Time went on during her high school years and eventually, the divorce was finalized between Bahar’s parents and Blondie had married Bahar’s dad. Bahar’s birth mother was told to pay child support at a very minimal amount, not anything her father ever needed. Naturally, the woman never paid.

Finally, in Bahar’s high school life, she had a taste of a nuclear family. A dad, a mom (Blondie), two cats and 1 dog. Bahar attended private school with her best friend, Joanie, her best friend from when they were in nursery. Bahar had dark features, black hair, black eyes, and very tall, but Joanie was the complete opposite. She had platinum blonde hair, bright blue eyes, you could almost see the ocean and was teeny tiny. Joanie was boy crazy, but Bahar was car crazy. She liked pretty things, but still dragged her father to car shows, and to local parking lots where he would teach Bahar how to drive. Joanie had no interest, she wanted to play with makeup and play dress up, they were the epitome of opposites attract.

Joanie and her family were all so special to Bahar; Joanie and her entire extended family opened their hearts and their homes to Bahar and Bahar’s dad. That family meant the world to her, they always looked out for them, something Bahar would forever appreciate. Joanie and her family will probably always hold a special place in her heart until the day Bahar dies. They always went above and beyond for her, taking Bahar on family vacations, to family parties, including her in all of their familial events and celebrations. Those small acts of kindness made such a huge impact on Bahar, a girl who had always been craving for strong familial bonds. It’s to be said that both of Bahar’s families, her dad’s side and her birth mother’s, both lived overseas. She only had a handful of cousins in New York and during the divorce, for some reason, the adults drifted apart and it wouldn’t be until Bahar’s high school days would she reconnect with her local cousins she used to be so close to.

Bahar will forever be in debt and forever hold a special place for Joanie and her entire family. But to know Bahar’s story, it’s crucial to know Joanie and the role they all played in molding Bahar into the woman she is today.

Well, now fifteen years old, Bahar was a teenage girl in a private all-girl’s high school somewhere in between Long Island and Manhattan. Bahar’s home life was fairly stable at this point. She performed well academically with straight A’s, super smart and was super responsible. So much so, Joanie’s mom used to said “if Bahar isn’t going, you’re not either” to Joanie. So on occasion, Joanie would ask Bahar to go to things she had no interest in, but given their sister-like bond, Bahar almost always agreed.

Life was finally calm and “normal”; but not for long.