Story Writing....

I don't really write stories much, but a few months ago I just suddenly decided that I wanted to start one. It's really not very good at all, but I would appreciate it if you read it and told me what you think. Helpful(but not too mean!) criticism is welcome too. Here goes nothing...........

Cassie swatted at the fly that was on her arm and sighed, "August is such a boring month!, Summers over but it's still so hot!" she exclaimed "And there's no holidays to look forward to."
"But," asked her father "Aren't you enjoying eighth grade? "Well I don't really know yet Dad, I just started." But underneath she knew she would hate it, the first three days had been terrible and she didn't think it would get any better. If only mom hadn't left us over the summer She thought Maybe the kids wouldn't be looking at me so weird and asking mean questions.


No one could really explain why Cassie's mother left them, she always seemed like the perfect mom, kind,caring, and always looking out for her husband and daughter, but one morning they woke up and she was gone, along with all their money. A letter lied on her bed saying she was leaving for Chicago and never coming back. It had been two and a half months since then but Cassie still felt numb, and deserted. Her father tried very hard to be strong and not show his disappointment, but it still showed.They basically had to start fresh, no money, no mother, no wife, It was just Cassie and Dad living on their own. Cassie tried to tell herself that she hated her mother with all her heart, but she knew that deep down inside she would never stop loving her mother and asking that terrible repeated question: What did I do???


"Cassie! Lunch is ready!" her father called "Coming! Just give me one more minute!" She studied herself critically in the mirror, she had reddish brown hair that was pulled into a messy ponytail and big grey eyes, she was wearing jean shorts and a purple faded t-shirt. She used to be so clothes conscience but after her mom left she just sort of gave up on everything.She used to try and ask her dad nosy questions about her parents relationship to try and figure out why her mother left but she knew that she was only asking these questions to try and cover up the thought that was always haunting her: It was my fault, I made her leave, But WHAT did I do??? She tried to think of all the days before her mother left. The last words they had spoken to each other were "Goodnight" and "I love you", Cassie just couldn't see why her mother would stay with them all these years just to grab the money and run.Her dad hadn't changed, so it must have been her, as she got older her mom must have grown to hate her.
Cassie shook her head to erase these thoughts and trotted to the kitchen for lunch. She offered to start making the meals after her mother left but her father would have no part in it.So two times a day on weekdays and three times a day on weekends they sat in front of the meals that her father made, they didn't have enough money to go out to eat so they ate at home every day.Cassie looked down at her plate,some kind of chili was on it, she choked some of it down and asked her father "So how is work?" (Her father was a janitor at a nearby Church) He smiled a thin smile and replied "Well work is fine... funny you should ask that actually, because there is something I have been meaning to tell you..." Cassie's ears perked up, "What's up dad?" she asked "Well, you see there's this week-long mission trip to Africa in a week and...I have decided to go." "Ummm okay," Cassie replied "But what about me?" "Well..um...I have asked my mother to stay with you while I'm gone." That caught Cassie's attention immediately "Grandma Ginger?!" Cassie couldn't stand her fathers mother. After her mother left them her grandma came to live with them for a few weeks,until her dad got 'Back on his feet', back then Cassie still had a lot of hope that her mother would return, but Grandma Ginger had always hated her mother from the moment her father married her. So she would always tell Cassie "Your mother never loved you! She will never come back!" Well you can imagine how upsetting this was for Cassie, and why she most certainly didn't want to stay alone at the house with her grandmother. "Now Cassie," her father said "Don't make a scene about this, I know you don't like Grandma Ginger too much but, she loves you, and I know she will take care of you." Cassie nodded, trying to fight back tears, "Okay dad,if this is what you want,then it's okay with me." He smiled gratefully and said "Thank you so much Cass, I love you." She tried to smile back but all she could think about was Grandma Ginger, so she quickly excused herself and went upstairs to think.

Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear your ideas:)

-Mina;)