Plain Girl, Complex World

October 2, 2014

Dear World,

Today is Dean's birthday and he's finally eighteen. Usually, we have this all family member party rule. No one is invited except families, boring. I hope I can pull off the stunt like what Dean did on my birthday.

Dean's dad and my dad are brothers that's why we are cousins and we are so close. It's actually our grandmother, their mother who started the tradition of having a family only during a birthday party. Well, I'm really feeling a little rebellion now so that I can pull off a stunt like what Dean did. And I will.

It's Tuesday and we are already at Dean's house for the party. I was on my earphones the whole time playing music just so I can pretend that I didn't hear anyone around me. Then after a few minutes, Charlotte knocked at the door along with the Premium Class. Charlotte was genuinely shocked when she came in because she didn't really know that it was Dean's birthday.

"Sandra, I thought you had us come over because it's Dean's birthday?" Ashton asked real confused.

"What! No! Wait! Oh my goodness! Dean, I'm so sorry, I forgot it's your birthday." I said falsely. "I am such a bad cousin." I turn the Ashton and winked. "I'm so sorry I invited you over because I wanted help for my art project." then I winked again.

"Yes, we will help. But since it's Dean's birthday, we kind of assumed that it's an invite too. We're sorry to interrupt, Mrs. Keira." Ashton pretended to be genuinely confused. Oh my, this man is going to get an Oscar in the future.

"What do you think we are here for, Sandy?" my Mom asked.

"I thought it was just one of those dinners that we usually have with Dean and his family." I said.

"Mrs Keira, I'm really sorry. Sandra just invited me here because we are going to do our Spanish report together and she didn't mention about her art project it's due tomorrow. " Charlotte apologized. She is the only real person in the group. No acting, I'm really sorry for Charlotte, I kind of bait her.

"It's fine everyone and since you are already here come now dinner is ready." Dean's dad announced and since he's older than my dad, no one argued. Grandma isn't around anymore, but Dean's mom and my mom uphold the traditions of grandma while me and Dean are trying our best to break it.

When everyone is busy settling down for dinner, I catch Dean's eyes and wink at him. He gave me a toothy grin and muttered a silent thanks. What can I say, we got each other's back. Though what I love about this all family only rule is that we got closer to each other as family so I'm thinking of upholding the tradition, but I'm letting my future children invite friends when they'd be ninth grade. That way, they know that they are not stuck with us forever.

Anyway after dinner, Charlotte and I went into one of the spare rooms and started doing our Spanish report. Dean and his friends are playing beer pong along with dad and his dad because why not? All of them are finally eighteen. I know the legal drinking age is twenty-one but not here, eighteen is our legal age and it meant everything is legal. That kind of sound bad, but you know what I mean. Drugs is not what of them obviously and no I don't have an art project, I've already done it.

Maddie just hangs out with us in the room, but she's busy on her phone. It's quite fine by me because I don't want to be disturbed with some outside noise when I'm doing the report. I don't want Maddie distracts us with her talking and the boys are in the garage which we hardly hear them. I don't know where Mom and Auntie went.

After two hours and a half working on the report we finally finished it. It's quite earlier than the given deadline, but it feels kinda good to accomplish something early. After we finished the report, Maddie snapped out of her phone and talked to us. She even said that she likes this guy named Jesse Andrew. Feeling curious, I got my laptop out and we stalked his Instagram because why not. There we got to know that he wasn't single. He's in his 8th grade with a tenth grader girlfriend.

"I didn't know he had a girlfriend." Maddie said.

"And I think he likes older girls. Think you have a chance, Sis?" I asked.

"Nah, it's just a crush. I think this will be gone." Maddie said.

"Aren't you discouraged that he's dating someone older than him?" Charlotte asked.

"Not really, why?" Maddie said.

"I'm discouraged." Charlotte said.

"Seriously?" Maddie reacted.

"What? I can be judgemental sometimes."

"Okay, cut it out you two. Before it leads to something even more serious." I said.

They both shut up after that and Ethan's post came to my feed. I hit the heart button right away and Charlotte gave me the look. Maddie seems to get it right away and poke me on my left side, giving me her very weird grin.

"Oh, yeah. Maddie, I haven't told you about my crush on Ethan." I said.

"I didn't know you have a thing for student body candidates, Sis."

"Is Ethan a student body member? I didn't know his position."

"Not yet, but he recently passed the Certificate of Candidacy, Sandra."

"Guess, he'll be running for a position. Do you know what that is?"

"Don't know at the moment, Sis, but if I will. You'll be the first person that I tell."

That was cheesy, but my sister is supportive sometimes. I also oppose some of her taste anyway, so I guess we're sisters.

We then heard a knock on the door. Charlotte stood and opened the door and dad was the one behind the door.

"Hey, ladies. May I disturbed your girl talks?" dad asked.

"Come on in, Dad." I said.

"Thank you, ladies. I've drank some alcohol but don't worry I'm not drunk." dad sat down in one of my beanbags.

"Do you want anything, Dad?" Maddie asked.

"No, I just had some time with Dean and realized that you two are also growing up. Someday you'll date someone and I'll be overprotective and embarrass the guy."

We just chuckled at dad's speech. He's quite drunk.

"I can see that you are stalking a guy right now." Dad pointed to my open laptop which shows Ethan's post.

"Dad!" me and Maddie groaned, looks like he's not drunk.

"Hey, I'm just saying. Ladies, I want you to remember that if things won't work out with the guy that you are dating. Breaking up is okay. Cry over it, but don't sulk too much. Move on. When you find a guy that is for you, you will never be too much to handle for him."

"Like how you handle mom?" I asked.

"Yes, I'm more than willing to save up again for another seven years for her business or anything and I will face every accusation about where my money is going."

"Your dad is such a goal, Sandra." Charlotte said.

"Really ladies, and I'm including you Charlotte, when the guy really loves you he won't cheat on you, lie only when he has a surprise and is willing to do anything for you as you would for them."

"Thanks, Dad." Maddie said.

"Don't be, I can manage seeing you cry for the guy, but I can't let you keep on crying for the same guy over the same mistake. This is no fairy tale, it's real life and there is no such thing as Ken guys. You are your own knight and shining armor, the rest is just sidekicks. Who will help you willingly."

There was another knock on the door. We looked and saw mom outside. We didn't close the door and she just stayed outside the room.

"Come on, kids we'll go home now. Are you going to stay here, Dear?"

"Nah, I'm coming home with you." Dad stood and went to mom.

"Let's drop you home first, Charlotte." mom said and she held dad's hand while walking away. Staring at my parents got me wondering, is having them as my standard is too much in this time of the world?

Always,

Sandra