she wanted, her first American boyfriend, her first kiss and one great American dance.
THE END
(Of part.1)
