You're Testing My Patience

Were you even listening?

Ellie's 16

Chapter 1

Friday, 6:23 pm

In the bunker

Ellie's POV

Ellie: Daddy. I call as I enter the living room.

Dad: Hm?

Ellie: I need you to take me to the movie theater.

Dad: You're going out?

Obviously. Why would I tell you to bring me somewhere, if I planned on staying home?

Ellie: Duh. Are you gonna take me or not?

Dad: Uh, not. Who'd you even ok that with? Because I've been sitting here for the past 30 minutes, and nobody's asked me anything.

Wasn't aware that I had to ok it with anybody. I never have, but ok.

Ellie: Nobody.

Dad: "Nobody"?

I just said that. Are you deaf or something?

Ellie: I just said that. Are you deaf or something?

Dad: So, you just assumed that you could go out and that I'd bring you?

Ellie: Well, yeah. You always bring me places.

So why are we still talking, and not heading to the movie theater?

Dad: You're right. I do always bring you places. And I'm starting to think that's a problem.

How the hell is that a problem?

Ellie: How's that a problem?

Dad: Because by bringing you places and letting you go out all the time, I'm only teaching you that your behavior's ok.

My behavior? What the fuck's my behavior got to do with anything?

Ellie: What's my behavior got to do with anything?

Dad: Your behavior's the reason you're staying home tonight.

WHAT?! WHAT DID I DO?! I DIDN'T EVEN DO ANYTHING! I JUST TOLD HIM TO BRING ME TO THE FUCKING MOVIE THEATER!

Ellie: What? What'd I do?

Dad: You're disrespectful, Ellie.

Ellie: How am I disrespectful?

Dad: You don't listen and you're always arguing with me and Sam. I'm tired of it.

I'm tired of this conversation. I wanna go see a movie, not get a lecture on why I can't go see a movie.

Dad: I'm tired of you turning every conversation that doesn't end in you getting your way, into an argument. I'm tired of you fighting with us on simple stuff. Like a few hours ago, when I asked you to do the dishes after school, you told me to do them myself, then you walked away.

But you still did them yourself. So what's the problem?

Dad: And when I called you back, you kept walking and said "You're a grown man, do them yourself".