Staying Hidden

My Mom Will Never Understand

The next day after my normal routine, it was time to go home. I dreaded every second of the walk to my house. My mom was never going to understand how much I love dancing. She didn't understand anything about me. When I made it to my driveway, no cars were in the driveway. I whipped out my phone and called my mom.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hey, where are you?" I asked, walking into the house.

"Lunch," she said.

"Okay. Well, I'm home, so," I said.

"Good. Bye," she said.

I put my phone in my pocket and sat on the couch. There was no talk of dance with her. She did what she wanted and expected me to do the opposite. I sighed and cleaned the house quickly before my sisters got home. When they did walk in, I was in the middle of dishes.

"Hey girls," I smiled. "Get to homework."

"We just walked in the door, Vanessa," Jenna snapped.

"Would you rather help me clean?" I asked.

"No," Jackie pouted.

"Then get to it," I gestured to the kitchen table.

Jenna went to the pantry.

"Jenna, I said homework, not food," I said.

"Mom lets us get something to eat when we come home," Jenna snapped.

"I'm about to make dinner," I said.

She rolled her eyes and stomped away.

It was a long night of fighting with Jenna and Jackie. In case you haven't caught on, they're twins. Both ten.

All throughout the night, all I could think about was how my mom just was never going to support my choice in dancing. Did she not understand that was what I wanted with my life? What I will always want? I sent Jenna and Jackie to bed at 9:00PM and text my mom, letting her know.

When my phone buzzed again, I was expecting it to be a reply from my mom, but John was calling me. I answered and plopped on my bed. "Hello?"

"Hey, what's up?" He asked.

"Just put my sisters to bed. You?" I asked.

"Not much. Your mom out?" He asked.

"Mhmm," I sighed.

"Well, hey, I figured out some moves for the song," he said.

"That's great. Show them to me tomorrow at school," I closed my eyes.

"I will. I was just checking on you," he said.

"You don't need to check on me," I chuckled.

"I like to," he said.

"Okay, well," I sat up. "I have to get ready for bed. See you tomorrow. Night."

"Night," he said.

I hung up and went to the shower. My whole body ached and I just wanted to sit down. Grabbing a hairtie from my wrist, I pulled my hair back so I wouldn't get it wet and turned on some music from my phone. Once I stepped in the shower, I felt warm.

My mom was never going to understand me. She was always going to say the same things like how I wouldn't make it. Or how it wouldn't pay my bills. All I wanted was for her to see that I loved dancing. I wouldn't be able to live without it. But she would never understand that. And that tugged at my heart and made me cry.