Wake Up Call

Chapter One: How it all Started

      “Don’t eat too much Skylar,” Mom motioned towards the stove. “Dinner will be ready in about an hour.”      I acknowledged her remark and continued over to the kitchen table with my apple.

For the two hours that I have been home, those are pretty much the only words my mom has spoken to me. I haven’t even seen my dad yet, but I already knew where he was and exactly what he was doing. Located in his overpriced chair, at his brand new desk, in his high-end office, was my father, working diligently away on his newest case. He was most likely answering emails and on the phone at the same time, multitasking away, not paying attention to the time-or what day it was for that matter. I didn’t even know if he was aware of my return. Probably not.

“Dad got a new case?” I question my mother, still in the kitchen even though I knew the answer.

“Oh yes,” she cheered. “He’s been away in his study working since early this morning. You know how he gets.”

I half laughed. Who in this family doesn’t?

“How was your trip?” Mom attempted to make small talk as she came and sat with me, waiting for water to finish.

“Fine,” I smile. “The people were just as welcoming as last visit.”

She attempted to smile back but became quickly distracted by the hot water.

“They welcomed me back next year.” I added, in hope that she’d hear me.

She made a “huff” sound in the kitchen, “Skylar, you’ll be preparing to move into your dorm next summer. Therefore, it won’t be likely that you will be returning next summer.”

I grit my teeth at the thought of attending Harvard in the fall. Of course it wasn’t my idea to be stuck in the school that both my father and sister had attended. Being a lawyer was not in the cards for me, but that’s not how my dad saw it. To him, the only other options were to become a doctor or work in financing. Both sounded like dreadful choices in my mind. I didn’t even attempt to tell my family of the true desire that I hoped to peruse in college. Because being a member of the Owens family didn’t permit the career path of becoming involved in the media industry, especially in filming.

“I was thinking that tomorrow you and I could go shopping.” Mom changed the subject from the kitchen, moving towards the study with Dad’s coffee planted securely in her manicured hands. “I’m guessing that most of your clothes aren’t appropriate for school at this point with all of the wear and tear that comes with camping on the beach.”

Trying not to take offense to the comment, I quickly interrupted her offer, “Cara actually wanted to go shopping with me tomorrow. Considering I haven’t seen her at all this summer, I thought it would be a good chance to catch up before the school year starts up. If that’s alright?”

My mother paused for a second and thought over what I had said, “That’s fine. Just be home by curfew and be sure to get appropriate clothes.” She put emphasis on the appropriate because she did not approve of how Cara dressed. She didn’t follow her fingertip length or neckline rule and it bothered her because I stopped following it as well.

Thinking back now, for the past few months or so I haven’t followed much of my parents pointless rules as they had probably hoped. And it wasn’t just Cara who implicated my new behavior, it was the fact that I’d be eighteen soon and it wouldn’t matter what my parents had to say. I was going to grow up eventually, rather they liked it or not.

Cara picked me up around eleven and I was all too eager to jump into her new Range Rover that her father bought for her birthday. The car was gorgeous! But I was too distracted by my wide-eyed, curly-haired best friend in the driver’s seat to notice anything else.

“Ahh!” She screamed, leaning over to wrap her skinny arms around my body. “Ohmygod Skylar! You look like a babe!” She pushed me back and examined me. “And since when did you pass me up in bra size?!”

Embarrassed I lifted up my top and laughed with her, “Hey Cara, nice to see you too. I kinda missed you. Oh and your boobs have grown too!” I say sarcastically as she glows with her natural intensity.

“Why thank you Miss Owens.” She laughs and pulls out of my driveway.

“So what’d I miss?” I exhale, waiting for the scoop on the latest drama-which Cara, who never disappointed me, always had.

She began babbling on and on about the parties that I missed and all of the new people that moved here over the summer. Then she talked about how she met someone who changed her life, a guy of course. It always is.

“He’s just amazing Sky,” she beamed as she parked and looked over at me. “I think I’m in love.”

I sighed and shared her smile, “You always say that Cara.”

She thought about that for a second and nodded, “Yeah. I guess I do. But Sky! This one’s different. He’s a sophomore in college and he’s serious about his career.”

I raised an eye brow, “College guy, eh?”

She nodded excitedly.

“What is he majoring in?”

“Politics,” she beamed.

I coughed. Cara, with a politician? How long have I been gone?

“Oh,” I let slip. “That’s… Interesting.”

She didn’t let her smile fall, “You just have to meet him!”

I laughed and agreed as we walked around the outdoor mall while she continued to rave about how amazing and brilliant this Brian guy was. But I knew how these things worked out. Cara would fall helplessly head-over-heels for some guy that she hardly knew, get her hopes up, take him to bed, and then slowly watch him slip away. So when I heard that she hadn’t slept with this one yet, and that they have been dating for six weeks now, I pretty much had to pick my jaw up off of the floor in the shoe department.

“Why are you so shocked?” she teased. “I can find reasonable men to be with just as easily as the next girl.” She then picked up about six new pairs of shoes and brought them to the cash register. “Oh the perks of being a doctor’s daughter.” She gloated while pulling out the flashy credit card hidden in her Gucci wallet.

That’s also the reason my dad wanted me to get into either medical or law, because it paid well enough to have nice things. But as I watched Cara pay for her new shoes, I couldn’t help but picture how those shoes would be wasted among her dozens of shoes back at home in her luxury closet. She would wear them once, maybe twice if they matched well with another outfit, and then throw them into a pile or give them to me. And I didn’t see shopping in that way. I bought what would look good, and what I could use more than once. Why else buy something so expensive?

While lost in train of thought, I heard Cara trying to get my attention. “One of these are for you.”

“You don’t have to do that Cara,” I assured her. “I have money to buy my own stuff.” Laughing I moved forward to pay her back.

“No! You wouldn’t pick out these kinds of shoes anyways. I need you to wear them tonight.”

I tilted my head, afraid to ask, “What’s going on tonight?”

A wide eyed grin spread across her face, “We have a double date girly.”

“Excuse me?” I chocked.

She scanned the rack of clothing, “Brian said he was going to bring his brother so that we can double tonight at C.R Gibbs.”

Looking though the overpriced designer tops, I looked up at Cara in protest. “Cara, it’s my first night back. I don’t think I’m up for a double.”

“Sky!” She whined. “Come on! It’s one date. It’s not going to kill you and it doesn’t have to be anything serious.”

I groaned and busied myself with finding something decent to wear tonight. But before I knew it, Cara had something already picked something for me, something I would never have picked out; as usual.

Behind the register I was the one who began to pout, “He better not be in politics too; because if he is, I give myself permission to sleep though dinner.”

(Picture is of Cara to the right)