I don’t get how he serves the country being drunk all the time when he’s home. I know it’s hard to be in the army and all, but he really takes advantage of it. It’s not that I hate him – he’s my brother. And after all, we do get along. I just wish he’d stand up for me more.

I sit at my desk and open my laptop. I think to myself that it’s been a while since I’ve been working on tiny movie projects. Life just has gotten so busy so soon, with the band and Gary and… everything with Bette. But the passion for my hobby doesn’t die and soon enough, I’m editing again, my headphone on.

Because of the headphone, I don’t hear my mom coming in.

“Tina!” she yells. I’m sure I jump a mile into the air before I turn around. I hate it when she comes in and I don’t know. I don’t want her to see what I’m working on, she always wants to read scripts or see bits of movies when she’s in I-have-to-support-my-daughter-in-everything-she-does-and-be-involved-in-her-life mode. I quickly hit ctrl+s before closing the laptop.

My mom looks furious to say the least.

“Christina Kennard!” She uses my full name – oh oh.

“Am I in trouble?”

“Hell you are!" Shit – she curses. "What on earth are you doing? It’s 8 am and already you are on that computer again! You’re addicted, you’re obsessed! That laptop is all that matters to you. I swear to God that I’m gonna throw the thing away one day! You’ll come home and it’ll be gone.”

“Mom!”

“You’re a nerd, spending all day at your computer.”

“Mom! I woke up, couldn’t sleep, so I decided to work a bit.”

“Work a bit? What could you possibly be working on? You’re in high school, for Christ’s sake!”

“On this little movie project.”

“If you had to be behind your computer all day for your job, you’d be complaining all the time.”

“That’s not true.”

“See, you’re denying again.”