Players Run the Game (#Wattys2016)

~CHARLIE~

CRUCIAL!!

David Lambert as Myles

CHARLIE'S POINT OF VIEW:

               The next day starts off as usual. I wake up to an empty home being immediately enveloped into an eerie silence that I've grown accustomed to over many years of being alone by myself or with a babysitter. After I was off the breast milk, mom had gone like the wind on business trip after business trip and "FAMILY VACATIONS" alongside dad.Every step I take, the floorboards creaking and echoing mockingly throughout the house reminding me nothing is happening in the house. I'm all alone in this big mansion. I don't get the privilege of waking up to the smell of crisp bacon being made by my mom. Or even with my mom cooking in the kitchen with my fathers arms secured around her waist. A sight most teenagers would cringe at, but they just don't know how lucky they are. I don't even wake up to a maid cooking breakfast or something. I've never learned how to cook so I'm always ordering take out or delivered food. I don't have the sweet, fresh, crisp chocolate chip cookies most mom or even grandma makes for their 'babies.'

                Everything will be alright though. One day, mom and dad will have to lay off the jobs and settle down. When they return at short periods at a time, I'll see them again. Mom and Dad are only doing this for me. So, I can have the luxury life. The big mansion, all the technologies a teen can only dream about, all the shoes and clothes a girl could ever wish for. But, I wish for them to come home so I don't have the loneliness and emptiness that they've provided me with too. Along with the meaningless technologies and clothes or the meaningless mansion and money. I wish for them to give me the meaningful embraces and kisses and... love. Do they even love me?

         I shoo the thought away without even a doubt. Of course my parents love me. They wouldn't work so hard if they didn't want to get me my every desire and want. They wouldn't spend so much time in their jobs if they didn't want to give to me. But, I have enough I want them. I want their love. I need their love. They won't give me the one thing I want the most. Things will get better.

              I stepped into the the shower letting the hot water cascade around me. Pouring onto my head first, framing my face and covering the entire length of my body. Is it possible that someone can be in love with hot showers? The warmth surrounding you until your suffocated into it. Pure bliss to me. With the hot water from the showering engulfing me, I don't feel so alone. I feel warm instead of the cold I always feel deep inside my bones. Every movement I make being stoic, upright, and tense. Under the pressure of the hot water, my tense muscles relax. The waters hugging my body in a way and I will greedily except the hug. I stay in the shower for well over an hour. 

               When I get out there's twenty minutes left to get to school. I'll still be early. I hesitantly leave the shower and head to my room to get dressed. After finishing the twenty seconds it took to put on the black and white school policy uniform, I run to the mirror and brush my hair put it into a high ponytail with a few shoulder length curls hanging out. I've never learned how to properly put a ponytail in so no doubt that it's messy and I've never learned how to curl or even use a straightener without burning myself, so I can't really dolly it up. I wouldn't ever wear makeup because why would I want to hide my face. Even if I have acne or bumps or and ugly skin tone etc. I wouldn't want people to accept me for anything but me. Raw Cut. I don't want to make my eyelashes longer or jaw tighter or blush or have my eyes POP!. If people don't like what they see... Are they really worth my concern? Sure, it boosts confidence but what if you face someone with the actual you. That's a fake confidence build up. You need to grow it from inside. Don't care what people think. I know it's not as simple as it sounds because words hurt, but think about the good. Do good and good will come onto you.