A FINAL DREAM – Chapter 4

Tina Kennard, Friday 6.00 PM

I have to pick up Bette in an hour and I still have no idea what to wear. I also have no idea why I even bother. It’s not like I have to be dressed up, it’s just another one of Alice’s parties.

After what seems like ages, I decide to wear my tight jeans and a dark green tank with a black border that accentuates my light skin. My hair is wavy because I’m just out of the shower and I decide to leave it that way, just put a comb through it and it’s okay. Some eyeliner and I’m ready.

I look at myself in the mirror. It will do. I still have to eat. It’s Alice who’s throwing a party, so there will be food. My mom insists that I eat something before I leave tough, and I don’t feel like arguing with her. What if she decides I can’t go last minute?

I go to the kitchen where Ken is eating a taco. He’s hanging out with some of his ‘old friends’ tonight. Kate is in the living room with my parents.

“Can I have one of those?” I ask, pointing at the plate in front of my brother which has three taco’s left. Kennards have a big stomach and Ken is no exception.

He shrugs. “Sure.”

I see that he’s reading a magazine, must be sports or something. He doesn’t have enough brain to process something else. I decide to be the interested sister anyway.

“What are you reading?” I don’t wait for an answer and grab the magazine. Ken stops me with the quickest reflex he has ever shown. His face is all flustered.

“Leave it,” he says through gritted teeth. “I don’t look in your stuff either.”

“Relax,” I say, trying to calm him. Why does he overreact like that? “If you don’t want anyone to see it, why read it at the kitchen table?”

“It’s none of your business, Christina.” He uses my full name knowing how much I hate that.

“Don’t be such a drama queen, Kenneth.” He hates his full name as well. That’s something my brother, my sister and I have in common. Our parents named us Kenneth, Christina and Kathleen. All three of us hate those names and prefer the shorter versions: Ken, Tina and Kate. Our parents use our full names when they are cross with us and it’s really bad, we call each other by our full names when we want to annoy them or want the other to get pissed. Mostly after they got you pissed.