Stronger
350 Words
“Get up. Get up. Get up!” Marie chanted as she jumped on Kat’s bed, waking her up. “Marie. Girl, if you don’t stop jumpin’ on this bed, you’re gonna wake up Meralei.”
“Meralei is already up. Aunt Rebecca’s feedin’ her in the kitchen.”
“Thanks for the update,” she said sitting up. “So how have you been?”
“Fine.”
“You and Paul?”
“Let’s change the subject,” Marie dodged.
“No no no. We gon’ stick with this one. What’s up?”
“Nothing really.”
“Marie?”
“He’s just ... I don’t know. He just switched up so much ... like he’s trying to be controlling or something. Graciela said he’s been doing it for a while but …”
“Do you think he has?” Kat asked.
“I think he was the other day,” Marie answered. “I’m sitting there thinking ‘what’s wrong with you? Who do you think you are?’, ya know?”
“If you feel that way, honey ... why are you with him?”
“That’s the same thing Graciela asked.”
“Well …”
“He wasn’t like this before … and if he was, I never noticed.”
“Maybe you didn’t want to notice.”
“Maybe. He’s just such a jerk! He drives me crazy but … I love him.”
“You got it bad, Marie.”
“I admit that … but I don’t know what to do,” Marie said frustrated.
“Well, is he worth all the stress?”
“I don’t know. I mean, of course you have your ups and downs in a relationship but …”
“It’s worth it?” Kat finished.
“Yeah. I guess he is.”
- Writer
