Impressions

chapter twenty-one: sister

johnnys pov:

annie's gonna hate me, but i asked her sister if i could come over for dinner tonight.
because we had the same free period class, it's the same class that we had when she helped me decorate to ask annie to hoco.
she said yes and i told her not to tell annie though.
i pulled up to her house around seven thirtyish and hayley opened the door.
when we walked into the dining room, i saw annie and her parents sitting around the table.
annie's eyes went bugged because i didn't tell her i was coming and she stared as me as i sit down next to her.
h$: johnny asked if he could join us.
k: it's great to see you again johnny.
j: it's great seeing you again as well mrs. leblanc and meeting you mr. leblanc.
b: glad you could join us.
k: annie would you like to explain our tradition.
a: we start off dinner by saying our highs and lows of the day. the rules are you always have to have a high, but it's okay if you don't have a low.
she says very bland.
k: so i'll start, my high today was billy being back and my low was it was hard to get out of bed this morning. billy.
b: okay my high was getting back from maryland and seeing you all and my low is im jet lagged. hayley.
h$: i got an A on my math test, but i lost my nike headband. johnny.
j: uhm i scored a goal at practice today and low is that it's a rainy day.
it was annie's turn to go, she hasn't directly addressed me at all.
a: my high was i caught all my yeagers today and my low was i broke the chain to my thumby.
k: i'll pick you up a new one in the morning just remember to text me the size.
she says while holding onto the necklace around her neck
i look around and they all have the same exact necklace with the thumbprint.
a: okay
she nod
her parents went to the kitchen to grab dinner and annie hits my arm.
a: what are you doing here?
j: hayley invited me.
a: and you didn't think to mention it to me, when we were texting five minutes before you got here.
j: i didn't think it'd be a big deal.
a: you think this is funny? this isn't game night at the orlando's. i can't believe you'd go behind my back like that.
j: i'm sorry.
a: you were sorry earlier and look where you're sitting.
her parents came back so she stopped yelling at me.
b: so johnny you play soccer?
j: yeah, i've been playing since i was five.
b: do you have any games coming up? i'd love to see you play.
j: yeah this friday at seven, annie's actually coming as well.
k: julianna don't you have a gymnastics meet?
a: yeah, i was gonna be late to the game.
k: oh alright make sure all your obligations are finished before leaving, i'm happy you caught all your yeagers, i'm excited to see them in your routine.
a: thanks mom.
b: julianna what have you decided to do for your birthday?
j: when's your birthday?
a: the fifth.
j: what why didn't you tell me.
a: it's not a big deal.
j: of course it is.
she shrugged her shoulders and brushed me off.
a: i thought we we're all going back home.
she doesn't want to celebrate it with us.
b: you sure you don't want to celebrate here?
a: i mean i don't need to celebrate necessarily i just want to see everyone.
k: well if we go to maryland you'll be missing school and gymnastics.
a: i would get the work beforehand and practice at the home gym.
k: i dont think that's the best idea. we will celebrate here and then go to maryland for spring break.
a: i have nationals then in arizona.
k: well we'll find a good time, annie you can't miss school you're ranked number fourteen in you grade, number twenty- seven in the state for gymnastics, and one hundred and eight in the country do you really want to jeopardize that.
a: of course not i understand mom.
h$: mom can i skip 8th period next friday, txunamys mom asked if we could go shopping.
k: yeah i'll write you a note.
i see the pressure now they put on her and not her sister.
b: okay time for another one, we do like a family survivor and whoever is voted the most has to wash the dishes.
h$: we video ourselves and say the reason why.
everyone else went and it was my time to go.
i pressed the record button.
j: i'm johnny and i'm voting for myself because i've never done it before.
then wrote my name down and put it in the bowl.
we discussed it and katie counted the votes three for annie, two for me.
k: i voted annie because she ate my breakfast this morning, and left the plate there.
annie started to laugh. 
h$: i voted annie because she voted me yesterday.
b: i voted annie because she's voted twice yesterday and took out my vote for her and thought i didn't know.
she starts to giggle again.
a: i voted johnny because he's new around here.
b: well julianna get to it.
a: yup.
j: i'll help you.
we went in the kitchen and annie still didn't say anything else to me.
she was rinsing dishes and putting them in the dishwasher then scrubbing the ones that didn't go in there.
j: will you say something to me.
a: something.
j: i'm serious please, anything more than one word.
a: two words.
j: i'm sorry. i didn't think it'd make you this upset.
a: you knew it would, because we've already talked about it. i made it clear, and you obviously didn't care.
j: i do care and they're not even bad they seem like such nice people.
she turned around to me.
a: you don't get to make me feel invalid because you had one dinner with them.
j: i wasn't trying to.
a: i bet you weren't.
she says turning back around.
j: well i guess i'll go?
she doesn't respond.
j: i love you annie. 
annie always says if you love someone there is no harm in letting them know.
you never know what could happen to them.
so i'll always let her know.
a: i love you too.
she says but doesn't turn around.