It's such a shame that we play strangers (Jalex) [on hold]

It's such a shame that we play strangers (Jalex)

Alex's POV

  It's the first day of summer and my big plans are going to a funeral for a relative I don't even know. Not my idea of a great time, but my parents said I had to go. I don't really see why I had to go since the stories my parents have told me about my great aunt were all about how horrible she was. Why would I want to view some dead woman in a coffin that had no significance in my life?

"Alex! We're getting on the road in fifteen minutes! You had better be all packed and ready to go!" My mother called down the hall.
"Okay, okay!" I shouted in response.

  I took one last look around my tiny room, making sure I wasn't forgetting anything. I grabbed my bag off my bed and exiting my room. I made my way down the small hallway of our small apartment and into our small living/dining room. I shouldn't really complain about my living situation it beats being back at the homeless shelter, but it still sucks. I grabbed a pear and plopped down on the floor. I looked up to see my father walking out of his room, already in a black suit and tie. He looked down at me and forced a smile. I knew he didn't like my funeral outfit, but I don't really have anything fancy so I had to resort to black skinny jeans and a black button up with converse.

"Where's your mother?"
"if she's not in the apartment she's probably packing up the car," I grumbled, taking a bite out of my pear.
"Okay mister smarty pants," he chuckled, buttoning up his suit jacket.

  My dad likes to keep happiness in the house and make jokes. He's never cursed at me even when I do stupid shit. He just forces a smile and sends me to my room. My mom isn't very good at punishments, her idea of punishment is taking out the trash and vacuuming. I'm not going to complain, taking out the trash is the only time I can sneak in a cigarette without them knowing. They assume the smoke smell comes from the old people that smoke at least two packs a day. I won't correct them, they'd lose their shit if they knew I smoked. They would flip their shit if they found out about all the things I do behind their backs. I'm going to be honest and say that I'm not a goody two shoes. I have my moments of kindness, but they don't happen that often.

"Ready to go?" My mom asked, as she walked through the door.
"I sure am," my dad grinned.
"Let's get this over with," I mumbled, pulling myself up off the floor.
___

  The drive was five hours and it was miserable. The air conditioner stopped working halfway there and the radio doesn't work. So the drive was hot, mostly silent when my dad was singing road trip songs he used to sing when he was a kid. The funeral sucked, it was filled with bitter old people that only showed up in hopes that they were in the will. If I knew anything from the stories my parents told, my great aunt did not list any of their names in the will. I'd be surprised if anyone was mentioned in her will. I heard some family talk about how awful she was. I know that if she gave everything to her poodle I would laugh so hard at the look on everyones faces.___

  The reading of the will was hysterical. I had to stop myself from laughing in the faces of all the greedy old people that lived to kiss her ass, hoping she would die and give them her estate. My family got he estate. Apparently she liked how I never kissed her ass like the rest of the family and said she would be laughing in her grave at the families reaction. My parents were extremely shocked when we found out. We all knew that this meant a new beginning for us. We could move out of our shit apartment and not worry aboutng on the streets again. My parents talked about where to look for houses on the drive home. I occasionally gave my opinion and told them I wanted to stay in my school. In all honesty I don't care for the school I just care about my friends. If I moved to a different school I would have to find new people to buy me cigarettes and go out drinking with. The best part about my friends is that they're great actors and my parents love them. If my parents knew what my friends and I did when we were "studying" they would move us out of Baltimore.