a dance with cancer

eighteen

Valentina Karas

I wouldn't wish having parents with unspoken beef with each other on my worst enemy.

In light of his shady behavior on Friday night, it's understandable that Mom analyzes everything that comes out of her husband's mouth. Not only is my house short a person, it's turned into the FBI interrogation room where the criminal refuses to cooperate and the investigator starts to lose her patience. Mom loves NCIS more than life itself and she's more than happy to pry about what Dad does when her back is turned.

In most cases, parents would ask their kids if they had a good time with their friends. Not mine. I'm greeted by the lovely sound of Dad raising his voice at Mom instead of a polite hello. "Shai, why has everything been such a big deal with you lately? You're not the only one struggling."

Mom scoffs. "I wouldn't be struggling this much if you started acting like a forty-one year old man with a sick child and not a self centered jackass." It's a fair assumption that she hasn't exactly been a big fan of my dad lately.

They're too engrossed in their fight to notice me, so I just retreat to my room until it's over. My bed looks extra comfortable today. At this point it's the only place in the house that isn't a minefield. I hang up the dress I got and put on something more comfortable because I'm stuffed from lunch.

I go on my phone and open Snapchat for some reason. Before Asher added me, I rarely use it, if ever. The only people I snap are my friends and maybe five other people since I'm not pretty enough for a full roster of guys. Not having the extensive roster of guys that other girls communicate with made me self conscious for the longest time, but it doesn't matter to me that much anymore. 

Speaking of, he snapped me a couple of hours ago and I didn't see it. All I see are his dark curls and one of his dimples. I snap him a picture of my ceiling fan. Pretty interesting, if you ask me.

I don't even get a chance to blink before he replies and holy shit, he needs to stop rubbing it in that he's God's favorite person. Asher's shirtless in a hot tub, and he's showing off his Greek god body that he got from sports and working out. Even though I weigh well over 100 pounds, he could probably throw me without breaking his back. 

I snap Asher my ceiling again, not the best but he can take it or leave it. If Katelyn could see me, she would laugh at my modest moves on Asher. Since I did my makeup, I could send him a few full face snaps but it's a lot of effort. He matches my energy with a picture of just the hot tub he's in. I'm aware he's pretty rich, but I didn't realize he had a whole hot tub at his house. 

Valentina: Stop rubbing it in that you're loaded lmao

The mature side of me doesn't kick in until right before he opens my text. I instantly feel like a jerk. The odds of him asking me to Homecoming were low enough and my mere Snapchat message ruined any chances I had. My heart stops when he replies, ready to be chewed out by him.

Asher: 😹😹😹

I don't think he minded, but I think I owe him an apology in case he's just good at hiding his emotions.

Valentina: damn that was rude of me i'm sorry. if you don't want to come back to the hospital after this I get it

Asher: don't apologize, if anything I laughed

how's your day going??