would you get without a degree?”
“Like you?” I spit back. “Two years of community college so you can be a teacher’s assistant for ten bucks an hour. Maybe I’ll work in a bar, like Marcus.”
“Don’t be stupid. You can’t. Not till you’re 18, unless you want to wash dishes. Hardly a great career move. And anyway, you know I want to continue to get my bachelor’s so I can become a teacher. But you are just so…”
I was sick of her telling me what to do, and that every choice I made was the wrong one. I wasn’t even thinking clearly; I just wanted to be left alone.
“It’s my life. I’ll leave school if I want to.”
“The hell you will!” she shouted
“You can’t stop me!” I yelled back.
She paused, and for a moment I thought that might be the end of it, but she was just reloading her weapons.
The toaster popped, making me jump a little, but Julia just took the opportunity to launch her next attack.
“And your great life plan is what? Go surfing? You can’t spend your whole life as a surf bum.”
“Why not?”
I didn’t mean it. Or maybe I did. Julia got me so mad, it was hard to think straight.
She took a deep breath, as if willing herself not to yell. It wouldn’t work; there were about 10 seconds left until she went nuclear.
She spoke slowly, like she was talking to one of the grade school kids she worked with.
“Do you want to be like Frank? A perpetual teenager?”
“Frank’s okay.”
Frank had been part of the surf scene as long as I could remember. He’d always been around, working some, catching waves, hanging out. What was the problem?
“How are you going to support yourself? Just one dead-end job after another? Oh, there’s ambition!”
She aimed hit after hit, until it was me who lost it first.
“At least I won’t be miserable like you!” I shouted.
She looked stunned.
“What? I’m not miserable!”
“Yeah, you are. You’re always moaning about your job: the kids, the teachers, the other assistants. I’m not going to live like that .”
“Everyone complains a bit about their job. I love what I do.”
I shook my head and stared right at her.
“You’re so full of crap. I don’t know how Ben puts up with your shit.”
She was on her feet trying to take a swing at me before I even realized what was happening. I stumbled back as Ben grabbed her around the waist.
“Don’t talk to me like that!” she screeched, spit flying from her lips.
“I’ll say what the fuck I want!” I bit back. “This is my house too, whether you like it or not. I know you’re trying to get rid of me. I know you’d rather see me in a foster home. Well, fuck you! You’re not Mom.”
“Thank God for that!” she screamed. “Who’d want a shitty kid like you? Not even your own dad wanted you!”
Then all the color drained from her face, and she raised her hand as if she was reaching for me.
I shrugged her off and charged out of the house, breathing hard. Shaking and feeling like I was going to throw up, I scrubbed at my eyes furiously. My knees gave way and I slumped onto the small patch of grass next to our short driveway.
I heard the door open behind me and didn’t think I could take round two. I pushed myself up and stumbled away.
But it was Marcus, not Julia, who caught my arm.
“You okay, kid?”
I took a deep breath, knowing he must have heard every word.
“Yeah, I guess.”
“She’s just being a big sister.”
I shook my head, and my voice cracked. “I just get so sick of her telling me what to do all the time.”
There was a beat before he responded.
“I think it’s in her job description.”
“She’s always talking about grades and college. I don’t even know if that’s what I want. What do you think I should do?”
I looked up, but he just shook his head and gave a small smile.
“It’s your life, Nick. I can’t tell you how to live it.”
I closed my eyes, my body sagging as the tension pooled in my head.
“Wish I
“Like you?” I spit back. “Two years of community college so you can be a teacher’s assistant for ten bucks an hour. Maybe I’ll work in a bar, like Marcus.”
“Don’t be stupid. You can’t. Not till you’re 18, unless you want to wash dishes. Hardly a great career move. And anyway, you know I want to continue to get my bachelor’s so I can become a teacher. But you are just so…”
I was sick of her telling me what to do, and that every choice I made was the wrong one. I wasn’t even thinking clearly; I just wanted to be left alone.
“It’s my life. I’ll leave school if I want to.”
“The hell you will!” she shouted
“You can’t stop me!” I yelled back.
She paused, and for a moment I thought that might be the end of it, but she was just reloading her weapons.
The toaster popped, making me jump a little, but Julia just took the opportunity to launch her next attack.
“And your great life plan is what? Go surfing? You can’t spend your whole life as a surf bum.”
“Why not?”
I didn’t mean it. Or maybe I did. Julia got me so mad, it was hard to think straight.
She took a deep breath, as if willing herself not to yell. It wouldn’t work; there were about 10 seconds left until she went nuclear.
She spoke slowly, like she was talking to one of the grade school kids she worked with.
“Do you want to be like Frank? A perpetual teenager?”
“Frank’s okay.”
Frank had been part of the surf scene as long as I could remember. He’d always been around, working some, catching waves, hanging out. What was the problem?
“How are you going to support yourself? Just one dead-end job after another? Oh, there’s ambition!”
She aimed hit after hit, until it was me who lost it first.
“At least I won’t be miserable like you!” I shouted.
She looked stunned.
“What? I’m not miserable!”
“Yeah, you are. You’re always moaning about your job: the kids, the teachers, the other assistants. I’m not going to live like that .”
“Everyone complains a bit about their job. I love what I do.”
I shook my head and stared right at her.
“You’re so full of crap. I don’t know how Ben puts up with your shit.”
She was on her feet trying to take a swing at me before I even realized what was happening. I stumbled back as Ben grabbed her around the waist.
“Don’t talk to me like that!” she screeched, spit flying from her lips.
“I’ll say what the fuck I want!” I bit back. “This is my house too, whether you like it or not. I know you’re trying to get rid of me. I know you’d rather see me in a foster home. Well, fuck you! You’re not Mom.”
“Thank God for that!” she screamed. “Who’d want a shitty kid like you? Not even your own dad wanted you!”
Then all the color drained from her face, and she raised her hand as if she was reaching for me.
I shrugged her off and charged out of the house, breathing hard. Shaking and feeling like I was going to throw up, I scrubbed at my eyes furiously. My knees gave way and I slumped onto the small patch of grass next to our short driveway.
I heard the door open behind me and didn’t think I could take round two. I pushed myself up and stumbled away.
But it was Marcus, not Julia, who caught my arm.
“You okay, kid?”
I took a deep breath, knowing he must have heard every word.
“Yeah, I guess.”
“She’s just being a big sister.”
I shook my head, and my voice cracked. “I just get so sick of her telling me what to do all the time.”
There was a beat before he responded.
“I think it’s in her job description.”
“She’s always talking about grades and college. I don’t even know if that’s what I want. What do you think I should do?”
I looked up, but he just shook his head and gave a small smile.
“It’s your life, Nick. I can’t tell you how to live it.”
I closed my eyes, my body sagging as the tension pooled in my head.
“Wish I
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