The sunrays fell shined on my shoulder filling me with warmth as I peacefully stood in the middle of my yard. It was an early fall day and the leaves were swaying down to the ground as they gently fell off the tree branches. I jumped into the piles of leaves my mother had neatly raked up and landed hearing the crunch. The flock of geese that were just starting to migrate flew over the sky, honking and enjoying their flight almost as much as I was enjoying my day. The wind sent my hair blowing across my face covering my smile. Tiny chills of pleasure that trickled up and down my spine sent me back into my heartfelt home.

I ran up the doorsteps and straight into to front door. I kissed dad on the cheek passing his rocking chair and gave mother a small hug while she fiddled in the kitchen. My family included of me, mother, and father. I am just about to turn 13 and as my father likes to call that, “the teenage years.” I am 5”2 so just about the normal height for my age.  Our home is a small grey Victorian with a one car garage just like everyone else’s. Our driveway was very long, so strolls down it to the mailbox was a hobby. I mean anything to go outside and enjoy the little things.
Mother was setting up all the fall decorations while father read the news off his phone, yet they were never in the same rooms at once. I walked into the kitchen and noticed on the counter rested baskets of apples just waiting to be devoured with a glass of hot apple cider. I knew fall was officially here when mother brought a bunch of ingredients and a recipe for pumpkin pie out. I jumped with joy inside.
Mother was very exact and knew what she wanted, where she wanted it. She had short blond hair and her skin was pale but had a shiny glow to it. She had the deepest blue eyes like the ocean and always wore a peachy pink lipstick with a clear lip gloss coat over it. She is very quiet and calm, never overwhelmed when it came to big situations just always kept it cool. Meanwhile dad was the lay back kind of guy who occasionally did what mother wanted but mostly read off his phone and checked his emails 24/ 7. He never really helped around the house besides yard work and mechanical work, but was always there when we needed a laugh or two. He was very loud and boisterous but calmed down when he wanted to. He always placed a smile on my face with his sense of humor and his laugh. I loved my parents to death and basically our lives were perfect.
I look forward to school every day, go ahead and call me a nerd but it’s true.  I attended St. Charles Junior High every day and basically ruled the school.  Everyone there calls me Jackie, short for Jaclyn. So far school has been simple, not to brag but you listening to a straight A student. A lot of work is expected out of me. Getting the best grades and being the most popular. I had everything I needed and couldn’t even think to ask for more, wonderful parents, perfect house, popularity, and good grades. I realized I had everything until Tuesday, November 18th when I noticed everything in my life was falling like a building.
The news hit me that morning before school like a strong punch to the gut. My life was as normal as perfect as could be, but now how am I supposed to tell my teacher and friends that I need two information notes or that I have two hoses and two buses and two parents.
I was sitting at the round kitchen table, across from mother and father. There was an awkward scary vibe between all of us and I wasn’t sure to be worried or not. I was tapping the edge of the table with my index finger, nervously waiting for someone to speak. Mother took the chance and broke the silence. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath.
“How was your day sweetie?” she calmly questioned.
“Good…” I slowly uttered.
“Well, how was your science- “
“Quit the act mother.” It slipped out but I couldn’t help. “What is really going on?”
My parents both eyed each other and when my father examined my face he knew I was serious so he just came out with it.
“When two people love each other-”
“Whoa dad!,” I interrupted. “Not this kind of talk!”
I felt my cheeks start to blush
“No, no, no!,” he anxiously replied. “Point is, people argue to work things out and you know how your mother and I do that right?
I nodded uneasily.
“Well your mother and I…well… haven’t been working things out lately…”
A sweat broke from his forehead and he rubbed the back of his neck.
“Sweetie,” mother softly inferred. “Your father and I just think it’s time for us to go our separate ways.”
I froze, my heart dropped deep into my stomach, every running and functional part of my body shut down. I didn’t know whether to cry, run away, or just simply fall on the floor and die.
Mother got up to rub my shoulder.
“Baby it’s alright.” She sympathetically cooed. “you will still see both of just most likely not together.”
I could not believe my ears. Did my mother not understand how crazy this is? Do they understand what they’re doing to me? My reputation? My life?
Like school wasn’t any worse the next day. Even in the one floor school and only about 30 classrooms with seventh and eighth graders, word does travel around quickly at St. Charles Junior High. Because this school is so tiny everyone knows everything.
I’ve never known anyone with divorced parents, and trust me, I know everyone. I was the newbie, the outsider, the weirdo. Instead of being the queen bee, the insider the popular. 
My school life changed that very day about halfway through history class. The teacher, Ms. Jenkins and my favorite teacher, was a young sophisticated yet outgoing women who was never afraid to be honest. Ms. Jenkins somehow must’ve found out so she called me up to her desk. She greeted me with a smile. She stared into my eyes with sympathy and sorry.
“I know it’s difficult.” Her gentle voice was soothing.
I expected her to talk a little quieter… but she did not.
“Jackie you’re a good student, don’t let this get in the way. Don’t worry your parents splitting up is not the end of your world.”
I couldn’t help but disagree with her statement but I nodded and the swiveled my head towards the classroom to see who was listening in. The whole class was and confusion floated in the air. I turned back to Ms. Jenkins and responded,
“Thank you but I am fine.”
I walked back to my seat pacing myself. My shoulders were stiff as a board. I sat down, opened my binder and ducked my head hiding my teary eyes and red cheeks.
The bell rang sending kids fleeing into the halls like rats. All I could think is at least only my history class knows. I was walking to science clutching my binders and books to my chest. Stares and pointed fingers were directed my way and not the good kinds. As I passed by people shifted away, as if I had a contagious disease or something. No one was fond of me no more. Everything I had was slowly disappearing. My parents. My popularity.
It was gone. What could be next?
The bus dropped me off at my driveway. I was relieved to get off that deathtrap. Today I sat in the front with the kids who talked about Star Wars and the kids who did their homework.  I still heard the “new” popular kids or shall I say my replacements, in the back who used to praise me now talk about me as if I am nothing but dirt just because of what my parents decided to do with their lives.
I opened the mailbox, snatched the mail out and slammed the lid shut!  I stood in front of the mailbox staring down at the ground wanting to cry and just let it all out.
When I finally got to the front door, I turned to the garage and saw both mother’s and father’s car parked.  Mother was the one getting the new house so I would be spending most of my time wherever that house was.  The first step I took through the door I already saw my parents who looked like they had more news.
“Hi sweetie, how was your day?” Mother greeted me as I sat down my bag.
“Good.” I tried to say in the cheery mood opposite of what I felt.
“Well…I want you to come look at a house with me,”
“Looks like I really don’t get much of a choice.” I chuckled trying to make thigs less weird.
We headed into the car.  I sat in the passenger seat and we both buckled in.  Mother backed out of the driveway like a pro. We drove for about 15 minutes until we arrived at a small white house with blue shudders. Right away I could tell that the house obviously needed a paint job and some grass wasn’t yellow. Mother got out of the car to shake hand with a woman wearing a navy blue blazer and tan pants. They talked, showed each other papers, and made their way inside without any introductions. I assumed that I was supposed to follow, so I did so.
The house smelled like disgusting dog pee and the wallpaper was peeling off.  The tile in the bathroom and kitchen were chipped.  The appliances were old and not updated.  What ran through my head was the fact that this was not the right house and I could never live here.
Mother and the woman who I still wasn’t introduced to, wrapped things up and we all scurried off.
“Mother?  Is that our house?”  I asked nervously.
“Maybe.” She mumbled.  “I really don’t know.”
I could tell she was stressed so I did not bother to mention how I did not like the house.  I turned on the radio and kept quiet the rest of the drive home.
When we got home, I ran straight up the stairs to my room.  I sat on the bed, grabbed a notebook and pencil.  I figured there was no way this situation was going to go my way so I would have to make the best of it.  I started off…
Number 1:  Two houses, two bedrooms
Number 2:  Two Christmas’ and Thanksgivings
Number 3:  More attention from both parents
Number 4:  Two birthdays which equals more presents
Number 5:  Show people at school how different and unique I am
I eventually realized this isn’t such a bad thing.  I may not have everything, but everyone could use a little change in their lives.
I fell asleep that night with a slight grin upon my face. For the first time since Tuesday when the news got to me, I was happy.
I woke up feeling refreshed.  I hopped out of bed and ran down the stairs like an early Christmas morning. Like usual mother and father were waiting at the bottom of the stairs for another talk.  I had to keep my positive attitude up and not let them ruin it.  What wasn’t usual this time ‘round, was that they were standing closer than usual and had a little expression on their faces.
“Morning Mother, morning Father,” I excitingly started off.
“Morning Jaclyn.” They said synchronized.
“Oh is that bacon and waffles I smell?”
“Yes, but first we got some more news.”  Dad chirped in.
“I’m all ears.”
I prepared myself for something even worse.  Something that was going to send me off the face of the earth.  Something that I was not going to recover from this time.
“Your mother and I…”
They learned in closer and my happy mood went straight to puzzled.
“We decided not to buy that house, get divorced, and change all of our lives.  We made a mistake and we love each other and we love you Jaclyn.”
I didn’t even think to question them at all.  I was just relieved to let go, get rid of the act and go back to normal.  Surprisingly, I wasn’t even mad at them for messing with my emotions and damaging my school reputation.
A tear streamed down my face, and I ran into their arms to let them cradle me like a baby, then I whispered,
“Well as long as we are all one happy family.”