Wild Life

Broken phone

My parents have something against my phone I swear. They always eye me suspiciously when I text Sam (which I do on a regular basis).
Well today they solved that question.

I was just doing my homework when I got a text from Sam.
"Wanna meet up in the park?"
I texted back saying, "Yeah I do!"
Just then my mum walked in and saw me looking at my online not my homework.
"Mandy we need to have a talk about your phone!" She said.
"I was just finishing my homework..." I said.
"Mmm. I know. But me and your dad have decided to give you a different phone." She said.
"But I don't want a different phone! This one has Sam's contact!" I cried. Dad walked into the room holding a hammer and a purple phone.
"Mandy you've been talking about Sam quite a lot. We still don't know who he is!" Said dad sternly.
"He's just... Someone from my old school..." I didn't want to tell them.
"No Mandy... He's not. Tell us who he is." Said dad.
"He's my boyfriend! I love him!" I shouted. Mum and dad both stared at me open mouthed.
"How dare you have a boyfriend without telling us?!" Yelled dad.
"You tore me away from him! You made me go to a different school to him! You've ruined our relationship!" I yelled back.
"Mandy hand over your phone!" Screamed mum.
"No! It's not yours! You didn't give it to me. You have no right to have it!" I shouted. Dad grabbed my arm and took my phone from my hand. Then he handed it to mum.
"GIVE THAT BACK! IT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN COMMUNICATE WITH SAM!!!!"

But my parents were being stubborn and mean. Mum slapped me and then dad passed the hammer to her. I see what that was for now! She lay my phone on the table and lifted the hammer for a swing.
"NOOOO!!!!!" I screeched. Too late. SMASH! The hammer hit my old battered phone at full speed, destroying all pictures of Sam all conversations and his contact completely. I couldn't remember his phone number. Of course I could remember his face. But I couldn't believe what my parents had done.
I kind of zoned out and just gazed at the broken smashed phone on the table ignoring what my mum was saying.
I zoned back in only hearing, "be responsible with the new phone we'll give you. Daniel will be the only boy contact you can have!"
My dad was laughing loudly at my dead phone. I started crying. I couldn't help it.

They handed me my new phone but I refused to take it. They went and gave it to Daniel for him to give to me. They seem to think we're friends or something. Daniel smiled sweetly at my parents when they gave it to him and when they left the room he said, "I won't give you your phone unless you kiss me!"
I slapped his face and replied,"I don't even want that phone!"

Mum and dad left me to clean up my broken phone that they smashed. I picked up the pieces of splintering glass and then checked in my phone to see if the SD card was not completely smashed up. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I saw that it only had a tiny scratch on it. Maybe I could put it in my new phone and see if it worked in that?

Dinner came and went and then I went up to my neglectful room. Drawing a few doodles in my sketch book, I also planned out a room decoration that I'd never be able to have. Pink flowery bedding and pillow, light brown wooden chest of drawers, crisp orange lamp shade with a small purple alarm clock next to it; exactly what I had at my room at the orphanage with Lila. But that was all impossible imagination now. No color had entered this house since it was made - that was clear.
I started to cry at the thought of sweet little Lila. I wonder if her cut has healed? Or if she's got adopted? Is she happy? I hope she is happier than I am right now...

Later at night

I was struggling to get into a comfy position in my itchy bleak bed, when an intruder entered my room. It was pitch black so I couldn't see who it was.
"Who is that?!" I whispered. To be honest I was slightly scared. What if it was some psycho?
"You still haven't given me that kiss. Don't you want a phone?" It was Daniel. Well I was right about the psycho bit...
"Daniel get out! It's 23:00pm for goodness sake! Why are you here!?" I whisper-shouted at him.
"To get the kiss you didn't give me!" He said back.
I thought he was joking.
But he wasn't.
Unexpectedly, he leaned forward and put his arms either side of me so I couldn't get up. Then lifting my chin, he moved his head forward quickly. His eyes were a centimetre away from mine as I looked into them with an angry flame that would have scared off anyone but Daniel.
"Daniel don't you dar-!!!!" But he stopped me before I could finish saying dare, and kissed me. I tried to push him off and I hit his arm. Finally he stopped kissing me after about 4 seconds!!
"It's not nice to hit!" He said in a stupid baby voice.
"It's not nice to kiss someone at 11pm without their permission!!!!" I growled angrily. I wiped off the kiss and shoved Daniel out of my room slamming the door behind me.

I went back to bed and started crying loudly. I couldn't stay here! Not with that idiot Daniel and my parents who treated him better. They were horrid as well. Not only had they smashed up my phone and given me a horrible room, but they'd also done various other things that I didn't say. Like give me the smallest portion of dinner and then make me wash up (I'm not the youngest! I'm 17!), and through some of my favourite belongings out the window when I'm not paying attention to some work they've given me. One of the worst things they did to me was lock me in the attic when there was a super creepy China doll up there, straight after forcing me to watch a horror movie. That still gives me nightmares...

I could hear some rustling of paper outside my door and under the crack in the door I saw someone place an envelope outside the door. I waited for them to leave and then opened the door and got the envelope. Inside was a short letter written in blue fountain pen addressed to me,
Dear my loveliest Mandy,

After short walks in the park together and sitting together under beautiful fountains, I think that we should take this relationship further. I love you dearest Mandy, if only your parents would agree! What fun it would be to have meals with them when we were married, we could always stay in touch with them! I know that they'd love that! So Mandy, after many years of waiting for you to be mine, will you marry me?
Love and kisses enclosed in this letter, Daniel! 💝💕

I stared at the letter for a good 10 minutes until it sunk in. How dare he write that just after what he did?! I knew that it was a joke so I put it back where I found it so that it looked like I hasn't read it.

In the morning...

I woke up the next morning for school and slipped on a nice dark blue dress with a matching jumper and then fitted on tear-drop ear rings. I was over all pleased with my outfit. I brushed my hair and put it into two plaits. My reflection looked pretty good and I smiled to myself and went downstairs feeling quite happy.
However, it all changed when I got to the breakfast table.
"We found a letter outside your door..." Started mum.
"Why did you take it when it's mine?" I asked worried that they read it.
"You aren't allowed to have things that we can't know about!" She snapped.
"We also read the letter..." Carried on dad. I almost slapped my face. Why why why did I put that letter back?!
"Here you go Mandy, read the letter and tell us what you think!" Said mum giving it to me. I took it carefully trying to make out like I'd not read it. I scanned the letter and put it back on the table showing no expression.
"Well what do you think about it?" Asked mum impatiently.
"About what?" I said exasperating then both.
"Daniel asked you if you'd marry him idiot!" Said mum rudely just as Daniel walked in.
"Oh really?" I said putting a fork full of baked beans in my mouth.
"You just read the letter!" Shouted dad. I nodded.
"I know! But why are you asking me? Isn't my answer obvious?" I replied. I admit I was being very annoying.
"So you will marry him?" Asked mum hopefully. I laughed. Daniel was just sitting down at the table.
"Why would I do that?! Not on my life!" I answered. The room went silent. Daniel spat out his mouthful of water. Mum and dad just stood there dumbfounded and going red.
"But Mandy-" Daniel tried to say.
"I've made my decision!