Tethered (J + P series) by D.A. Roach

bide my time so I just mindlessly watched. Just as I was about to find out if the transvestite banshee was the father (or would it be mother?) of a little boy, the home phone rang.  Unfortunately, my parents had also refused to invest in caller id, which meant there was no screening the calls.
     
    “Hello” 
     
    “Hey kiddo!” it was my dad, “Glad you made it home safe.  When did you get home?”
     
    “Oh, about an hour ago.” We continued chatting and I missed hearing the garage door open.   Mom came in and smiled at me. 
     
    “Dad, Mom just got home.  I better go.”
     
    “See you in an hour sweetie.” he said.
     
    “Hey Mom.”  Her eyes dropped to the can in my hand and her smile vanished.
     
    “Hi, I see you couldn't wait to start drinking that crap.  I guess you decided to have your one soda right now.” she stated while hanging up her coat.  But her intonation had more meaning than the words she was saying.  I felt the invisible rope that was coiled around me and tethered to her tighten.
     
    I had a hard time drinking the rest of the Coke, though I knew I should enjoy every sip because there would be no more until tomorrow.  But she had a way of making me feel so guilty for doing something as innocent as drinking a can of Diet Coke.  “I better check on my clothes.” I said as I slipped out of the room.  The less time around my mother, the less stressed I would be. 
     
    She came around the corner “I wanted to tell you our schedule while you are home.”
     
    “OK?” I asked hesitantly.  “I want you up by 7AM every day.  You may sleep in at college, but I want you up and being productive in the morning.”  I stared at her blankly; I couldn't believe that on my break I had to be up by 7AM.  I was rarely up that early on school days.  “I will leave you a note every morning with your daily chores on it.  I want them fully completed before I return home.  Saturday and Sunday are holidays and we will be visiting with relatives those days as a family.  I also want you studying for two hours every day.  Do you understand?”
     
    “Mom, I just took all my finals.  We haven't started our next lessons yet.  What would I study?” I asked in a frustrated tone.
     
    I could see by the look in her eyes that my question irritated her.  She didn't like to be questioned.  “Read the next damn chapter then!  I hope you used a bit more brain power on those tests than you are using right now or your tail will be living at home with us and going to junior college!” she snipped.  I hated when she was condescending.  I felt my blood boiling and wanted to yell or hit something. But there was nothing I could do; my voice was no good here.  It was better to not speak; I had found that silence was my only defense.  They could not make me talk to them.  I turned back to the laundry and began folding my clothes.  My mom was satisfied with her performance and went to the kitchen to make supper.  If I cried she would call me 'weak' and berate me.  So I tr ied to breathe through it and think about when Jared held me and calmed me with his breathing and embrace in Mag ’ s room.  I could almost smell the spiced scent I smelled when he held me.  After several deep breaths, I felt calm and grounded.  I slipped away to my room and put my clothes away.  I popped in some earbuds and cranked up my mp3 player, letting the music transport me away from my troubles as it always has.
     
    Dinner.  I pushed my food around on the plate, still recalling our strained interaction earlier.  I answered my parents’ questions with the least amount of words I could manage to avoid more trouble.  Then I cleaned off my plate and shot off an e-mail to Jen before bed.
     
     
    Hey Lovebird,
     
    How much longer till break is over?!
     
    I am ready to head back to school.  Hope you are enjoying yourself.
     
    Xoo,
    -P
     
     
    Hopefully I could get to sleep without any further interaction