Swimming [ #Wattys2015 ]

Just another Friday

The TV is heard all through our tiny house.

"Jackson," I yell loudly over the roaring sound to my twin brother. "Turn down the volume!"

He looks over at me and gives me a death glare.

"Fine! But stop yelling." he screams back to me.

I roll my eyes and trudge back to my room. Its the second week of summer vacation and I haven't done anything.

Susan is in Paris, Martha is enjoying the beach at the Caribbean, and Katelyn is playing with dolphins in Hawaii.

I get to walk around our backyard in the crunchy, dying grass.

The one thing that I like about summer where I live, is that we have beautiful sunsets.

I love to paint and I spend all my spare time doing it. I walk outside to my back porch in the cool evening air.

The sun is just over the horizon so I go and rush back inside my house for my oil paints.

My arms overflowing with supplies, I slowly walk to the porch and drop all the paints onto a chair. I set up my easel and place the biggest canvas I own onto it.

I then let my mind take over my body. I swiftly mix my red with white to make a light pastel pink. I add in a squirt of orange to give it the sunny paradise look.

My brush makes quick strokes across new pink background.

The painting is slowly turning into a beautiful masterpiece. I let myself feel proud and smile.

The screen door behind me opens. I turn to face my Dad and he snorts in disgust.

"Gia, you are supposed to be cleaning your room! That, um, drawing you made will only add to the clutter! Stop wasting your time and clean the dishes or water the flowers. Come on, get to it." my Dad rolls his eyes and slams the screen shut.

"If only someone would appreciate my art work." I mutter to myself as I try to hold back the tears.

My parents don't really care about my art. My Mom is very passionate on the idea of me being a gymnast. Even though the most I can do is a cartwheel, she tells me to practice them everyday.

My Dad is very athletic so he wants me to become some huge soccer star. I am fixed with my paints so I just ignore them.

I hurriedly add the final touch of the painting with writing 'Gia' in the corner. I take the sunset of the easel and into my spotless room.

"Ugh, my room doesn't have one thing touching the floor besides my neat bed, and me." I huff.

I slide open my closet and place the pretty painting in my hiding spot with the others.

I hear my loud and annoying phone ringer go off and I scream, startled. Its a text from my best friend, Jaelynn.

"hey"

"Hi :)"

"Can you come over? I have something important to tell you"

"Um, sure be there in a sec"

"great"

I start getting very nervous.

What is so important? Why do I have to meet her personally?

Luckily, Jaelynn lives next door so I can walk over.

I run down the stairs and throw on my shoes.

"Mom I'm going to Jae's," I say as she walks over to see what the noise was from the stairs.

Once she realizes that it was me who made those loud noises she lets out a sigh.

"Okay just make sure you're back by 8:30." I walk out the door happy to escape the house.

As I stroll down the sidewalk I hug myself, regretting not bringing a jacket. The summer nights here are surprisingly cold.

I reach Jaelynn's doorstep and knock three times.

She answers the door immediately and my mouth drops open. I stand there in shock at what I saw through the door.