Gemini

Pity party

"Magnolia Gemini Ross" I hear a deep, stern voice erupt from behind me. I can feel my stomach drop to the 9th level of hell because I know exactly who the thundering voice belongs to. "Oh Andrew.. Hey what's up?" I reply very weakly trying to make light of the situation, but Andrew wouldn't budge.

Now Andrew is a pretty evenly proportioned man for being 6'8. He is compassionate at the very least. And what he accomplishes in his size, he doubles it in character. The love that he shows for his family and his friends and even his work is baffling to me, but as he shuffles me to the car I honestly am not feeling the love right now.

In the quietest tone that a man of Andrews size could muster, he angrily whispered to me something about being in big trouble and thinking I was a hot shot who could get away with anything. I somewhat tune him out because I've gotten many versions of the same speech a lot throughout my life. I'm more focused on ignoring the strange looks that we were getting from strangers in the hallways while exiting Juvie. I can understand how people could be a little confused by the situation, though. A 5'1 ft, 15 year old girl being chauffeured out rather angrily by a 6'8 ft, middle aged black man can seem a little strange. (Although as a spectator I can say I would have to laugh a little seeing something as odd as us.)

When's we finally make our way across the parking lot and get into his car, I assume Andrew is going to let loose, but instead he breathes in deeply and exhales with obvious frustration. Finally, looking at me I can see the disappointment in his eyes, and in all honesty, I am feeling the same way right about now. Still glaring at me with daggers for eyes he says, "magnolia are you out of your mind? This will be on your record forever. Do you want to screw your self over because you're doing a pretty good job of it."

Right about now is when I would come back with some crude and sarcastic remark about how I was only in trouble because I got caught and about how Andrew himself had told me to live my life to the fullest, but I refrain, knowing that whatever i say will only make things worse. "I'm serious mags, (that's what he calls me when we're having a discussion) this could be the mistake of a lifetime. When I told you to live life to the fullest, I didn't mean for you to go and drink away your sorrows in the liquor isle of a convenient store!"

That one hurt. "Do you know what I really meant by saying that?" He asks rhetorically. "I meant for you to have fun with the small things. The little moments are what count. And now Im sitting here racking my brain trying to figure out what just happened and what I'm going to do about because you've put me in quite the predicament with the court." As we pull into the driveway I know the conversation (although it being very one sided) was over.

"Go inside. Pat has wrapped your dinner for you; I want you to take it to your room and honestly think about what you've done. I don't want to see you until tomorrow and when I do see you I want a solution on how your going to fix this." He exhaled and looked over, and instead of seeing frustration on his face like I had expected I saw something different. Pity.