Being Ellie Aniston

Ch. 6 ~ Cleanup Duty

When I opened my eyes in the morning, Jade was gone. I sat up and felt around for my phone. It was 8:12
Jade (7:36)- I got my dad to pick me up. Didn't want to get in the way 😕
I didn't even respond. I knew I had to go downstairs sometime. I decided to just start getting ready since I have to go cleanup the mess from last night. Maybe if my mom didn't have to come get me she wouldn't take my phone. Maybe.
When I finally got down to the landing of the stairs, I walked into the kitchen to grab a bagel or something. At the kitchen table was my mom. Justin wasn't here. He probably didn't want to be involved with this. And I don't blame him.
"What on Earth were you thinking?!" She got out, and I rolled my eyes.
"Good morning to you too." I replied, opening up the fridge and grabbing some cream cheese.
"Don't use that tone with me young lady."
I knew then that I was in trouble. Just how much trouble, I wasn't sure yet.
I shut the door of the fridge and began to spread cheese on the bagel, thinking I should probably acknowledge her.
"Do you have anything to say for yourself? I mean, what would possess you to go throw toilet paper all over your dad's house, take my car, and drive without a license?!"
"Calm down Mom. I was just trying to have fun. You did plenty of bad stuff when you were my age."
"Don't tell me to calm down, Ellie. I know that I've made mistakes but this isn't about me. It's about you and what you did."
I groaned, taking a bite of my breakfast.
"You're grounded. Two weeks and that's final."
I swallowed and stared at her open-mouthed. "This isn't fair! It's summer and I need to go out and do stuff!"
"You can go out for an acting job." She replied, "Or for running errands with me."
"All of my shows are in hiatus. And Poltergeist finished months ago! There is nothing for me to do!"
"You'll find something." She sighed, clearly exasperated. "Give me your phone please."
I just stood there, folding my arms.
"Ellie Jane Aniston. Give me that phone right now."
I knew she was serious, and I didn't want to be grounded any longer, so I just handed her my phone and continued with my breakfast.
I then noticed that she had the extra keys in her hand.
"We're taking Justin's car. He just went for a walk."
"Alright." I sighed and walked out the front door into the drive way. I heard the beep that came from my mom unlocking the car. I hopped into the passenger seat.
The short drive was silent. I wasn't going to apologize any time soon, so I just stared out the window. I hated that I was grounded. And I hated fighting with my mom, but my emotions had gotten the best of me. Don't normal teenagers fight with their mother's anyway?
When we pulled up to the house, my dad was out there by himself sitting on the porch. I was just grateful Angelina and the kids weren't out there too, because I really didn't want to go through the same old awkward step mom conversations that I know too well.
"You could've just hired someone to do this, you know."
I slammed the car door once I saw my mom going over to unlock her car.
"Ellie, I don't know exactly what this is about, but it's unacceptable. You're going to clean this place up and then we're going to have a nice long talk."
"There's no chance that I'm having a 'talk' with you. I don't need to discuss how I feel, and you can't make me."
"Well, like it or not, I'm your father and you will do as I say."
By this point, I had pissed off both of my parents in less than half an hour.
Mom came up and stood next to me.
"Hi Jen. Thank you for bringing her."
Mom looked uncomfortable as always around my dad. "Brad, I just want to make this as quick as possible. Have her clean up so we can go home."
"You're not calling all the shots here. She's just as much my daughter as she is yours."
"This really is not a good time Brad. I have a little more say in these things than you. The only reason I brought her over here was because it's your house that got vandalized and she needs to take responsibility for that. But after this, we're going home."
Mom stormed back to her car and got in. For a second, I thought she might leave. She ended up just sitting there waiting.
"Can I get this over with now please?"
He nodded. "I want everything picked up. Every single piece."
I mimicked him by replying with, "every single piece" in a deep voice.
"Just do your job, Ellie." He said as he sat back down on the porch.
"So I'm assuming everyone else knows about this?" I ask him as I start pulling from the tree.
"Well Angelina and the kids know."
"Wonderful." I replied. The last thing I needed was a reason for Angelina not to like me. Even though she was always nice, I felt that there as always something bothering her when we were around each other.
"How am I supposed to get up onto the roof Mr. Smith?" I scoffed.
"You better get rid of that attitude missy. And I have a ladder. I'll go get it right now."
He had laid out trash bags, which were filling up quickly now.
I did the friendly finger from Friends in his general direction once he was out of view. Being at home with my mom didn't sound so bad now. But I was stuck here until "every single piece" was picked up. I was tempted to just run away, but I knew that would never happen. And why was Jade not taking any blame for this? I mean, sure it was my idea, but she did just as much as I did. She probably didn't even tell her dad. And my mom probably didn't either. Unfair was the only word for the whole thing.
"Here you go." Dad set up the huge ladder and told me that I could just crawl around on the roof.
"I could fall." I stated bluntly.
"You're not going to fall." He sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Oh, crap on me." I said in my best Dolph accent as I looked up at the mess I had made.