Most girls would be jealous of Calliope Draycott. She seemingly has it all. The friends, the money, the boyfriend, and in a few years, if all goes to plan, she'll have the job too. So why doesn't she feel happy? It's after a disastrous family dinner...
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I never actually thought I would get to see how Caia fit in with my family.
So when I first opened the door and it was them, I've never felt so guilty, because, for the first time in my life, I was disappointed to see my family. After all, I knew it meant that Caia would leave. She wouldn't want to impose, and I was right.
Leaving is exactly what she tried to do.
And when Ma wouldn't let her, I felt like the worst son in the world, because I should've known that Ma wouldn't let me down and let her leave. Especially when she gave me that knowing look of hers that all mums seem to have perfected.
The look that can make me feel grateful and like a piece of shit instantaneously.
I'm just glad that Caia didn't see that look, and if she did, she didn't react or say anything, and when she offered to buy pizza, I knew I was fucked, because of the way she'd phrased it. There's no way I could get away with trying to buy more for everyone, so my only hope was for Ma to offer, but I know she's in no position to do that, so she made a half-assed offer, but Caia was so insistent, the Donahue's never really stood a chance.
So ten minutes after my family arrived, two more pizzas were ordered, as well as some sides and predictably, some ice cream, because let's face it, this is Caia we're talking about.
And when I say some ice cream, I don't mean the one tub. I'm on about a few tubs because Vi wanted some too, and why share when you can afford to get multiple?
I'm not going to get upset about all the money she's spending though. Not this time. It's different from the clothes incident. This she's doing to make my family happy, and I can't argue against that, and judging by the smug smirk that spreads across her face whenever she looks at me, she knows exactly what I'm thinking.
She's sat next to Ma, who is practically gushing over her. 'Call me Lillian, Lila or Mama D, but we don't do that Mrs Donahue business,' she'd said when they were debating about which sides should be ordered. In the end, Caia decided to just get both, and I know Ma felt a little bit uncomfortable with how easily she was spending money, but that was just a lifestyle difference.
It's a difference I'm still having to adjust to.
Money means different things depending on whether or not you grow up with it. To Caia, money is a tool. It's something she can use to solve problems, something she just uses naturally without a second thought.
To us, money is scarce, and something we need for basic survival. Without enough money, we can't pay rent and we'd be homeless. Sometimes, Ma has gone without food because she couldn't afford enough food to cook a bigger meal, and it was more important for her to make sure that we were all fed.
Shopping for new clothes? Forget it. I don't think Ma has bought herself new clothes in about three years, and even then it was only because they were in dire need of being replaced. Most of Vi's clothes come from charity shops - but she doesn't mind, she says it fits the "vintage aesthetic she's going for", and Oscar mostly gets my hand-me-downs.
