Pb & J: One

- One -
Times I’ve drowned in my aunt’s pool

 

It’s stupid, but I like to watch people walk pass my bedroom window.

 

Well, I don’t think it’s stupid, but others do.

 

It’s like every person who passes the clear square attached to the wall of my bedroom is different in there own mediocre lives.

 

I am not so mediocre.

 

Says Zoë.

 

My sister.

 

My older, self-centered sister.

 

Many love her.
Many hate her.

 

Many, very many, want to be her.

 

I know.
I know.

 

It's all so
very stupid, and weird,
but in some anonymous
way I’m jealous of it all.

 

I love her more than myself

 

…though...

 

She just doesn’t know it.

 

I gnaw at my peanut butter, and jelly.

 

I notice an elderly man stop pass the glass, and his eyes are sad.

 

Sad.

 

I place my sandwich down on a purple stained napkin.

 

He positions his hand up, back palm facing him, and sighs.

 

I put my hand on the glass of my window, and absorb his sorrow.

 

I close my eyes, and meditate with a cloud of gloom floating above my head like a halo.

 

“My friends were right about you. You are a loser.”

 

I open my eyes, and see that the man had vanished.

 

I sigh wanting to know more about his presence.

 

“God? Why did you give me a dimwit as a sister?”

 

Zoë laughs, and drags out her cell from her back pocket.

 

“Hello?”

 

Her eyes widen, and her hand covers her mouth.

 

“Where are you? Are you okay?”

 

I sit up, and lean out of my chair to her.

 

“Okay. Calm down I’ll be right there!”

 

She hangs up her cell, and rushes to her bedroom.

 

I jump out of my chair, and follow her.

 

“What happened? Is dad okay? Did he have another heart attack?”

 

She looks at me annoyed.

 

“No, that was Wendi. My friend. You know? Something you lack of. She said there’s this huge shoe sale at Tag’s.”

 

She notices my worried face, and laughs.

 

“You are so over the top sometimes. And mom calls me over dramatic.”

 

She rolls her eyes, and shoos me out of her bedroom.

I look up at the ceiling in the hallway.

 

Ants.

 

Mom’s going to flip when she sees this.

 

“Where did they come from? The exterminator was just here last Sunday. Are you eating in your room again? Please tell me you're not eating in your room again. When I told you many, many times not to Jules.”

 

Her face turns white, and her earlobes a light shade of red.

 

“I never eat in my room mom.”

 

Zoë opens her bedroom door, and stops noticing mom’s irritated face.

 

“Let me guess. Jonas?”

 

Jonas is our younger brother. He falls into fault, and mayhem several times of the day.

 

Mom looks at his closed door, and then back at us.

 

“Where is your brother?”

 

We both lift our shoulders.

 

“I bet he did this. Somehow dragged them in.”

 

“Oh, we’re talking about bugs.”

 

Zoë realizes lately.

 

“Well, I’m out.”

 

She adds, and walks pass us to the kitchen.

 

“Whoa. Whoa. Where are you going? Did I not say yesterday that your room was to be cleaned missy?”

 

Zoë sighs childishly.

 

“Mom please don’t pick today to ruin my life.”

 

“Why? What is so important that you can’t put off until tomorrow?”

 

“Winter dance.”

 

I answer for her.

 

Mom looks at me surprised I was in tacked with school events. 

 

“Duh mom. It’s December.”

 

Zoë points to the calendar next to her.

 

“I’m sorry. There’s responsibilities you have to do before this dance.”

 

Mom says with sympathy, and looks back up to the line of black dots running across the ceiling.

 

“No! I’m a senior! This is the last time I can attend it. Ever!”

 

Zoë throws her many little riots.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

Mom repeats herself.

 

Zoë’s mouth drops like a ripe apple from a tree.

 

“This isn’t fair! You’d let Jules go out, but not me?”

 

Mom looks at me.

 

“You're going out?”

 

I shake my head.

 

“Jules isn’t going out.”

 

Mom informs her.

 

“Oh, come on! She went out yesterday, and you didn’t say anything.”

 

“To the library for school.”

 

I correct her.

 

“Oh, get a personality!”

 

She stomps to the front door.

 

“I wouldn’t if I were you.”

 

Mom warns her.

 

“Or what? You’ll make my life suck more then it does already? I doubt that’s possible.”

 

“Go ahead Zoë test me.”

 

Mom dares her.

 

Zoë groans aloud, and runs to her bedroom.

 

“I hate this! I’m a senior, and I can’t even attend my own winter dance! Everyone will be talking about it tomorrow! Everyone!”

 

“I won’t.”

 

I inform her.

 

Mom looks at me, and giggles.

 

“Shut up Jules!”

 

She snaps, and slams her door shut.

Author's Note

I hope everyone likes this... :)

Reviews

[Prose-full]

"He positions his hand up, back palm facing him, and sighs.
I put my hand on the glass of my window, and absorb his sorrow. "-----very very nice lines
such an awesome visual
"Zo�'s mouth drops like a ripe apple from a tree."---very cool description..i "saw" the apple fall along with her jaw....

very interesting story line you have here..cant wait to read more..
[be careful with your tense of "pass" some need- "past"]

i like your style..nice flow..

[Travis Lawrence]

I do like this very much. The way it's presented, in short, central paragraphs makes it seem poetic. I like how you set up the story, the odd couple so to speak. I wonder, what will bring them together? Good start!

-Travis

[DeAn]

this is like catching a glimpse of your life huh. :)

you wrote it so well it was like I was there and wondering who was gonna call for the ants already.

:)