Ch. 24 The Things Even Veggie Lasagna Can't Fix

I'm a vegetarian

because the thought of eating an animal

makes me sick.

But I eat fish

because one bit my finger

when I was eleven

so I make an exception.

My mom makes veggie lasagna for dinner

just for me

because it's my favorite.

She only did it though

to make me happy

because she hates it,

Johnny hates it,

and my dad hates it.

She makes it a lot now though.

Like in her mind,

veggie lasagna is the panacea

for everything.

I haven't been able to keep my food down

in a long while,

but I feel bad

so I force myself to take at least a few

small...

bites.

Meals are hard.

I'd be fine with not eating

at all,but

I have no choice.

My dad

won't talk to me

because he's afraid

he might say the wrong thing.

My brother

just eats the food on my plate

that I don't eat.

My mom

won't stop talking to me

because she's worried

I'm going insane.

The questions today are the same

as every other day.

My answers today are the same

as every other day.

Mom asks:

"How's the food, honey?"

I say:

"Great."

Mom asks:

"Did you have fun at Will's?"

I say:

"Tons."

Mom asks:

"How are his folks?"

I say:

"Fine."

It goes on longer than that.

She asks her pointless questions.

I give her my monosyllable answers.

She gets annoyed

but she can't get mad

because that would upset

poor,

poor

Riley.

I'd throw up

if there was anything

in my stomach.

Johnny finally speaks up

and changes the subject

to make my mom leave me alone.

We didn't tell

her or Dad

about my little panic attack.

It would make them worry

even more

and I can't take

any more worry.

he asks about a party

because he's knows it's the best way

to distract Mom.

He wants to go because it's Miles's

eighteenth birthday

and Miles is his best friend.

But I hate him

because he vomited on me once.

The party starts a whole new argument

because Miles's parties always have alcohol

and Johnny's girlfriend will be there

and my mom's coworker's daughter

just got pregnant

and Mom's scared for Johnny.

It's a long argument

that I don't have to be a part of,

which is nice

because I just don't want to talk

and because it distracts everyone

long enough for me to

push most of my food onto Johnny's plate

without anyone noticing.

Suddenly though,

my name gets tossed into the conversation

before I can stop it.

Mom says:

"You can only go

if Riley goes too."

It's annoying

how mothers try to do what's best

but just make everything 

so

much

WORSE.

Author's Note

Leave all comments, reviews, opinions, etc down below and tell me if there are any mistakes. Thanks for reading.
--theladygraceling