Rock Your Body

Chapter Eleven🎶

"It's been how long since you've been to one of these?" I ask Bella and she looks up at the sky, thinking.

"Almost a decade."

"For real? What do you do all day?" I laugh and she flashes a small grin.

"Taking care of the girls. My parents just...they don't care. I feel like I'm failing them somehow." She sighs.

"You know how people get praised for getting straight A's, or even straight B's?" Bella asks.

"Yeah..."

"I don't get anything. A pat on the back would be great, honestly. Not everyone puts so much effort and time into making their future. I show my mom my grades, awards, teacher comments and she's like, 'as you should be doing in school!' Then rarely, she'll make me smile with a decent comment based on my performance or change up her attitude when she's personally in a good mood for whatever reason."

"Damn, I'm sorry..." I mumble. Bella shrugs.

"But, you should be living your life right now-"

"This is my life." Bella laughs and I shake my head.

"What I mean is, you can't do everything yourself. You seemed stressed lately, and I hate seeing you upset ring ring. Maybe if you don't take care of your sisters for a while, then she'll realize what she should be doing!"

Bella laughs harshly and I knit my eyebrows together. What's so funny about what I said?

"She says they are my responsibilities because she's busy 'working'." Bella uses air quotes. "If I don't do it, she won't! That's that. It's how she is....she's lazy! She's always in the car, probably doing drugs for all I know-"

"What about your Dad?" I interrupt her to ask. "You said once that you had both parents. What does he do?" I question.

"He's not as bad when it comes to respect and not causing trouble in the house. He leaves the girls and I alone, but he is an alcoholic and doesn't come home usually. My dad has a construction job in the afternoon, and was promoted to a bigger company here. Sadly, he spends his money too quickly due to all the drinking. I get worried about him, but my mom doesn't care since it's his money that he earns."

"Oh..."

We've been walking around the carnival now while Tanya and Jimin take a turn to watch the little ones for us. I don't know what to say to help her feel better. I wish I could make things better for her life at home, but I could myself in the future if we end up together. I have strong feelings for Bella based on everything she is and does brightens up my day. I'm not sure how she feels about a relationship yet though or likes me the same way....

Bella deserves so much more than how her parents treat her and make her do when she should be living her teenage life happily and be worrying about the SAT, grades, the next party and what to wear or the college she wants to attend; her dreams of her own dance studio I know she'll have one day, or anything other than her sisters 24/7. She doesn't need to worry about them so cautiously because either way, she'll be a terrific mother one day; that's a fact.

"Which ride do you want to go on?"

"Any, I don't care."

"Ring ring..." I put my arm around her shoulders. "Don't let that shit bring you down. You are with me tonight! Come on, follow me." I walk with Bella towards one of the booths to win her a stuffed animal or a specific prize she might want from the selections they had for a ring toss game.