Twelve-year-old Katy Moore sometimes thought jealously of her friends, who all were seemingly having a great Summer. Going to the mall, having pool parties, talking about boys, and at least two of her friends had their first boyfriend.
But not her. She was invited to do things, of course, and sometimes she went, but when she did, she found it hard to pretend to be happy. It was the middle of July, and it felt like mostly what she had done this Summer was either listen to her parents fighting, or wait in dread for the inevitable next one.
They fight about a lot of things, but one thing that stuck in her mind was when her dad told her mom they had nothing in common anymore, and that was one thing she agreed with him about.
It hurt her when they fought because she loved them both. She yearned for their happy family again. Or at least, she used to. Lately, she mostly felt resentment towards them because of their never-ending fighting about the same stupid things, and how they hardly ever talk to her anymore.
She used to hide in her room and cry when they fought, but now she just felt kind of numb. She didn't even really fear them getting a divorce anymore. She sometimes wondered why they didn't just get one, instead of torturing themselves and her.
It was a hot, sunny Saturday morning and even before the fight, she felt the same old tension in the air. She sat at the kitchen table, playing with her hair, and stared at the bowl of Frosted Flakes that she didn't want anymore. Her mom had walked in and stood over by the oven. Her dad had followed and stood by the refrigerator, and right away they started arguing. As usual, they didn't seem to even care that she was there.
Nothing in common, Katy thought, angrily. I wonder if I could change that today?
She'd thought about it for a while, and it was becoming more than just a morbid fantasy, but something she thought she could really do. In fact, the thing was in her room right now, hidden under her bed since early this month, and all ready. She smiled bitterly. She was tired of all this.
She got up from the table and went into her bedroom and shut the door. Neither of them noticed.
***
They continued.
"That's not it, at all,” he said.
"Then what is it? Why don't you just tell me that?” she said.
"Your goddamn attitude, for one thing!" he yelled.
"You made me have this attitude!” she yelled back.
"Oh, bullshit! You—"
A loud bang roared through the house. They both screamed in surprise and stared at each other, eyes wide and mouths open. All their anger was forgotten.
"My God, that sounded like it came from Katy's room!" her mom said, frightened.
They both yelled her name and ran to her bedroom together
But not her. She was invited to do things, of course, and sometimes she went, but when she did, she found it hard to pretend to be happy. It was the middle of July, and it felt like mostly what she had done this Summer was either listen to her parents fighting, or wait in dread for the inevitable next one.
They fight about a lot of things, but one thing that stuck in her mind was when her dad told her mom they had nothing in common anymore, and that was one thing she agreed with him about.
It hurt her when they fought because she loved them both. She yearned for their happy family again. Or at least, she used to. Lately, she mostly felt resentment towards them because of their never-ending fighting about the same stupid things, and how they hardly ever talk to her anymore.
She used to hide in her room and cry when they fought, but now she just felt kind of numb. She didn't even really fear them getting a divorce anymore. She sometimes wondered why they didn't just get one, instead of torturing themselves and her.
It was a hot, sunny Saturday morning and even before the fight, she felt the same old tension in the air. She sat at the kitchen table, playing with her hair, and stared at the bowl of Frosted Flakes that she didn't want anymore. Her mom had walked in and stood over by the oven. Her dad had followed and stood by the refrigerator, and right away they started arguing. As usual, they didn't seem to even care that she was there.
Nothing in common, Katy thought, angrily. I wonder if I could change that today?
She'd thought about it for a while, and it was becoming more than just a morbid fantasy, but something she thought she could really do. In fact, the thing was in her room right now, hidden under her bed since early this month, and all ready. She smiled bitterly. She was tired of all this.
She got up from the table and went into her bedroom and shut the door. Neither of them noticed.
***
They continued.
"That's not it, at all,” he said.
"Then what is it? Why don't you just tell me that?” she said.
"Your goddamn attitude, for one thing!" he yelled.
"You made me have this attitude!” she yelled back.
"Oh, bullshit! You—"
A loud bang roared through the house. They both screamed in surprise and stared at each other, eyes wide and mouths open. All their anger was forgotten.
"My God, that sounded like it came from Katy's room!" her mom said, frightened.
They both yelled her name and ran to her bedroom together
