Muster Every Ounce of Confidence
Step Three: Accepting Stupid Siblings
I walk slowly up to the school. When I check in, the office attendent barely even notices me.
Feels like Seattle already
I go through the day unnoticed. During lunch, I sit away from the other students, silently watching. Everyone seems overdramatically fake, and I can't help but chuckle to myself.
"Eliza! Today was so boring without you. I demand you drop out of school and spend all your time with me."
"Chill Jere.... and I'm not dropping out."
"Please?!?!" I plop next to him on the sofa.
"No....And why are you watching this smut?" I turn off MTV.
"The band did an interview."
"Trust me, no one cares. Teach me how to play Madden. I want to beat Uncle Matt's ass."
"Uncle?"
"Yea. I've decided you guys are now my new family. So you can be Uncle Jere or cousin Jere."
"I want to be your brother!"
"Okay. YAY! I'm not an only child!"
"What about Nick?"
"He's my loveable, huggable companion."
"What's Tony?"
I pause, "My dad."
"Awesome! Tony is my dad!"
"No I'm not! Jere, your mom ain't that hott."
"Yes you are, and that's gross."
"How so?"
"Well, I've decided to make you four my family. Uncle Matt, brother Jere, huggable companion Nick...."
"What am I?"
"My dad...." He looks at me, wide-eyed. "You've already been more of a parent than my mother and father."
"You know how weird it is to be 26 and have a 17 year old?"
"You're my dad too. She's my sister."
"I'm not claiming you. Ever." Jere pouts. When Tony doesn't give in, I join him in giving the puppy dog face. "Damn it!"
"Yay!" We both hug him.
As the weeks pass, their absences become more frequent.
"Eliza, can I talk to you?"
"Sure dad." Tony sits beside me on my bed.
"Um.... the guys and I are going on tour in a few days. Now, you can come with us, or I can have some one stay here with you."
"I'll stay, but you don't have to have someone stay with me. I'll be fine alone."
"I'd feel better knowing someone was here with you. And when school ends you can come over to Europe with us."
"Fine, dad, spaz out. So, who's coming?"
"My friend Benji. He needs a break. Please don't be to mean to him."
"I'll be good." The days till everyone leaves slowly dwindle.
My family is leaving me. But unlike when my other parents left, I know they'll miss me. and I'll miss them.
A Chevy 1500 pulls up. "Damn, a man in a Chevy."
"Oh great. Dad! She's doing it again!"
"Shut up Jere!" Tony comes into the room.
"Who are you drooling over now?" He follows my gaze. "That's Benji!"
"Not my fault he chose that truck." I tilt my head, watching Benji get out of the truck. As he comes to the door, I head for the stairs, "I'll be in my room."
"No you won't"
"Uncle Matt!" I groan as he blocks the stairs.
"You have to say bye to us."
"Fine...." Nick walks in. "Nick Pick!" I jump into his arms, and he carries me into the living room.
"Ha!"
"Shut up Jere!"
"You shut up Liza!" Jere and I spend close to ten minutes arguing before Tony breaks it up.
"HEY! We have company." He motions for me to stand beside him. "Benji, this is my cousin/daughter, Eliza."
"Daughter?"
"I adopted her. Anyway, uh, she doesn't need much. Take her out for Italian every Friday, homework help and other shit like that.....uh..Oh! She's a vegetarian so whatever you make she'll most likely eat."
"True Lovato?"
"Hell yea! She packs it away." I try to hide behind my short hair.
I'm not good with new people. Especially hott guys.
"Eliza... I'll call you when we get there."I nod before hugging him.
"Bye dad." It's hardly audible. Jere's next in line.
"Bye sis."
"Bye bro." Matt picks me up when he hugs me. "Bye Uncle Mattie." Nick is last; I give him an extra squeeze before letting go. I go up to my room to do my homework.
Why I am doing homework on a Saturday is beyond me....
"Eliza?" I look up at Benji. "Uh....well....um.... Oh fuck. I'm not good with teenagers, especially girls. I mostly run from them." My face must read 'what the hell?' because his eyes flash momentary shock. "You don't know who I am do you?" I shake my head. "I'm in a band. Tony is too, actually, that's how we met. Did a show together." I nod in understanding. "Well, I'll be downstairs if you need anything." I once again nod. After he leaves, I return to my homework.
Feels like Seattle already
I go through the day unnoticed. During lunch, I sit away from the other students, silently watching. Everyone seems overdramatically fake, and I can't help but chuckle to myself.
"Eliza! Today was so boring without you. I demand you drop out of school and spend all your time with me."
"Chill Jere.... and I'm not dropping out."
"Please?!?!" I plop next to him on the sofa.
"No....And why are you watching this smut?" I turn off MTV.
"The band did an interview."
"Trust me, no one cares. Teach me how to play Madden. I want to beat Uncle Matt's ass."
"Uncle?"
"Yea. I've decided you guys are now my new family. So you can be Uncle Jere or cousin Jere."
"I want to be your brother!"
"Okay. YAY! I'm not an only child!"
"What about Nick?"
"He's my loveable, huggable companion."
"What's Tony?"
I pause, "My dad."
"Awesome! Tony is my dad!"
"No I'm not! Jere, your mom ain't that hott."
"Yes you are, and that's gross."
"How so?"
"Well, I've decided to make you four my family. Uncle Matt, brother Jere, huggable companion Nick...."
"What am I?"
"My dad...." He looks at me, wide-eyed. "You've already been more of a parent than my mother and father."
"You know how weird it is to be 26 and have a 17 year old?"
"You're my dad too. She's my sister."
"I'm not claiming you. Ever." Jere pouts. When Tony doesn't give in, I join him in giving the puppy dog face. "Damn it!"
"Yay!" We both hug him.
As the weeks pass, their absences become more frequent.
"Eliza, can I talk to you?"
"Sure dad." Tony sits beside me on my bed.
"Um.... the guys and I are going on tour in a few days. Now, you can come with us, or I can have some one stay here with you."
"I'll stay, but you don't have to have someone stay with me. I'll be fine alone."
"I'd feel better knowing someone was here with you. And when school ends you can come over to Europe with us."
"Fine, dad, spaz out. So, who's coming?"
"My friend Benji. He needs a break. Please don't be to mean to him."
"I'll be good." The days till everyone leaves slowly dwindle.
My family is leaving me. But unlike when my other parents left, I know they'll miss me. and I'll miss them.
A Chevy 1500 pulls up. "Damn, a man in a Chevy."
"Oh great. Dad! She's doing it again!"
"Shut up Jere!" Tony comes into the room.
"Who are you drooling over now?" He follows my gaze. "That's Benji!"
"Not my fault he chose that truck." I tilt my head, watching Benji get out of the truck. As he comes to the door, I head for the stairs, "I'll be in my room."
"No you won't"
"Uncle Matt!" I groan as he blocks the stairs.
"You have to say bye to us."
"Fine...." Nick walks in. "Nick Pick!" I jump into his arms, and he carries me into the living room.
"Ha!"
"Shut up Jere!"
"You shut up Liza!" Jere and I spend close to ten minutes arguing before Tony breaks it up.
"HEY! We have company." He motions for me to stand beside him. "Benji, this is my cousin/daughter, Eliza."
"Daughter?"
"I adopted her. Anyway, uh, she doesn't need much. Take her out for Italian every Friday, homework help and other shit like that.....uh..Oh! She's a vegetarian so whatever you make she'll most likely eat."
"True Lovato?"
"Hell yea! She packs it away." I try to hide behind my short hair.
I'm not good with new people. Especially hott guys.
"Eliza... I'll call you when we get there."I nod before hugging him.
"Bye dad." It's hardly audible. Jere's next in line.
"Bye sis."
"Bye bro." Matt picks me up when he hugs me. "Bye Uncle Mattie." Nick is last; I give him an extra squeeze before letting go. I go up to my room to do my homework.
Why I am doing homework on a Saturday is beyond me....
"Eliza?" I look up at Benji. "Uh....well....um.... Oh fuck. I'm not good with teenagers, especially girls. I mostly run from them." My face must read 'what the hell?' because his eyes flash momentary shock. "You don't know who I am do you?" I shake my head. "I'm in a band. Tony is too, actually, that's how we met. Did a show together." I nod in understanding. "Well, I'll be downstairs if you need anything." I once again nod. After he leaves, I return to my homework.