My Life Is a Cliché

I picked up burgers at the café before heading back to Morana’s apartment around lunch. My head was heavy with information but I had enjoyed myself all the same.

“Absolutely not,” a voice said behind me and I turned. Katie was standing there with narrowed eyes, looking at the to-go boxes. “I know what’s in there.”

I felt a pang of annoyance. “She can eat whatever she wants, Katie,” I sighed. “Have you seen her figure?”

“That’s not the point,” she argued. “Morana has an image she has to carry. How would it look if someone took a picture of her scarfing down a burger?”

“You’re treating her like a kid,” I said, trying to keep my voice level. “What if she wants to change her image?”

“Of course she doesn’t. Why would she? She’s reached celebrity status here in Oklahoma City. Just like you have, may I remind you,” she added.

“I’m taking her the burger,” I said firmly.

I left before she could argue further and sighed heavily. I knew she’d complain to Morana but it was really getting under my skin how she was treating her. Katie meant well but Morana isn’t happy. Can’t she see that?

I entered the apartment to hear loud giggling. I frowned and walked into the living room.

“Seriously, Mom?” I groaned.

She snorted, hurriedly closing the picture books. “I just went back to the house and these somehow ended up in the box,” she said innocently.

“I brought lunch,” I grumbled.

“A burger?” Morana asked, her eyes lighting up.

I smiled and nodded. Why couldn’t Katie see this? Why couldn’t she see how happy Morana was when she wasn’t being forced into a perfect mold?

While I was cutting her burger so she could eat it easily with one hand, her phone buzzed. She read the text, her smile slowly fading.

“Hey, Isabelle?” she said and my mom looked up. “Can I have a minute with Hatch?”

“Of course,” she said and went back into the living room.

I sat down, knowing what the text said.

“You yelled at Katie?” she asked, looking tired.

“Not exactly,” I denied, taking a bite of the burger. “She told me you can’t eat that and I got irritated. I tried to tell her that you’re not a kid anymore.”

“Well, she’s furious,” Morana sighed, picking up one part of the burger.

“I though she understood now,” I said.

She shook her head. “That was different. I was in the hospital.”

“I’m not going to apologize for what I said.” My mom poked her head in and Morana nodded, showing that she could come back in. “I’ll apologize for making her mad, though.”

She passed me her phone and I did so.

Morana scoffed. “She says apology not accepted. There’s a shocker.”

We ate the rest of the lunch in silence, me trying not to snatch Morana’s phone and calling Katie.

-Morana’s POV-

I was flattered that he stuck up for me but I knew Katie was pissed. And when Katie gets pissed, everyone suffers. I thought about what Thaddeus said about her treating me like a kid. Yes, she did, but she was just looking out for me. She knew people better than I did; I have no idea what the public expects of me.

But neither did Thaddeus, now that I think about it, and he was forced into two different molds. I looked at him. He was chatting happily with his mom about all he had learned today. I tried to imagine what it was like for him but I couldn’t. Was he going to be allowed to be his own man now that his parents were stepping down?

“My friends wanted to apologize, by the way,” he told the both of us when we were all done eating.
Isabelle’s face darkened. “I don’t want to hear it.”

He chuckled. “Dad said the same thing.”

“Is that all they said?” she asked and he rubbed the back of his neck.

“He wants me to go drinking with them,” he muttered.

Isabelle got up from the table and stormed out of the room. He sighed heavily.

“Are you going to go?” I asked, wiping my hand on a napkin.

“No,” he said immediately. “I can’t expect them to take me seriously if I keep acting like a fool.” I nodded. “Penny for your thoughts.”

I toyed with another napkin.

“I’m just thinking about Katie,” I answered. “I was also thinking about you.”

“What about me?” he asked and I bit my lip.

I heard the TV turn on and lowered my voice. “What are you going to do about your parents now?”

He looked surprised. “I don’t understand.”

“Are you going to be yourself now?” I clarified. His face was expressionless. “I mean, you’re going to be taking over soon. Surely you can-”

“Stop, Morana,” he snapped and I blanched. “Don’t even try it.”

“I was just saying-”

He stood up, his face angry. “Honestly, you have no room to talk.”

I stood up, too, and pushed my chair in. “Fine. I’m going to rest.”

I slammed my bedroom door behind me.

-Thaddeus’s POV-

I glared at the door and my mom looked in.

“Is everything okay?” she asked, looking nervous.

“No,” I answered honestly and realized I was breathing heavily.

“What did you fight about?”

“It’s not important, Mom,” I said shortly and grabbed my keys. “I’m going for a drive.”

I got in my car and glared at the steering wheel. Who was she to start lecturing me about being my own person when she didn’t do it either? She had no room to talk or any right. She didn’t know me or my family.

I was getting angrier. I went to the only place I could think of when I was mad.

-

I stumbled into the apartment around midnight, a beer still in my hand, and laughing at a joke Hector had said on the way back. I finished the bottle of beer, not paying attention to what was around me until I got into the kitchen and saw my mom standing there, looking furious.

Just that sight alone was enough to sober me up a little.

“What were you thinking?” she hissed, snatching the bottle out of my hand. “I thought you weren’t going to go!”

“I’m not a kid anymore,” I grumbled.

“Well, you’re certainly acting like one! How can we trust you to take over when you go out and get drunk just because you’re mad?”

I glared. “I’m sorry I’m not perfect, Mom,” I yelled and picked up my keys.

“You’re not going anywhere in this state,” she snapped and took the keys from me.

“Look, I just went out for a few drinks with Frank and Hector,” I said. “I’m 26. I can do what I want.”

“You promised you’d help take care of Morana.”

I scoffed. “She doesn’t need me. She doesn’t even want me around.”

“What are you talking about?”

Katie had come out and I glared at her.

“I have absolutely no interest in talking to you guys anymore,” I said, running a hand over my face.

I turned and left, slamming the apartment door behind me, and climbing the stairs Morana had led me up to and sat heavily on the roof. I glared over the city, hating myself and what I had been turned into.