The Summer of a Teenager

Chapter 2: Dinner

"Okay, guys, go get something nice on," Dad said after Alex and I had watched maybe one and a half hours worth of The Spot.

"Let us conclude," Alex said.

I think he might like the television show more than I do, and that's saying a lot. We both sat up and went into our rooms (By the way, they're separate rooms. Just had to tell you that before you thought we shared one). I put on my dress I'd had from an 8th-grade dance. It was pale blue and very rough. It was generally really pretty but it's not as much on me. My mom picked it out for me because I hate shopping... Truth be told, I actually despise it.

I put on some tennis shoes, don't judge, and walked out of my room. Alex was ready before me, of course he was, everything was a competition between us.

"You look nice," Alex said.

"Thanks."

We both headed out the door with our parents. We took my mom's car, a white Hyundai.

"So...where are we going?" Alex asked in an impatient tone.

"You shall see," Mom said followed by a wink.

I folded my arms across my chest and laid back in the seat.

We drove maybe thirty minutes to this "restaurant" we were going to. The sign read: Monticello's.

"Mom, are you serious?!" I said, so excited we were going to Monticello's. I almost screamed in my overall joy at coming to the fanciest, most expensive restaurant in town. We've only been there once, and that was for Alex's and I's thirteenth birthday, which was a year and a half ago. I'll be fifteen in September, and, of course, so will Alex.

Mom smiled, as she also enjoyed this restaurant. Dad held the door open for all of us and we walked in. We sat down at a candlelit table and looked at the menu. Other people, and myself, thought that Alex and I were picky eaters. So, we both were just going to share the seafood platter. You're probably wondering, "I thought you guys were picky eaters?" But, when it comes to seafood, we cannot stop eating it. It's pretty funny actually; the looks on people's faces when they've seen how much seafood we've eaten.

A waitress came over to our table, she had blonde hair and she looked like a person you'd see in a TV show. "Hi, my name is Catherine, I'll be your server today. Can I get you anything to drink?"

"Can I please have a Dr. Pepper?" asked Alex. She nodded and jotted it down. I zoned out for a second.

"Katie?" Dad said. He called me Katie sometimes, I don't know why.

"Oh, can I please have the same thing?" I asked.

"Sure thing. Anything else?" Catherine smiled at Mom and Dad.

"We'll both just have water," Mom told Catherine, who wrote it down and walked away. "This new diet is hard, Pete," Mom said to Dad.

"Absolutely," Dad agreed.

Mom took a deep breath and looked over in my direction. "So, how do you feel about starting high school?"

"Woah, slow your roll. We've still got summer break... We still have July and August so let's just chill. No talking about high school until at least the end of August, deal?" I said.

Mom went "Ugh," and rolled her eyes. This time though, no tears.

Catherine came back with our order. "Okay, here are the drinks. Are y'all ready to order?"

"Can we share the seafood platter?" Alex asked.

"Okay, and for you?" She glanced at Mom and Dad.

"Umm.." Mom looked at the menu. "Can I have the ratatouille?"

The waitress smiled and nodded her head. "Is that all?" she asked in Dad's direction.

"I'll have the Caesar salad and the filet mignon," Dad finally replied.

"How would you like that cooked?" the waitress asked.

"Medium rare please."

I chuckled. Dad was so bougie, medium rare steak, I thought to myself. That does sound quite tasty.

We kind of just sat there for an awkward moment after the waitress left.

"Are you guys going to say anything, or are you just going to zone out?" Mom asked, trying to liven up the moment. I looked up from the table.

"Sorry Mom, haha," I said in a sarcastic tone.

"Don't be rude," she said in a sharp tone.

"Sorry."

"Hey Mom, I'm excited for high school," Alex said, trying to gain attention.

"Well, at least I have one kid that will respond to that question," Mom said as she looked to her side where Dad was sitting.

"Alex, you're such a kiss-up," I said.

"No, I'm not, I'm trying to be the polite one."

"Alex, you always try to impress Mom and Dad, own up to it," I said.

"Guys, we're at a nice restaurant for a special occasion, no fighting. You hear me?" Dad said in a quiet, but stern, voice.

"Yes, sir," Alex and I said simultaneously. We both looked at each other. Alex and I don't fight often, but when we do fight, it gets pretty rough. He can say some hurtful things and I can as well. At the beginning of the year, when he started dating Olivia, he kind of hogged her. I couldn't even talk to her unless it was over text. Alex and I had a huge fight. I remember what he said to me that hurt me the most:

"She's my girlfriend. She's not your friend anymore, so let it go, okay? When we start high school next year, Olivia and I are going to be popular. You're going to be left in the dust and she's not going to care about you anymore. And you know I'm right."

I shudder at the thought of that being true. I don't think Olivia would do that to me. But what Alex said, seems like he's going to be the most popular guy in school, taking Malachai's place and Alex is going to turn Oliva into the typical "mean girl." I don't picture Olivia as a mean girl, like, ever. But I also don't want that to happen to me because I've watched so many movies about being a mean girl and all of them get left in the dust. There is literally a movie called Mean Girls, and all it is is a bunch of drama.

The waitress came back to our table and served us our food.