Question by : Is this a good book beginning?
Is this a good beginning for a book?

1
“Ballet?!”
This is the word that comes out of my mouth at 20 second intervals.
“Mom, ballet?!”
“Yes, dear, it will be good for you.”
My mom has signed me up for a ballet camp, where I will learn to have “complete control” over the movements of my body. Or so the pamphlet says.
You would think a ballet camp wouldn’t be all that bad. I mean, yeah, I’m all for getting exercise and whatever. But then, you don’t know me. I don’t think anyone knows the real me, except for maybe my cat, Thorn. You’d think people would be able to guess what kind of person I am just from the way I dress, and the type of music I listen to. Ballet is definitely not my thing.
But apparently my mom hasn’t caught on.
My name is Rox. Well, technically, my birth name is “Roxanne”. But, seriously, I would never let anyone call me that. So I just tell people my name is Rox so they don’t have to know the embarrassing truth.
“Ballet?!” I ask for the third time.
Mom sighs. “Yes, Roxanne, you will be going to ballet camp for a month this summer.”
I stiffen at her use of my full name. “That’s not my name, Mom.”
She rolls her eyes. “Of course it is.”
“No, it’s not. My name’s Rox. No one calls me Roxanne.”
She gives up. She hates to fight with me. “Fine, ‘Rox’, go pack for camp.”
“Pack? Already? When does camp start?”
She picks her catalog up off the table from where she had set it when I came storming in. “I’ll be dropping you off at the train station at 11 o’clock tomorrow morning.”
My jaw drops. “Train?! I’m taking a train?! Where is this stupid camp, anyway?!”
“In Michigan,” she says, without even looking up.
I storm up the stairs, go into my room, and slam the door behind me. I can not believe this is happening. I throw myself down on my black bedspread. It’s so not fair. Just because Mom was a ballet dancer doesn’t mean I have to be one too.
If you’re reading this now, most of this probably doesn’t make much sense. Good. That’s the way it should be. It doesn’t make any sense to me either. I suppose it will make more sense as time goes on.
I guess I should tell you some little facts about my screwed-up family.
There’s me. Rox Lee. I’m 17. I like heavy metal, knives, and black. Lots and lots of black. I’m 5’9″, and I have blond hair — Not that you’d be able to tell. I dye my hair black. My last name used to be “Gellar”, but that was when my dad was still around. Then he left my mom for his secretary — classic, I know. Mom didn’t want anything to do with him, and she changed our last names to her maiden name — Lee.
Then there’s my dad. His name is Mikael. Last time I checked — which was probably, like, never — he was a big corporate business guy. Again, I know. Classic. I’m so glad I didn’t inherit is ugly big nose or his mousy brown hair. Not that I have anything against brunettes. Just male brunettes named Mikael Gellar.
There’s my younger brother, Gavin. I like to call him my younger brother, but technically, he’s my twin. I was just born a few minutes before him. He also has blond hair like me, but he doesn’t dye his black. Which, honestly, is good, because I don’t want him copying my style. Not that he would anyway. Him and his friends are always in the basement playing stupid video games all day when they could be spending time in the real world. The one that matters.
And finally there’s my mom. Her name is Heather, and she’s got the blond hair. Truthfully, I think everyone on her side of the family looks like her. Or, they all look the same. I inherited most of my physical assets from her. Like being athletic.
I march to my closet and pull out the assorted wires of my 5 pairs of earbuds. Untangling them takes forever. My small amount of OCD causes me to arrange them in as straight of a line as I can manage. Then I grab my blood-red earbuds from the end of the line. They’re special to me. They’re the only gift I’ve ever gotten from my dad that I actually like, and use.
I sit on my bed and connect the earbuds to my iPod and jam them into my ears. I blast the music to block out the world. This is what I always do. The world gives me grief, I ignore the hell out of it.
I stare at my Jensen Ackles poster. “Don’t mock me,” I hiss at him, as if he can actually reply. He just stares back at me, looking smug. Ugh. Now I’m talking to my posters. I sigh and fall back on my pillow, staring up at the ceiling. The littly glittery stars sparkle at me. They remind me that I really need to take them down. I put them up there, when I was 6. It was with my dad’s help. That’s why I need to take them down. Not bec
(It cut off the end of that -__-)

Not because I’ve outgrown them, which I have, but because they symbolize what my dad used to be like. I’m trying hard to forget him.
The earbuds he gave me are the only symbol of him that I want to allow.

Best answer:

Answer by YellowRoses ☼
Yes very very nice♥

What do you think? Answer below!

Question by jenni: Parents: how would you handle this?
My ex is in the army. I use the term ex loosely, as we had a fling, and ended up with a child together. We both get along great. We have both moved on and started our own families, about 600 miles or so apart.

My ex, although he sends child support each month, never gets to wound up about visiting our 6yr old. I have tried to make arrangements to take our son to see him, and have been told that arrangements have been made to come here to see our son… there is always a reason for a change of plans. The last time my ex saw our son was when he was 2 (so 4 almost 5yrs!), and at that time I flew to Texas.

“Mike” is currently in Iraq, and coming home the end of this month to see the birth of his new baby. His wife emailed me and asked if I could bring our son down to visit at that time. I entertained the idea for a bit, but then realized that during the birth of a new baby it probably wasn’t the best of times to go for a visit. I cordially thanked her for the invite and told her that I thought that it wasn’t a good time, as they would have their hands full with a new baby, people visiting and trying to get in as much time together as possible before he goes back to Iraq. I also said that I would prefer during a visit that our son be the focus of his daddy’s attention. I thought I was being fair and understanding to the needs of a military family. She then retorts “fine, just suit yourself, your the one that always wants Mike to see YOUR son!”

I didn’t really have a problem with this woman until now. I feel like telling her, no YELLING at her, that I have went out of my way to try to get my son and his daddy together to be shot down, or had a change of plans (one year my husband and I were driving down there to only get a call that they wouldn’t be available because of an emergency, then a few days later there were pics on facebook of them camping– some emergency). She thinks that the $ 400 a month Mike sends is too much. (I don’t know if she realizes if we went to court I could get much more, but instead would rather try to work things amongst ourselves). She has told Mike’s sister and mother that MY son is in to many activities, that Mike shouldn’t have to split costs with me (such as school and some extracuriculars) and that if my son is going to be in activities that are for boys (my son prefers swimming and tennis, which I guess she considers girl sports, IDK).

I have kept my cool for a while. Now I feel I am about ready to boil over. His daddy has only called him twice since being in Iraq, and when my son puts something on his facebook wall he tends to not respond, but will respond to silly group posts, and his wife’s posts almost daily, so it isn’t like he is to busy. Am I supposed to change our summer plans to take my son there (over 600miles away) when generally where he won’t be the focus of attention and our efforts are not reciprocated in the least bit?

I also think “Mike’s” wife is trying to start stuff (i’m trying to remain an adult and haven’t said anything else to her, except “I’m sorry you feel I’m being ugly about this and I would like to thank you again for the invitation”…. she keeps posting ugly comments on her facebook page, and Mike’s facebook page. What do you think?

Best answer:

Answer by Dalton & Kaiah’s Mommy
Well, I actually am siding with you on this one. Normally I am all for visitation. However, the birth of his new child is going to be the center of his attention and not your son. I think your son after finally being able to see his dad will be more upset that he is being ignored for his new baby. A child’s activities should be something they enjoy or want to learn. Not what one parent thinks they should be doing. She is only seeing that the money being sent to you is money that they don’t have. She knew this going in so if she has a problem let her. If she continues to complain you can always say well, if you and him split how much would their child be worth? I am sure she would want her kid taken care of if (god forbid) they weren’t to make it.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

15 year old girl lives in Pennsylvania. She’s goth/wears a lot of black and listens to heavy music. she gets in trouble a lot so her parents send her to a discipline camp in WV where there is a military base nearby
when she goes to the camp, she meets these 2 brothers. they are really daring one was in Juvie and the other one is kinda shy about his past history. the 3 of them sneak out and get into trouble as they try to surive this discipline camp.
The girl starts to fall in love with the 1 from Juvie.
this causes turmoil with the other brother, because he likes the girl.
The 3 steal guns from the military base and kill all those in the camp, then ending with only the 1 brother from Juvie surviving.

Twisted, I know. comments? remarks?

All throughout the world, people experience different types of obstacles, there’s always a cause and effect, for each action. The decisions that I made molded me into the person who I am today. Like for example my junior year I had to move to a different state, which affected my basketball career. It made me realize, “There are more important things in life that must come first.” I was just beginning my junior year at Hillcrest high school. Having a solid resume of basketball under my belt, I had no clue what awaited me, until half way through my junior year. All along I had been training during the summer, attending basketball camps, team practices, open gym play. Leading into the offseason, I found myself in a state of tranquility and happiness. I felt privileged, that I was an upperclassman; I had proven myself time and time again. I would definitely start on Junior Varsity and split starting duties as shooting guard on Varsity. A week or so later, our first home game would begin on a Friday night and I was pumped up. That day after school, walking home from practice, my father made a big decision that tore my heart into pieces. Not analyzing the situation at them time, I got upset and questioned my father, “Why do we have to move to Claremore Oklahoma?” He sat me down gently, and said, “Son, this is how I provide for you. If I don’t work to put food on the table, then who will? Now that I was able to think things out, I felt horrible, because there are more important things to do in life. “In life we make sacrifices, in order to prosper, and lead a healthy and fruitful life.” For that, I thank my father for one of the most important lessons in my life.

When we do hang out, I’m planning on being more talkative, funny, and flirt more and be nice. I want to see her laugh again, and show interest again like during the good times we had, cause she means everything to me, she’s like no other girl I’ve met. I’m positive she once truly liked me but now she seems as shy as she was when I first met her. and let me explain this, I happen to know her back in 7th grade and I used to like her then too, so seeing her come to my church was miraculous for I never knew I’d see her again.
And the reason I actrually don’t really want to tell her how I feel just yet is because I don’t want to be like most highschoolers whose relationships never last, so if we were to go out, I would want to be sure that we wouldn’t have to deal with typical drama, trust issues, pressure, and crap. I was planning on asking her out sometime next year when I’m a junior but seeing how things are currently going, I’m just so confused now.
I just want to know how can I still keep her interested in me, and how I can possible spend moments with her as special as the moments we had at camp and recently after. I liked seeing her so happy in my presence, since no other girl has ever been that way with me in my entire life. Alot is going through my mind right now as you can tell lol, so please give me positive answers. thank you

When we do hang out, I’m planning on being more talkative, funny, and flirt more and be nice. I want to see her laugh again, and show interest again like during the good times we had, cause she means everything to me, she’s like no other girl I’ve met. I’m positive she once truly liked me but now she seems as shy as she was when I first met her. and let me explain this, I happen to know her back in 7th grade and I used to like her then too, so seeing her come to my church was miraculous for I never knew I’d see her again.
And the reason I actrually don’t really want to tell her how I feel just yet is because I don’t want to be like most highschoolers whose relationships never last, so if we were to go out, I would want to be sure that we wouldn’t have to deal with typical drama, trust issues, pressure, and crap. I was planning on asking her out sometime next year when I’m a junior but seeing how things are currently going, I’m just so confused now.
I just want to know how can I still keep her interested in me, and how I can possible spend moments with her as special as the moments we had at camp and recently after. I liked seeing her so happy in my presence, since no other girl has ever been that way with me in my entire life. Alot is going through my mind right now as you can tell lol, so please give me positive answers. thank you
Btw, sorry if I may spam this, I just really want this answered soon cause I need some help with this. :/