Once in a lifetime.

11

June

We silently drove to the mall where I'd meet my mother. Other than asking for the check and telling me to be safe my father hasn't talked to me. It's been a whole day of silence in the house, mom not talking to dad, dad not talking with mom, and neither of them talking to me.

Before I got out of the car I went around to his side and hugged him and kissed him goodbye through the window.
"I love you, Dad," I say before I head towards the door. My mother was waiting for me by Barns and Noble.

"There you are."
We hugged and set off to a dress shop. My mother tried to help me pick out dresses for my graduation party that I'd like but they were mostly pink, that wasn't me. My mom and I had did not have the same style, that's for sure. I pulled a dress off the rack.

"Black?" My mother asked raising an eyebrow. She told me she wanted to take me shopping for my party. She told me she wanted "girl" time, that Elenore always took me out and she wanted to for a change. But this was the reason I didn't go out with my mother, she always had a comment on everything.

"Yes, mom. Black. Do you not see what I have on? Or what I even where when I leave for school? Most of it is black the only things that I wear that aren't normally black are in ballet. I like the color black." 'I feel comfortable and hidden in the color black.' I think to myself.

"You'll look so good in blue though." She pulls a navy, knee-length dress from the rack and holds it up against me. "Look how gorgeous it is with your skin!"

"I like this one mom. Besides, it'll be hot and I don't want to wear a ball gown to my party."
"But black is so...dark."

I look at her, "You told me to pick a dress I like and I like this one, and it's cheaper than the blue one anyways."
My mother ripped the dress from my hand and pushed it back on the rack before she grabbed my hand and drags me out of the store.

"What the hell?" She asks putting her hands on her hips and allowing her purse to fall around her wrist.
"What?" I mumble, I mean I don't know what she expected from me, she has seen the way I dress and the only reason I wear pink or white or seriously any other color at ballet is that it's mandatory. I would audition to just be the black swan in 'Swan Lake' if that was a thing. I mean have you seen the dress? It's so much better than the white swans.
"Why can't you just let me do something nice for you?"

"Mom, I'm sorry. It's whatever ill get the stupid blue dress." I start walking back into the store. I don't want to argue, I have a lot on my mind with what dad told me and I don't want to argue with her any more than I already have to.
She yanks me back, "What is your problem?"

I toss my hands up, "What do you want from me, mom? I will wear the blue dress if it'll make you happy, I just don't know why you have to do this?"

"And what exactly is this Juliet?"

"The victim card! You're playing the victim. You always say how you are just trying to do something good for me, you push and push me, and then when I push back you play the victim!"

"Oh, come on Juliet. Knock it off."

I can feel my anger and annoyance bubbling up inside of me, I've never talked back to my mom. I've always swallowed the hurt and the annoying comments. I've ignored the things she's said that have hurt me but I'm too emotional right now to care about all of that.

"Just, never mind. I didn't even care if I get a new dress," I just want to go home at this point.

"I have no idea whats gotten into you, young lady, but I suggest you make it stop." I knew it wasn't fair but I couldn't help but be upset at my mother and my dad. My whole life they have been fighting. I'm not sure I've ever seen them smile or laugh together, and now they were taking me out without the other as if they were already divorced and not even working on their problems.