Dogs Are More Important Then It Seems [Revising and Adding New Chapters]

(1) Introducing Obedience and the Texts.

          Annika was bored. Her parents had locked her in her room, taking all of every si 8ngle thing she could possibly entertain herself with, except some book. Even her clock, so she didn't know what time it was, and couldn't count the seconds of minutes of hours she would be locked in there. She groaned in frustration. Sighing, she gave up.

        She walked across the room, and picked up the book she had dumped in her laundrey hamper, hopefully hiding it from view (Annika had achieved this goal). Annika read the title out loud: "Kids Need Obedience: the Helpful Handbook for Ages 12-17."

        "Seriously?" Annika muttered. It couldn't be some realistic fiction book or something like that? She thouotheght she already had enough obedience. Her parents had drilled it into here mind that she was supposed to adress them as "Mother" and "Father", nothing else. They also taught her to be polite and sophisticated. Of course, as she was a teen (15), she only did that in front of her parents. They didn't need to know that she sometimes sneaked out.

        Of course, Annika loved her parents to death. She just wished they'd loosen up. Annika sighed as she opened up to the first chapter: Manners: A Thing Every Kid Needs. Annika rolled her eyes. 

        "Nothing to lose, right?" She tried to console herself.

        She had only made it to chapter 8 before she decided that the book was absolute crap. She had tried to read it- she truly did. But it was so frustrating to think that teens actually went around acting like a young adult, using proper grammar when not needed, drinking tea and watching the News.

        As slammed the book shut (loudly), she felt pain from her finger. 

        "Dammit!" Annika cursed. She had given herself a paper cut. "Lousy paper cut, go die in a hole."

        The other 9 hours had passed, totaling into 12 hours....the whole day. Annika's door unlocking was beautiful to Annika. 

        "Freedom!!" She screamed as she ran out of her room, past her parents, and into the living room where her phone was awaiting her- complete with a white case with the two words "SHUT UP" in the middle. Annika hugged the phone and kissed it.  She turned it on and saw that she bhad only one new text, and 6 notifications. She frowned, but it was quickly turned upside down when she saw it was from her best friend, Becky. She quickly read it.

"Hey, how r u? haha. anyway, words got round, people know ur crush...im your only friend, the other 5 or 6 think ur stupes..text me..bai." Becky had texted her.

"What?" Annika said out loud. Her parents had already settled down, drinking coffee and watching Chopped. They cast her a questioning look, but then returned to see who was going to get chopped off the show.

Annika felt a stinging in her nose, what she always felt before she cried. She slapped her nose, trying to make it go away. She prevented all the tears but one. Her biggest secret had gotten out,  and now everyone hated her..if Becky was telling the truth. She felt a vibration in her hands..another text from Becky. She quickly glanced down to see what it was all about.

"r u shocked or somethin? u new it was going to get out eventually..and um- they know about the texts that were from you that were supposedly unknown...idek how. liek i said b4, txt me! cya!"

Annika quickly went to her room and laid down on her bed, her stomach facing the matress, her legs crossed. She quickly texted Becky back with a few buttons.

"i just got off from my ridic punishment. what? howd they find out? it was supes secret. plus, it was just a prank!1 omg...i cant believe it! and how they find out my crush? jon was supposed to be a secret tooo....im so frustrated! >.<!"

Almost immediately, Annika got a text back. Another rebel tear slipped down her cheek. What's next? They find out that she caught her boyfriend cheating, then continued to go out with him... Dave had said he'd hurt her if anyone found out! Arghhhh! Teenaged problems!

"i feel ya, annie [Annie is pronounced Ah-nee]. teens are such blabbermouths, but i guess im being a huge hypocrit now. and supposedly you are dating a bf that cheats on you, and you know? liekkk omg! i feel so bad for you...so it is too bad that you have no friends now. hahahahah. i dont even care- im not your bffl or bff or even your friend anymore. so, have a go-haha looser...have a badddd horrible life! hope you die! dont txt me ever again, lossaa annie! don't bother showing your face at school on monday. peace..and ur bf just told me hes breaking up wit you..and we are about to do it. adios and bye Annika1111"

Annika couldn't prevent the tears anymore. She bawled, and nearly threw her phone at the wall. The only thing stopping her is that her parents would ground her for a month...again.

Annika sucked in a deep breath. She had to control her emotions. No friends...okay. No social life.... deep breath okay. She closed her eyes, and drifted off to a nap.

                                        ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Annika woke up to a rude awakening. Her mother was shaking her harshly, her strict face staring down at her. "Annika Flute, time for dinner. Come before it is cold. Your father's lasagna should make you grateful, child." 

Annika yawned, her plain beige, but warm, sweater feel as inviting as ever. On the way, she glanced in the mirror. Her brown hair was messy, and the bland blue of her eyes were sad. She sighed deeply.

When she sat down, her father had just finished passing out his lasagna. Her stomach growled, and the responses she recieved was a wink from her father and a glare from her mother. She smiled weakly. Her father led a prayer, Annika's heart not really into it. She took her first bite of lasagna, and quickly wolfed it down- she didn't realize how hungry she was. She accidentally burned her throat, and then rapidly chugged 3/4 of  her cold water, relieving the burn.

When she looked up, her parents were looking at her disaproovingly.

"Seconds?" she asked weakly.