convince yourself that you hate
because I happen to like it. Even though you don’t even mean it, because you do
truly love the dress and shoes. There’s no other way.
Like really!
Gwen turns to Mom. “Libby, you must have
bought them for her to wear; this has your taste written all over it!”
And there’s the total switch shift. It’s
so amazing, that Marisa couldn’t have possibly been responsible for
putting this ensemble together. It must have been someone who knows what
they’re doing.
Mom!
I cut in before Mom can answer…or lie.
“Actually, no. I bought them,” I answer first.
Gwen’s eyebrows rise again in obvious
shock. “Wow, I guess wherever you work now must pay you well; a big difference
from before, right?”
Gwen begins to giggle knowingly. More
stupidly, if you ask me. Mom’s eyebrows raise. I think it is meant for me, even
though her friend is acting like me wearing nice clothing is such a novelty;
there must be something more to the story. Well, if she wants in on the story,
and Mom isn’t going to speak up on my behalf, then I’m just going to have to
appease their confused expressions. The disbelief in their tone of voice makes
my eye twitch and fills me with the courage to give them the low down. The
dirty. The dish.
“Actually, I’m not being completely honest
with you guys about the dress and the shoes. I didn’t buy them,” I tell them
the truth, sort of, in a different perspective.
Mom’s face doesn’t alter; she still seems
confused. On the other hand, Gwen’s expression quickly morphs from confused to
pure delight. Discreetly, of course, but I can see the hints of joy twinkle in
her clear, aqua blue eyes. Gwen nods her bobble-head up and down in slow
motion, as if it all made sense now in her ‘ah-ha’ moment.
Or will it? “Yeah, my pimp actually bought
it for me yesterday.”
“Marisa!” Mom hisses after a second,
totally interrupting my confession.
I am trying to be honest. I thought that’s
what they wanted. Jeez, you can’t please anyone these days, not even with the
truth.
I continue, nevertheless.
“Yeah, he just dropped me off out front
twenty minutes ago—”
“Marisa!” Mom hisses again, a touch louder
and less controlled. Third time’s the charm; maybe she’ll blow the roof off and
this party will actually become fun.
“Maybe I can introduce you guys when he
picks me up later. I’ve got a late evening appointment I’ve got to get to after
the party, and with the new service that I offer, customers have been calling
nonstop—”
“Marisa!” Mom growls, her eyes throwing
daggers at mine, her hands have clamped into tight, boney fists.
Yep, she’s angry now. Mission
accomplished. They want a piece of me? Well, how about now . A few
chuckles spill out, no matter how hard I try to contain them, but this is too
funny. I take another glance at the room while Mom struggles to backtrack from
a potential meltdown. As for Gwen, she remains silent, perhaps in shock. I spot
Darcy sitting at one of the tables in the back with the rest of the young
people.
“Oh, is that where I’ll be sitting?” I
point to Darcy’s table in mock interest.
“I cannot believe—” Mom fumes quietly.
“I think I’ll go say hello, but we must
have another chat later. This one was just so much fun. Alright, see you guys
later,” I interrupt another one of Mom’s ‘I can’t believe you’ rants, and
wiggle my fingers at the both of them, as I make my way towards my thirteen
year old sister, who is busy playing with her cellphone.
“Libby, she was just joking,” Gwen tells
Mom, trying to console her quickly before she completely loses it.
Aw, shucks, I did it again. I made my
precious mother, who worked so hard to put this party together, upset. I’m just
so mean, just so inconsiderate of her feelings. When am I going to grow up and
finally treat my mother with the respect she deserves?
Might be a long time before that ever
happens.
“I cannot
because I happen to like it. Even though you don’t even mean it, because you do
truly love the dress and shoes. There’s no other way.
Like really!
Gwen turns to Mom. “Libby, you must have
bought them for her to wear; this has your taste written all over it!”
And there’s the total switch shift. It’s
so amazing, that Marisa couldn’t have possibly been responsible for
putting this ensemble together. It must have been someone who knows what
they’re doing.
Mom!
I cut in before Mom can answer…or lie.
“Actually, no. I bought them,” I answer first.
Gwen’s eyebrows rise again in obvious
shock. “Wow, I guess wherever you work now must pay you well; a big difference
from before, right?”
Gwen begins to giggle knowingly. More
stupidly, if you ask me. Mom’s eyebrows raise. I think it is meant for me, even
though her friend is acting like me wearing nice clothing is such a novelty;
there must be something more to the story. Well, if she wants in on the story,
and Mom isn’t going to speak up on my behalf, then I’m just going to have to
appease their confused expressions. The disbelief in their tone of voice makes
my eye twitch and fills me with the courage to give them the low down. The
dirty. The dish.
“Actually, I’m not being completely honest
with you guys about the dress and the shoes. I didn’t buy them,” I tell them
the truth, sort of, in a different perspective.
Mom’s face doesn’t alter; she still seems
confused. On the other hand, Gwen’s expression quickly morphs from confused to
pure delight. Discreetly, of course, but I can see the hints of joy twinkle in
her clear, aqua blue eyes. Gwen nods her bobble-head up and down in slow
motion, as if it all made sense now in her ‘ah-ha’ moment.
Or will it? “Yeah, my pimp actually bought
it for me yesterday.”
“Marisa!” Mom hisses after a second,
totally interrupting my confession.
I am trying to be honest. I thought that’s
what they wanted. Jeez, you can’t please anyone these days, not even with the
truth.
I continue, nevertheless.
“Yeah, he just dropped me off out front
twenty minutes ago—”
“Marisa!” Mom hisses again, a touch louder
and less controlled. Third time’s the charm; maybe she’ll blow the roof off and
this party will actually become fun.
“Maybe I can introduce you guys when he
picks me up later. I’ve got a late evening appointment I’ve got to get to after
the party, and with the new service that I offer, customers have been calling
nonstop—”
“Marisa!” Mom growls, her eyes throwing
daggers at mine, her hands have clamped into tight, boney fists.
Yep, she’s angry now. Mission
accomplished. They want a piece of me? Well, how about now . A few
chuckles spill out, no matter how hard I try to contain them, but this is too
funny. I take another glance at the room while Mom struggles to backtrack from
a potential meltdown. As for Gwen, she remains silent, perhaps in shock. I spot
Darcy sitting at one of the tables in the back with the rest of the young
people.
“Oh, is that where I’ll be sitting?” I
point to Darcy’s table in mock interest.
“I cannot believe—” Mom fumes quietly.
“I think I’ll go say hello, but we must
have another chat later. This one was just so much fun. Alright, see you guys
later,” I interrupt another one of Mom’s ‘I can’t believe you’ rants, and
wiggle my fingers at the both of them, as I make my way towards my thirteen
year old sister, who is busy playing with her cellphone.
“Libby, she was just joking,” Gwen tells
Mom, trying to console her quickly before she completely loses it.
Aw, shucks, I did it again. I made my
precious mother, who worked so hard to put this party together, upset. I’m just
so mean, just so inconsiderate of her feelings. When am I going to grow up and
finally treat my mother with the respect she deserves?
Might be a long time before that ever
happens.
“I cannot
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