The Me that I never was~

''OH MY GOSH!" I shrieked. "MOM! THIS IS JUST SO AWESOME! YOU GOT ME A JOB AS AN INTERN JOURNALIST??!!! OH MY GOD! YOU ARE JUST THE BEST MOM! THE BOMB! SERIOUSLY! WAIT TILL THAT BITCH SHERLY FINDS OUT! SHE'LL FLIP! I LOVE YOU MOM! THANK YOU SO MUCH! GOSH! I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOU-''

''Well if you want to thank me, you CAN START BY NOT SCREAMING! I AM NOT DEAF! Oh and Lenna, do the dishes will you?'' She walks past me and dumps the stack of dishes on my outstretched arms.

“Sorry.'' I said peevishly as I placed the dirty dishes into the sink, put on the rubber gloves and turned on the faucet to let the water run , '' I was just so grateful for what you had done for me. That's all. Well, you knew that it was my dream to work in the media someday. Even though I am working there as an intern right now, I am really sure I will prove to them that I am totally capable of doing my tasks well. Who knows? They might hire me when I grad from college and-''

''Lenna'' she said wearily,'' It is graduate NOT grad! How are you supposed to write good articles when you do not even speak in proper sentences?'' she let out a long sigh and resumed reprimanding me, “Just make sure you do not embarrass me alright? I have got a reputation to uphold.''

My mom work's as a chief editor in the journalism department or whatever you call it. She, unlike me, produces splendid work. Be it grammar, vocabulary or what-so-ever, she's got it all going. To be exact, she's like the 'check vocabulary and grammar software that comes together with Microsoft office. My mom has it all going, work, figure, love life... oh yeah... all except maintaining a family. She and my dad divorced 5 years ago. After which, she completely changed my lifestyle. She changed me from a ''hi you little ugly wimp'' to ''hello you gorgeous thing''. No, no, no, I did not go for plastic surgery. I am absolutely afraid -no scrape that out, mortified is a better word- of operations.

Basically, after my dad left, she said all sorts of stuff to me, enough to make me feel like an utterly useless freak. Though at that point in time I knew I was one, but having that being told to your face by your mother is just, well... HARSH. Even though i knew that it was the truth and all. That night, I went to bed crying, and to be honest, I tried to commit suicide by trying to suffocate myself with a pillow, but being the weak little wimp I was, I gave up because I didn’t have the guts to do so. I basically just ended up crying myself to sleep.

The next day, I was woken up by my commander (mom), when she, splashed a cold bucket of water over my head. She told me that she had to use this as a last resort as I was sleeping like a log and did not wake up even though she yelled at me. I didn't want to bicker with her and decided to go along with her story instead.

She told me to get my lazy butt out of bed, get dressed and put the mattress in the balcony to let it dry. I did as I was told. We set off for town in our Volkswagen beetle, little did I know that I was about to meet a brand new me.

She got a stylist for me, signed me up for a gym membership with personal instructor, a package at a slimming salon, got my hair curled, dyed brown and after a few months when I had successfully shed off the 44 excess pounds that were previously clinging on to my body, she got me a whole new wardrobe of clothes. Well, I'd always knew that my mom was stocked up on cash but I didn't know that she had that much cash that she could do this for me! At that moment in time, I was shocked but grateful to my mother for all that she had done for me. I had thought that that was the end of my transformation, but apparently, she had more in store for me. She got me an etiquette instructor! Apparently, mother dearest thinks that I lack social skills as well as confidence, she has tried to teach me those ''things'' but it just didn't sink into this thick skull of mine. The etiquette instructor was her last resort. She wanted me to be a ''brand new'' me and not a bum like my dad.

Well, she got what she wanted. As unknowingly, I had evolved from a caterpillar to a butterfly at the end of the 6 months of training with the instructor. Oh I had forgotten to mention. During this ''transformation'' I was home schooled like a little freak! My mother didn't find me fit to go to school in such a state. Therefore, until my ''transformation'' was over, I was to be home schooled! In the beginning, I kept sneaking out of the house to meet with my friends from school, all was well until one fine day, I was caught by my mother off guard. Ever since, we shifted to Wilkins Ville which was much nearer to her headquarters as she got promoted to chief editor and was to be stationed at the headquarters and stuff. By the end of that year itself, I was completely transformed, from head to toe. It was bye bye to Esilenna Bryan and hello to Lenna Bryan. It is the name that I go by these days. Not that there is a big change or anything, i just went by this nickname instead. As the saying goes, a brand new life for a brand new start! I had figured that if I really want to get rid of my old self forever, I'd better change everything about myself including my name, but the name changing thing was a no go with my mom, thus, the nickname.

Now, I am a “me” that I never was 5 years ago. Though my mom's harsh, it is really an undeniable fact that she has made me a better person that I am today. All my achievements for this past 5 years would not have been possible for the old Esilenna. To be honest, without my mother, I am nothing. Though sad to say, with my dad, I am still nothing. Not that i hate him or anything, just that, though my dad's a music producer and all. Though he is capable in his work and excelling in his career, he is still a zero in my mother's eyes. I am still in contact with my dad although I spend time with him and have those father daughter days; I still feel that the separation of my parents was a good choice made on my mom's part. 'Cause without mom, my dad's more of a man now I suppose, his career is at it's peak and though women come to him like a swarm of bees, he still keeps the goal of winning my mother's heart back as the main objective. Which is sweet, I suppose.

He likes me better this way as well. He thinks that the she-wolf at home had done a pretty neat job in polishing his baby girl to a real diamond. Now that I have fitted into the new school that my mom dumped me in and am in my senior as well as final year, I guessed to show that she is pleased with me; she got me a post as an intern, which is just AWESOME! I know my mom loves me a lot but is harsh with me to whip me into shape, one day, I will thank her for turning me into the me that I never was. Confusing? You'll get over it in due time. I should really get going to the library to do some research. Wouldn't want to slack on the first day of the job would we now?

''IT IS TIME TO KICK SOME BUTT BABY! WOO HOO!''

''LENNA! WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT SHOUTING IN THE HOUSE??'' mom shrieked, ''GET YOUR BUTT TO THE LIBRARY NOW OR THE ONLY BUTT TO BE KICKED IN THIS HOUSE RIGHT NOW WILL BE YOURS!'' in a sweet voice she added '' Now take care of yourself now darlin' and remember to take your meals. Go and make your mother proud of you.''

‘‘Or else'' she added in a soft hiss.

''Okay, okay, I'm going, I'm going! I will and I promise I won't forget to eat. I love you! Bye, see you tonight!'' I said as I hastily grabbed my coat and bag and ran out of the house in a matter of seconds before my mom decides to put her threat into action.

As I walked down the bricked path, I sighed and thought to myself, ''this is going to be a LONG day but hey, who knows, I might have an adventure tomorrow.''