7:21

I leaned against the fresh white wall, staring at the shampoo bottles. Has it really come to this? Locking myself in my Grandma's bathroom so I could be depressed in peace? I used to be such a happy little girl. Maybe this is just teenage wasteland, like The Who said. I didn't even know why I was thinking these thoughts of being trapped in our "free" society. I was never the hippie type.

A sudden burst of laughter drifted through the vents. I smiled. It was probably my dad, making a lawyer joke like always. Everybody could laugh at them, since half of the men in my family are lawyers. Today was just a normal day. Nothing important was happening, but all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins were all packed into my Grandma's creaky, welcoming house. I could smell the second meal of the day cooking, and the sense of family was coursing in my veins. 

Suddenly, I became aware of my surroundings. The generic clock hung on the otherwise empty wall. The second hand was going nowhere, just back and forth between the same two lines. It read 7:21, but midday light was streaming through the small window. It made me think that as hard as we try to remain the same as we've always been, we'll still be wrong.

Looking in the mirror quickly, I opened the door and navigated my way past the washer and dryer and through the maze of odds and ends. The sound of one proud voice telling a story came closer and closer as I climbed the staircase to the living room area. My cousins made room for me on one section of the couch, and I started listening to the story. I couldn't pay attention, though. All I could think about was how great it is to have a loving family. I let the feeling of warmth and love wash over me. How could I ever feel sad in this wonderful house?

Author's Note

This is exaggerated somewhat but based on a true story. The clock in my Grandma's basement bathroom really was stuck on 7:21, and I really do love my family.

Reviews

[lrigD]

It's very nice to read teenage angst with a happy ending!

This was a good story, because you described something normal, something that can happen any day, and we never really think about it. But it's a moment, and any moment we can describe. And you descibed it very well!

[ettorney]

Very nice piece. I love stories and poems that find meaning and wonder in the mundane. Everyday life is full of beautiful images and meaningful moments. It takes a talented writer like you to bring out their majesty.

Nice write.

[Alex Thomas]

Nice. It really shows how among the teenage angst, we will always have our families to keep us feeling safe and loved. No matter how insecure we are, our family will always accept us even with a simple gesture of moving over on the couch. I really like it.