Runaway
585 Words
How many times does someone have to cry equal rights in this house? Graciela thought to herself. Isn’t being the youngest supposed to be the free ride? Do something wrong, put on the cutesy baby face and blame the older sibling. Get special treatment because you’re the baby. Isn’t that how it’s rumored to go? Well, if that’s how it is, why do the oldest get all the breaks?
“Give me the phone!” Graciela screamed. “You been on there for two hours, now.”
“And ...?”
“Laurel, come on. This isn’t fair.”
“Neither is life but you’re here, aren’t you?”
“Ooh! I hate you so much right now!”
“Should I be hurt?”
“Shut up!”
Graciela stomped down the stairs to complain to her parents.
“Mom? Dad? This isn’t fair! I’m fifteen years old and I can’t even use my own phone!”
“Your phone? You hear that, Lo?”
“The phone we pay bills on but every time we turn around, y’all are usin’ it? That phone?” Lorena laughed as her husband joined in.
“She’s usin’ it! It’s her! I haven’t touched that phone in months. The only time I get to is when I’m trying to pry it away from her,” she explained. “Can I pleeeeeeeaaaseeeeeee ... get a cell phone?”
“Can you pleeeeeeeaaaaseeeeee ... pay the bill?”
“How can I do that? I don’t have a job.”
“Exactly,” Garrett smiled.
“Gracie, listen. You two are going to have to work this out. Come up with a schedule or somethin’. It’s called compromise,” Lorena said.
“What compromise, mom? All she does is hog the phone and tell me I can’t use it. How fair is that?”
“Look, y’all are too old for us to be tellin’ you that you need to learn to share. Work it out.”
Graciela walked toward the door.
“Excuse me, Miss America. Where are you going?” Garrett asked.
“Paradise Heights. I promised to meet Marie there.”
“What time are you comin’ home?”
“I don’t know. If I call you on Marie’s cell and let you know, is that okay?”
“That’ll work.”
Laurel walked into the livingroom where her parents and her sister were talking.
“Wait a minute. I don’t get to go anywhere but she does? What about me?”
“What about you? After that sneaking out stunt you pulled, be glad the punishment isn’t worse.”
“But that’s not fair.”
“Neither is life ... but you’re here, aren’t you?” Graciela mocked. “I’ll be sure to take a picture of the outside world for you. Bye y’all!”
“Bye.”
Graciela then left, leaving Laurel ready for war.
“What the f…”
“Keep going and your phone privileges will be the next to go,” Garrett warned.
“Fine!” she said stomping back toward her room.
- Writer
