where I can safely tuck my goodies in the shed out back.
The cab drops me off and I stand outside the house staring at my bedroom window. Too high. Cursing, I look around for vehicles in the drive. My car and my mom’s car are the only ones there; hopefully she went to the game with Brian.
Slipping through the front door as quietly as possible, my eyes scan the front rooms. No one seems to be here, but just in case, I tiptoe up the stairs and to my room. Settling into my desk, I yank open a drawer and shove the bags inside. It’s not the safest place, but at least it’s not in plain view either.
I start to head back downstairs, and catch a glimpse of my appearance in the full-length mirror on my door. I flinch at the red and purple at the edges of my eye. Mom’s going to freak out. She’ll blame me for this too. I can’t worry about that now though.
I enter the kitchen and raid the pantry for the stash of chocolate bars my mom has hidden away. It takes me a minute but I find the tin can where she always sticks them and grab one and an empty pasta jar from the recycling. I make my way to the backyard near the cherry tree.
Quickly, I unwrap the chocolate bar, and stuff it into the old Prego jar, then set it down near the ant hill under the tree. I’m about to break off chunks of chocolate and lead it to the jar when my cell buzzes to life in my back pocket.
“Hello?”
I discard my current plans to make a trail of candy as I hear, “Hey, honey, how are you?”
I head in the house. “Hey, Dad. I’m…okay. How are you?”
He pauses, mumbles something, and then says, “I’m okay. I spoke to your mother and she said you weren’t swimming this year.”
“Yeah, well…the jury is still undecided about that but so far it’s looking that way.”
“I hate to hear that, honey.” No, he doesn’t. My dad could care less what I was doing just as long as I go where he wants next fall. “Well, since you might be free for Thanksgiving this year I was thinking you might want to spend it here with us in New York.” Us: the half sister and stepmother he left me for. I’d have to stay with them while he pitched his “You can get a great education for free here” speech.
My face is in so much pain from scrunching my forehead. Last thing I want to talk about is Columbia, which is a great school, but it’s not what I want. And he’ll probably want us to have family dinners at his stupid brownstone walk-up. Plus he’ll probably want me to spend more time with Lidia and that’s not happening either.
“Honey?”
I walk into my room and sit on the bed. “Uh…I don’t know. I can’t commit to it just yet, because I’m not fully decided on the swimming thing yet.”
“I understand. Just think about it, will you? No rush. I’d think a change of pace would do you some good. And you can check out Columbia while you’re here.” Ugh! “Lidia wants to chat with you a second. Hang on.” I should hang up.
“Hey, Sky. How are you?”
“I’m fine, how about yourself?” I roll my eyes and pick up my guitar from its stand in the corner near the window.
“I’m great. I’m going dress shopping this weekend for homecoming. I made the court.” Yippee. “Oh man and my date is so hot. How is um…Kevin right?”
“He’s okay, I guess.” I strum a couple cords hoping she’d get a clue and change the subject fast.
“Oh, did you guys have a fight or something?” she asks, way too chipper.
That’s it, this conversation is officially over. “What’s that, Mom? Sorry Lidia, my mom needs me. Talk to you later. Bye.” I end the call and toss my phone across my comforter.
I’ve no intention of calling her back. I don’t hate Lidia, but I’m not happy with her. It’s not her fault that my parents split, but she’s part of the reason—the love child. It’s because of her my dad misses every moment in my life. He sends birthday gifts in the mail and has never been to any of my games or meets. Not
The cab drops me off and I stand outside the house staring at my bedroom window. Too high. Cursing, I look around for vehicles in the drive. My car and my mom’s car are the only ones there; hopefully she went to the game with Brian.
Slipping through the front door as quietly as possible, my eyes scan the front rooms. No one seems to be here, but just in case, I tiptoe up the stairs and to my room. Settling into my desk, I yank open a drawer and shove the bags inside. It’s not the safest place, but at least it’s not in plain view either.
I start to head back downstairs, and catch a glimpse of my appearance in the full-length mirror on my door. I flinch at the red and purple at the edges of my eye. Mom’s going to freak out. She’ll blame me for this too. I can’t worry about that now though.
I enter the kitchen and raid the pantry for the stash of chocolate bars my mom has hidden away. It takes me a minute but I find the tin can where she always sticks them and grab one and an empty pasta jar from the recycling. I make my way to the backyard near the cherry tree.
Quickly, I unwrap the chocolate bar, and stuff it into the old Prego jar, then set it down near the ant hill under the tree. I’m about to break off chunks of chocolate and lead it to the jar when my cell buzzes to life in my back pocket.
“Hello?”
I discard my current plans to make a trail of candy as I hear, “Hey, honey, how are you?”
I head in the house. “Hey, Dad. I’m…okay. How are you?”
He pauses, mumbles something, and then says, “I’m okay. I spoke to your mother and she said you weren’t swimming this year.”
“Yeah, well…the jury is still undecided about that but so far it’s looking that way.”
“I hate to hear that, honey.” No, he doesn’t. My dad could care less what I was doing just as long as I go where he wants next fall. “Well, since you might be free for Thanksgiving this year I was thinking you might want to spend it here with us in New York.” Us: the half sister and stepmother he left me for. I’d have to stay with them while he pitched his “You can get a great education for free here” speech.
My face is in so much pain from scrunching my forehead. Last thing I want to talk about is Columbia, which is a great school, but it’s not what I want. And he’ll probably want us to have family dinners at his stupid brownstone walk-up. Plus he’ll probably want me to spend more time with Lidia and that’s not happening either.
“Honey?”
I walk into my room and sit on the bed. “Uh…I don’t know. I can’t commit to it just yet, because I’m not fully decided on the swimming thing yet.”
“I understand. Just think about it, will you? No rush. I’d think a change of pace would do you some good. And you can check out Columbia while you’re here.” Ugh! “Lidia wants to chat with you a second. Hang on.” I should hang up.
“Hey, Sky. How are you?”
“I’m fine, how about yourself?” I roll my eyes and pick up my guitar from its stand in the corner near the window.
“I’m great. I’m going dress shopping this weekend for homecoming. I made the court.” Yippee. “Oh man and my date is so hot. How is um…Kevin right?”
“He’s okay, I guess.” I strum a couple cords hoping she’d get a clue and change the subject fast.
“Oh, did you guys have a fight or something?” she asks, way too chipper.
That’s it, this conversation is officially over. “What’s that, Mom? Sorry Lidia, my mom needs me. Talk to you later. Bye.” I end the call and toss my phone across my comforter.
I’ve no intention of calling her back. I don’t hate Lidia, but I’m not happy with her. It’s not her fault that my parents split, but she’s part of the reason—the love child. It’s because of her my dad misses every moment in my life. He sends birthday gifts in the mail and has never been to any of my games or meets. Not
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