The Clichés

Chapter Eleven

Instead of Helena, Vanessa is now the one texting at breakfast. The boys had finally added her to their group chat, which was appropriately named 'Shitty Shitty Gang Bang'.

Mason: No, guys, I'm telling you that my house is the best for sliding on floors. Most of Dylan's house is carpet anyway. 

Chase: Okay, but should we even include you in this argument? Your house has like seven stories. 

Dylan: I agree. Talk to me when you're poor like the rest of us!

Lucas: And anyway, my house is 100% superior. 

Vanessa: Bullshit! Last week, when we tried to play sock bowling at your house, we couldn't even get them halfway down the lane! 

Dylan: That's right, lol. Chase got so fed up, he knocked the pins over himself. 

Mason: Which does count as cheating, by the way!

Chase: It's not cheating if I'm just trying to get rid of a problem. 

Vanessa: Oh my God, can we not start this argument again? 

Dylan: I just know that this is somehow all gonna connect back to Wario being the best Mario Kart character again. 

Mason: BECAUSE HE IS!

Vanessa: Ok, boomer. 

Mason: That doesn't even make sense. Wouldn't a boomer say Mario is the best?

Just as she was typing a reply, she accidentally bumped into her glass of water and spilled it all over the table. 

"Oh shit, I'm sorry!" she said with a giggle. Helena rolled her eyes as she bit her breadstick. "Here, I'll clean it up," she offered, moving to grab a towel. Her Dad held up his hand to stop her. 

"No honey, don't worry about it, I've got it. It's nice to see you making friends." 

Vanessa looked at him with confusion. "Alright… thanks, I guess." and she went back to texting. 

Chantel has moved back to Houston temporarily because her mom is sick. She is partially paralyzed and so requires all the help she can get. Chantel is her primary help. Because of this, she doesn't have much time for Helena anymore.

Now, Vanessa, too, is slipping away, and it’s all thanks to those dumb cliché boys. 

Today is Saturday. Normally, it is today that the siblings find time to spend together, play chess and music, laugh, and watch their favorite TV shows. It is today that Dad hugs them longest because he has no work to rush to. It is today that they gather in Ethan's room in the evening and pretend to be awed by his musical prowess, nodding and clapping to the rhythm of his guitar.

But Vanessa now hangs out with Dylan, mostly. Dylan and his friends. She'd leave home in the morning, giggling and hopping, only to return in the evening with a frown Helena interprets as disgust for her immediate family.

But she lights up again while she's propped up on pillows telling them about Dylan. 

  "Dylan is a sweet boy. Do you guys know he wears this macaroni necklace because his sister gave it to him even though it's ugly and people make fun of him?" Ethan looks at Helena and raises his eyebrows in annoyance. "Poor Missy, she doesn't understand what's going on with her mom." Helena tightens her lips and nods. "I think Dad will like Dylan; he's also interested in this robotics stuff." Vanessa looked to her siblings with a smile, silently asking for their approval. 

"Aw," Helena says, craning her neck. "Nice."

"That's cute," Ethan adds.

Even though they want to be happy for Vanessa, it's hard when all of her time is being taken up by boys who will probably be in a mugshot one day. Ethan in particular has always been a supportive brother, and even though he doesn't want to break that streak, it's hard to be happy for her when he is trapped in the high expectations of a college boy. But that isn't Vanessa's problem, and it shouldn't have to be, so he doesn't say anything about it. He just listens to Vanessa and responds accordingly.