My Opinion Doesn't Matter

Usually teens are happy when they finally make their parents happy, but I got the greatest sensation when I was totally opposite from what my parents wanted. I wasn’t as smart as they thought and it made me feel good. I was so happy when I left the school that evening. As soon as I got home I ran to my room.

The house was quiet like every week night other than the noise coming from the workers downstairs preparing dinner or something. I forgot to close my door in the excitement. I grabbed my notebook from under my bed, but stopped. I backtracked slowly to see what had caught my eye.

A baby blue gown rested against my chair. A few gems glittered in the last lights of the day. Beside the dress was a pair of dark blue heels and a letter. It was folded carefully and placed on the dress in a place I could see. I walked toward it and pulled the white paper and unfolded it. Cursive writing filled my vision and I sighed. I knew the hand writing all too well.

Ronnie,

I hope your first day went well. I know this is just a patch that you’ll get passed. Your mother and I just want the best for you. Your sister is with us for she needed a dress for tonight. I hope you didn’t forget, but knowing you, you didn’t. Just when you get home, change and Jack will drive you over to the Miller’s house.

Can’t wait to see you in this amazing dress! Katrina made it for you. The party doesn’t start until eight o’clock and I’m almost positive you’ll be done way before then. Your mother had to get here early to help Mrs. Miller with things. See you soon.

Love, Dad

I felt the relief that had just filled me leave. I wasn’t free like I had been moments before. I was still under my parent’s control like I probably would be for the rest of my life. I would still have to go to parties and socialize with those who I didn’t want to. I couldn’t pick my career and I knew it. I was still the Veronica Lee Manning that I had been the day before.

I looked at the dress lying down in front of me and then at the note. I couldn’t choose things that I wanted, but I could choose what I wanted to do with those things. I dropped the note on the dress in almost the exact spot it had been in and walked over to my nightstand. My fingers ran along the plastic of the phone and then gripped it tight.

Nobody had heard me coming in other than maybe a few maids that could’ve heard anything. Who said my tutoring couldn’t last a little longer than planned…

My other hand pressed the numbers down, one by one. When the ringing started I didn’t feel scared of being caught in the act or in the lie. The ringing continued, but when it stopped and a voice came I felt a power within me.

“Hello?”

“Lily?” I asked.

“Ronnie?” Lily asked back.

“You still want to hang out?”

“Don’t you have a party to go to or something?” I thought over my response before lying to her.

“No. My tutoring is over too.” As I waited for her reply my nerves crept up on me and I almost gave up until Lily replied to me.

“Alright. Let’s go to the mall."

♠

I crept quietly into the hall, shutting the front door softly behind me. All the lights in the house were turned off causing everything to be black around me. Not a sound filled the room I was in or the other rooms in the house. I pressed my palms safely against the wall and tiptoed forward. When I hit the stairs I took a careful step and a creek erupted. The silence was broken and I froze in my pose.

After a few seconds of no sign of movement I continued to climb the stairs to my bedroom. The door shut behind me with a quiet thud. I safely turned on my light so I could see and not trip over anything as I pulled my sweater over my head. Lily and I had spent most of the night at the mall until they kicked us out and when she asked if I wanted to see Fast Five with her, caught up in the thrill I agreed.

It wasn’t until late that the movie was over and then I realized it was later than I wanted and had to leave. I had put my pillows in a certain way creating a figure under the sheets of my bed. Hopefully my parents wouldn’t wake me up, but just in case I had a story made up to cover me.

I stripped from the rest of clothes and then pulled on a pair of pajamas. The dress was still on my chair, but the note wasn’t. A feeling of let down overcame me and I felt like I had let down my father for not showing up in the dress and also for Katrina since she put so much time into it, but as my hands ran across the fabric the feelings faded.

I walked over to my bed and pulled the sheets back, picking the pillows up and tossing them to the side of my queen sized bed. As I slipped under the covers my eyes closed and all worries were gone even though I knew once I was fully asleep I would be awaken in cold sweat from the nightmares that I would dream…