Freshman

Tell me everything

Jeremy's POV

"We're going where?" I ask my mom and she narrows her eyes at me from her desk.

"We're going to the Jones' house for dinner." she repeats.

"Sounds like a good idea to me." Penny pipes up from the doorway. I turn and she's got her eyes glued to the screen of her phone.

"I can go hang out with Alysha." she adds and Mom looks at me.

"I though you'd be excited, since you like Dani so much."

"I don't like her." I lie. "We're just friends, remember?"

"Oh, okay." Mom grins.

Penny snorts. "With a girl like that, I'm not surprised you haven't asked her out. I mean look at her! And look at you!"

"Thank you Penny. You know I just live for the times you put me down, really helps my self-esteem." I say, rolling my eyes.

"I'm just saying....."

"Penny that's enough" Mom warned. "I think you're sweet, and handsome. And any girl would be lucky to have you."

"Gee, thanks. That's exactly what a son wants to hear from his mother."

Penny's laugh fills the room.

"Get out Penny." Mom warns her.

"Whatever." she scoffs, and flounces off.

"I'm sorry." Mom apologizes. "I think she's still upset about the divorce."

"It's fine." I lie. It's really not. "I don't care what she thinks anyway."

I leave the room and go upstairs. When I get to my own room, I pick up my walkie talkie. "Dani you there?" I ask while closing my door. "Dani?"

After a few moments, her voice comes through the other line.

"Yeah Jer? What's up?" She asks. When I looks through my window I can see she's sitting at her desk chair, and waving at me.

"Do you ever really hate your siblings?"

"All the time, just a few minutes ago Sierra thought it'd be funny to put my MP3 player in the toilet."

"That sucks."

"Yeah...it's okay though. I'll just never listen to the hairspray soundtrack again." I laugh at her joke and she flashes a smile through the window. "Which I guess is okay." she smiles at me, and I feel my heart beat a little faster. "Are you okay?" She asks.

"Not really." I say honestly.

"What's wrong? You can talk to me about anything."

Oh if only you knew.

"My parents divorced, and I guess it still kinda bugs me sometimes."

"I figured that. It's always going to bug you, but I you have to learn to ignore it. Or not give it any power over you."

"I guess so...." I say and she smiles, but then she turns serious.

"Do you talk to your Dad often?"

"Not really, just once a month on weekends."

"Is that where you were on my birthday last week?"

"Yeah."

"Do you like your Dad?"

"No."

"I'm sorry." she says solemnly.