Family (Part 2 of 4)

(This is part 2 of a story written under a different category)

I hate Jimonrat. Eric could’ve picked anywhere in the world and he picked this wretched town. More than Jimonrat I hate Eric, and I hate having to pretend I like him and this town. Yesterday I was talking to the new dog, Lucas, about everything I hate when I was rudely interrupted.

“We’re going to the store,” Eric declared.

“I don’t like the store, I don’t want to go.”

“Fine, give me attitude, but you will listen,” he said.

“You don’t sound like a boy who loves his sister and wants the best for her. I have a headache, I’m not going.”

He switched his tone. “Listen, Bella, you’re not just my sister, you’re my best friend. If we don’t go to the store we can’t get you medicine for your headache. Unfortunately, you’re the only one who can drive so you have to come with us.”

“No, Eric.”

“Get in the car.” With that I got in the car and drove my family to the general store, it wasn’t that far away. When we were inside, mom asked Eric if she could go look at some flowers, he agreed. In the corner of my eye I saw the DVD for 'A Silent Tulip' starring Nadia Heldington. Lana picked up a bag of lollipops that was way too heavy for her. 

“No Lana,” Eric scolded. The bag fell out of Lana’s hands and onto the ground.

“Can we get this Eric?” she pleaded. 

“No, pick it up and put it back.” 

I saw Kathleen from my chemistry class looking in the direction of Eric and Lana, then I called out to her. 

“Can I go outside with my friend, Kathleen?” I whispered to Eric.

“No,” he said sharply.

“But it’ll help build character,” I argued, “I mean I’m just the driver anyway.”

“No, you’re my sister.”

“And your sister wants to go outside with her friend. Don’t you want the best for me?”

“Fine,” he muttered. I took Kathleen out of the store and we talked for a while, nothing memorable except the movie. She agreed to watch it with me so I went back in the store to tell, not ask, Eric. 

“Can I go to my friend’s house, please? Pretty, pretty please?” 

“Be home by one o’clock.”

I gave him a talking-to he’ll never forget. Take that, Eric. I went to the shelf where I saw the DVD earlier then I grabbed it and stuffed it under my shirt. That was easy as 123. I could outwit Eric one of these days. Feeling lucky, I grabbed a tiara, a wand, and some glitter too, then a watch that I think was pretty expensive. After a few seconds of consideration, I put the watch back because I’m not that kind of person. I walked over to the car after leaving the store and made sure to put the DVD, wand, glitter, and tiara in the shopping bag I found on the ground. Then I saw Kathleen running out of the store and she came towards me. We talked about my car, her car, her neighbor’s car, yet she claimed she knew nothing about cars. I nodded, trying to make her feel like I was listening, and as soon as I had the chance I got in the car. Kathleen asks too many questions. I wished she’d just let me pull out of the parking lot then she could talk as much as her heart desired.

The conversation we had wasn’t that boring, just boring enough that I can’t remember anything either one of us said. We arrived at Kathleen’s house and went inside. 

“We can watch the movie in the basement, the TV down there’s got a DVD player.”

“Perfect,” I said

“I can get some popcorn and sprite.”

“Even better.” I went downstairs and turned on their TV. It was pretty big. I guess Kathleen’s mom is making bank from factory work. I guess my family will be rich in no time.

I inserted the DVD into the player and that’s when I realized the security in this town might be a little better than expected. On the screen, a message flashed that the content on the DVD I was trying to insert hadn’t been unlocked yet. It said that this was probably a mistake and that my cashier probably forgot to unlock it, so I should just take it back and get them to do it there. Maybe I’m not that good, and I could never outwit that evil, psychopathic genius.

Great, now I’d gotten Kathleen’s attention. “Oh yeah. It’s all good. The movie’s ready by the way,” I said as I cast my phone to the television.

Once she was downstairs, Kathleen and I started to watch the movie, it’s wasn’t bad. Soon, I got a text. It was from Eric:

-It’s almost one

-I know, I’ll be back in time

-Are you driving back?

-Yeah

He texted again not too long after:

-Where are you Isabella?

“Sorry,” I said to Kathleen. Then he called. Great. So I got as far as I could from Kathleen and the movie and I answered. 

“What?”

“You have a lot of nerves, Isabella. You should be glad you’re my favorite because if I heard this attitude coming from any of the others it wouldn’t be taken lightly.”

“I’m almost home, I’m stuck in traffic,” I lied.

“You’ll be home in five minutes or else.”

“I understand, Your Majesty.”

“Ooh, I like that. Call me that from now on.”

“In your dreams joker.” Or maybe the end of that went a little differently, it’s not important. I went back to continue the movie with Kathleen, I had to pause it since it was connected to my phone. Sometime later I went to the bathroom, and Kathleen told me Eric was calling. Wonderful. I came back quickly and grabbed my phone before she could stick her nose in my business, then I answered Eric.

“Hello.”

“Where are you?” He was madder than I’d ever heard him before.

“Kathleen’s house,” I pronounced, that felt good for about two seconds.

“Get. Back. NOW!” he screamed on the phone. Feeling like the biggest rebel in the world, I hung up and went back to watch the movie with Kathleen. 

“You and your brother are pretty close, aren’t you?” she said.

“Yeah, he’s pretty dependent on me.” That was fun to say.

“That’s cute.”

“He’s not that cute.” He’s not cute at all. He called again. “Oh gosh, really?” I answer. “Again Eric?” Eric had never sworn at me before, but he didn’t seem to be able to control himself. I laughed and hung up, knowing I was picking the simple options then, only for me to regret them in the not too distant future.

The movie wasn’t bad, I think we both enjoyed it. She mentioned it was already two o’clock a couple of times, but I wasn’t looking forward to going home just yet. So I suggested we go to the toothbrush factory and pull pranks on the workers. Well, I didn’t mention we were pranking them until we got there.

I pulled out a pen from my pocket and started to write a note on a napkin I found. I read it to Kathleen, then I gave the tiara and the wand I got from the general store. She was reluctant, but she decided to give it a try.

Once inside the factory, I sprinkled glitter on Kathleen for the full effect of a tooth fairy. She didn’t like that much. I pulled out my phone and started to record her as she walked up to the closest person, probably to get it over with. Wimp. So I ducked behind one of the counters and I couldn’t believe it but the guy was absolutely shocked when he read the fake tooth fairy letter. It was extremely amusing to see him freak out over keeping the letter a secret.

He said something along the lines of, “Are you sure you’ve totally dedicated yourself to the fine art of toothbrushtry?” to his coworker. But then someone wearing a manager tag came out and I got Kathleen and I out of there as soon as possible.

“Why don’t we go have a good time at the bank too?” I suggested. 

“You’re crazy, we could get-”

“Fined? Ok Kathleen, we can just pay it off with the money we steal.” She looked horrified.

“Kathleen, I’m kidding.”

On our way there I remember her asking about my little sister, Tasmeen. She asked if she was adopted because she didn’t really look like the rest of us. In my opinion, none of us look like each other, but I just said yes to get her to stop talking about it. It didn’t work. 

“No offense, but why did your parents adopt a kid if there are already so many of you?”

“I guess we met her one day and decided she had to be part of our family.”

So we went to the bank, where we used the same prank. It probably worked better at the toothbrush factory, because I didn’t think any bank tellers had ever pondered dedicating their life to the fine art of toothbrushtry. I wanted to go to the courthouse too, but Kathleen said that would be taking it too far. So we went to the beach and got some ice cream instead. She fell in some hole that I bet was made by kids, and I helped her out, once I was done laughing of course.

“I hate this town,” she grumbled.

“Well, I think the feeling’s mutual,” I chuckled.

“Really, you hate it too?”

“No, I think it hates you,” I sneered, and we chased some seagulls away.

We drove back to her house and she told me to leave, she said it in a nicer way but I got the point. I had a lot of fun with Kathleen, and I really wasn’t looking forward to going home and facing Eric. But I guess I’d have to go eventually so I just drove home.

When I got home, Eric was furious. He had trashed my entire room and broken my laptop and burned all of my textbooks.

“I have to return those to the school, you know,” I said quietly.

“Well then you’ll have to explain to them how they all burned in the house fire that I’ll start when you’re the only one home!” he screeched.

“I’ll run away. I’ll do it,” I told him.

“You’ll regret it.” I went into my room which was in a state, and I heard him lock the door behind me. Then I went to bed in tears.

So now I’m sitting alone in my room, praying that he’ll unlock the door soon, because I’ve had enough of this “family”, and I’m getting away for good.