I'm okay being a side character

Submitted into Contest #105 in response to: Write about a person trying to see something from another’s point of view.... view prompt

2 comments

Coming of Age Teens & Young Adult Drama

In life do you ever feel like the side character, like your siblings and parents are more important? I often used to that was until last summer when i realized I'm okay with it. They are so worth it. It started like any other family trip, we left in the dark of the night just to make it to Yosemite during the day. It was just after seven in the morning in Yosemite national park when we drove through the gates. We had been driving for eight in a half hours straight. Dad refused to stop. We were forced to hold it in biting out cheeks. In a mad dash, our family of six ran to the bathroom. Mom and the baby girls made it in. Leaving me; Carrie-Ann and my alone. Standing there awkwardly i jumped from foot to foot. When the girl's bathroom opened my brother darted in ahead of me. Angrily I cursed at him. Just then my father appeared and i got scolded before i could explain what had happened. I was livid when he came out of the bathroom i pushed past him into the bathroom. After relieving myself There was no Toliet paper left just great. i thought in annoyance. Frustrated i dripped dry, washed my hands, fixed my hair, and meet everyone to pack outside for pictures in front of the sign. Irritated I glared at my brother. We being the oldest kids were tasked with unload the vehicle to our area. Oh, joy. His lazy but took one thing at a time. While i was stacking three or four bags that threatened to fall as i went. Its when i went for the last bag that my brother must have picked up on my agreevation. 

“Whats wrong, no cellphone signal” he teased flashing his usauual million dollar smile my parents had payed for. Angrily i cut my eyes. “Leave me alone”

“Awe come on whats wrong”

“Just leave me alone and go do you stupid guy thing” I grumbled snatching up the bag and heading back to our parents.

“Come on Cassie-Ann hy are you so mad” He said, calling her by her birth anime which she despised. “Call me that again and you wont have children” 

“Seriously what's earring you?” 

“Oh i dont know, are you a girl, do you have boobs, do you get to use the girls bathroom” She said loudly so the girl standing next to her brother ggigled. “Cass come on i had to pee”

“We all had to pee you jsut think your specail cause your a man”

“Its not like tha t your being a -”

“Go ahead finish that sentenc you misogynistic asshole,” My father once again appeared however this time i wasnt in the mood. “You know what this was stupid” I walked away as my father called out to me.

Sitting under the trees i could find no way to forgive him. He always thought that he was entitled to everything. Huffing she felt the brezze brush over her face. A russell in the bush drew her attention and her brother set down. With a long sigh he handed her two bottles of pills.

“Whats this?”

“Meds”

“What for?” She asked concerned quickly reading the label hydrochlorothiazide abd potassium. “I have a heart problem mom knows”

“And the meds reduce water on my heart” 

“Please dont be angry with me , were supposed to be having fun” He said throwing his arms around=nd her. Carrie-Ann grasped the reality of the situation. Her older brother was sick. Tears sprung to her eyes. Quickly she pulled him into a tight embrace. “Im sorry your not a jerk”

“Oh, im an ass, A big one” he said flashing her a joking smile. After a few more words of love they went back to there parents. No one said anything. Her father just smiled starting to unpack the picnic that mom had packed. Instantly he realized we left the silverware at home. Remembering my salad kit. Cassie- Ann pulled out a fork.

“Will this work”

“Perfect” our father said collecting the knife as my family had a snack it was close to three when my youngest sister. Katie asked to go for a walk. My mom and dad were talking and no one noticed that my sister had miss read the map. It was almost thirty minutes in and six wrong turns before anyone noticed.

“Katie babe let me see the map” My big burly dad said taking the man. I instantly recognized the look of hour. Looking at his watch he began whispering to my mother who has thee worst poker i have ever seen. So i began to panic. 

“What's wrong?”

“Nothing” My mom said quickly her voice becoming high pitched. Pleading with her eyes i stopped my questions. It took my dad walking back in the direction that we came for me to realize we were lost. I just didn't realize how lost. We stumbled around for an hour, now things started getting scary. It had started to sprinkle, the sky becoming a thick yucky grey color. In some places thick black bushy clouds formed. My father spook loud and form explaining we were lost and that we may get a little wet. That we’d be fun. My father being the convincing man he is swayed us all to believing him. It was ten minutes that everything went down hill, literally. My brothers shoe got stuck in mud. Which set i'm tumbling down the side of a small mountain onto the next trail. As he layed there motionless every mean thing ive ever said or done to him came to mind. All my jealousy and contempt flew out the door. My brother was hurting possibly dead. I could possibly never hear his voice again. I realized then all his jerky features were some of my favorite. With out second thought i skid down the mountain despite my mothers panicked cries. Once at his aid I felt for a pulse. It was faint. I yelled for my dad to get down to me. After that we struggled to carry him out. My baby sisters were in tears. From the car area wee were able to call for an ambulance. My brother made it out with a few broken bones and scar all the girl dig. Ever since that day i haven't wanted to be the main character I was content to be watching from the side lines there to help if needed.

August 01, 2021 05:02

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2 comments

02:46 Aug 05, 2021

Did this originate as an attempt to do the side character but ended fitting better as seeing from someone else's view?

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J D Hernandez
03:19 Aug 05, 2021

yes, actually i had two ideas simultaneously and wrote them both. This story went better with this prompt :) hope you liked

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