I sat huddled in a corner of my room listening to the senseless noise taking up the space in my house. This is what my life is; everyday I hear the same crap from my parents.
I feel bad - guilty even. And that’s just the thing. I have no reason to feel guilty; I haven’t done a thing wrong; none of it is my fault! None of it.
Ah, something new. For a moment I refocused my attention on the phone placed atop my desk. A third ring. Perhaps I should answer it. Yes, I’m pretty sure that would be a good idea.
“Hello?” I said into the receiver loudly so, maybe, my parents would hear and hush up for the time being. A faraway, confused voice spoke out in reply.
“Bess?” They didn’t wait for an answer, “Hey! It’s Jason. What’s up?” A moment of hesitation followed by a hushed whisper. “Your parents: fighting? Yah, I guess so - hey! Uh. You wanna hang out later, maybe after things cool down over there.” He laughed his sweet laugh. “A simple grunt in reply would be fine for me.” I knew Jason was sitting on the other end twisting the phone cord around his finger - smiling. I laughed.
“Grunt!”
“Good. Call me when you want me to pick you up.”
“I’ll walk.”
“No. I want to be able to look at you the whole way to my house.”
“I really need some time to myself, Jason. A nice, long walk would do me fine.”
“I don’t want a walk doing you - that’s my job.” Such a dirty minded boy. “Bad day?”
“Bad day…more like bad year. I wish -” I stopped briefly to make sure no one was outside my door listening. I started again, making certain we were the only two who could hear what I had to say. “I just wish they could get along - for two seconds even. I dunno, maybe they get along sometimes, but not when I’m around.” A soft knock on the door interrupted the conversation. “Hang on, Jason. Who is it?”
“It’s me, Sweetheart.” My mother. I love my parents, I really do. They just make me so angry sometimes - I guess I can’t understand why they aren’t trying to be happy again.
“Yah, Mom?”
“Who is that on the phone?”
“It’s for me, Mom - Jason.”
“Alright. I’m going for a walk, Bess. If you need me call my cell phone -- I’m taking it with me.”
“K, Mom. I’ll see you when you get back.”
“Bye, Sweetheart.” I waited for her to leave. I almost held my breath the entire time until I heard her final footsteps, and the shutting of the front door. Breathe, Bess, breathe.
“Ok, Jason, I’m back.”
“Oh, really, I hadn’t noticed.” Yes, dirty, and rather sarcastic.
“Oh, you are so funny. Remind me to kick you the next time I see you.” All I got in reply to that was a barely noticeable grunt. “How was your day?”
“Alright. My aunt gave me fifty bucks.” My conscience started to act up, damn thing. Here I was whining because my parents weren’t getting along, and Jason didn’t even have his around.
“Jason! Why do you let me go on and on about my parents? You should stop me, it isn’t fair for you to have to put up with me.”
“Bess, I love hearing about your family. And another thing: don’t feel sorry for me, that’s the last thing I want. My parents walked out on me, it’s that simple.”
“Yah, I know but -“
“No. Listen to me, I don’t want you keeping things from me just because it might make me sad.”
“Fine, if that’s what you want.” I waited, then continued with a new subject. “Why did Cody give you money?”
“Eh, I dunno. I’ll have to remember to ask her when she gets back from McDonalds.”
“Yum, what a meal.” I don’t think it’s necessary to eat fast food half the week. Then again, it wasn’t my business what the growing idiot ate - that was Cody’s problem. I do understand why it’s McDonalds, or Wendy’s, for dinner a lot of the time, Cody has a tough schedule; she tries her hardest to take care of Jason.
“Hey! Don’t knock the eating habit unless you’ve tried it,” Jason said laughing. I could hear Cody in the background. It seems she had returned from McDonalds and it was time for Jason to come eat - she hadn’t used those exact words, but I think it would be better to use a G-rated version rather than hers. “Bess, I-“
“Yah, I heard. I’ll see you later, Jason.”
“Ok, but I am going to pick you-“
“Say hi to Cody for me. Bye!” I hung up. Maybe if he never had a chance to finish telling me that I would be getting a ride to his house, I wouldn’t feel guilty about walking.
Darn, now I’ve got nothing to do. If only my mom were home, then I’d finish my homework. Well, better make the best of things - wonder what Daddy is up to.
