You're Testing My Patience

Then what did you mean?

Chapter 31

Saturday, 1:32 pm

In the bunker

Sam's POV

Have you ever been alone with two teenage girls? No? Well let me tell you what it's like. It's not fun. I love the girls, but they're teenagers and they think that the world is out to get them. I've got one who's upset because she can't watch TV while she's grounded, and I've got one who's upset because I asked her to clean her room.

Ellie: I don't see why you're worried about my room being clean. It doesn't effect you, so why are you worried about it?

Sam: Because your room needs to be cleaned. I asked you to clean it, last week, and you still haven't done it. You haven't even started. Your laundry needs to be done, you need to get your socks off the floor, make your bed, and clean your desk.

Ellie: But why? The only one of those things I understand is the laundry, which I still don't wanna do. I still have clean clothes, so why does my laundry need to be done now?

Sam: Ellie, I'm not gonna argue about this all day. I'm asking you to clean your room, so go clean your room. Don't make me say it again.

She starts walking away, in the direction of her room, and I hear her mock me, under her breath. I grab her arm and she turns back to face me. She looks a little nervous, probably knowing that I heard what she said.

Sam: Do you wanna repeat that?

Ellie: Repeat what?

Sam: Don't play dumb.

Ellie: I'm not. I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't say anything.

Sam: Now you're lying to me. Do you wanna keep going down this road? Or do you wanna tell me the truth and get off with a warning?

Ellie: Ok fine. I mocked what you said, but only because I was frustrated. I'm sorry.

Sam: Do you understand why that was disrespectful?

Ellie: I think so.

Sam: Why?

Ellie: Why what?

Sam: Why was it disrespectful to mock me?

She looks at the floor and starts playing with her fingers. She's nervous. That's what I don't understand about teenagers. They do disrespectful things, then get nervous and choked up when they get caught. It's like they never expect to get caught.

Sam: I'm waiting on an answer.

Ellie: I don't know.

Sam: You just said you did.

Ellie: No. I said "I think so". I thought I understood.

Sam: It was disrespectful because I was only trying to get you to clean you room. By mocking me, you showed me that you didn't care about what I was saying to you. You just wanted me to stop talking so you could walk away. You mocked me out of frustrated, because you didn't wanna do what I asked. You don't do that, Ellie. It's disrespectful and if it happens again, I won't be so easy on you about it. Do you understand me?