Sunday, September 10, 2006

Jeff: back . . . home

Where the hell do I start?

It's been over a week since everything changed and I feel like I've lived a life in that time. It's been insane. I mean, okay, I'm a girl now. I've just spent something like ten minutes staring at that. It's crazy and impossible. But then I stare in the mirror and the reflection's of this cute girl and she moves when I do and somehow, somehow it's me. Only it's not--it's this spoiled rich kid called Brianna--and somehow I'm supposed to live her life.

I've always kinda believed there's a God out there, or at least something more powerful than Pop or the President or, I don't know, gravity or something... but now I'm thinking, whatever that thing out there is? It's got a twisted sense of humour.

I just graduated from high school, dammit! And now I'm stuck doing the same goddamn thing all over again! Finally, finally I had a glimpse of freedom, you know? Away from my shitty little town, away from school, away from my family, away on my own . . . you know, independance?

Fourteen year old girls don't have much independance.

Most of the other guys at that stupid lodge, they found letters and things to fill them in on their new lives. Me? Nothing. I wouldn't have even known my name was Brianna if it hadn't been on the luggage tag. A suitcase full of clothes--shit that, believe me, I wouldn't have let Sis wear out, that's for sure--and makeup and crap... that's all she left me. Oh, and a backpack, a cute little thing with some books and her cell phone in it. When everyone started taking off for their new lives, I figured I'd better do the same. I'd planned on hanging around the beach house for a bit, but a fifteen year old girl can't really stay on her own, can she? Yes, I'm bitter.

Though there was another reason to take off. Sis showed up at the door. Yeah, my sister--Jeff's sister--you know what I mean. We had a... well, I'll get into that later, but it kind of convinced me that I had to get the hell out of there. So I took the gamble and jumped on a bus for the address on the luggage. Another painful 24-hour bus ride. Yup, Brianna lives in Michigan as well. I mean, what are the odds? And let me tell you--the trip back? Very, very different doing it as a tiny fourteen-year old girl instead of a six-foot eighteen year old guy. Trust me.

I could've saved myself the trouble. Brianna, she's from a rich family, yeah? But how the hell was I supposed to know that? (I supposed the Prada handband buried in her suitcase could've been a hint, but like I was checking.) So I find my way home, burning through some of my guy money, and pull up to this enormous house, and I suddenly realize I'm entering a whole new world. And Linda--that's my new 'mom'--was furious. A ride had been sent down to bring me back and freaked out when I wasn't there.

Which means I'm grounded. I'm . . . grounded. Could thing be any more messed up?

Yes, they could. The day after I got back? I had to go to school. I'm in--kill me now--grade 10. It's been a week now. I'll tell you about it later. Just writing this shit makes me want to cry. I've got homework due tomorrow for Chrissake!

Screw this. I think Linda's gone to bed. I'm going to see if I can find some liquor stashed away somewhere and get a royal drunk on.


Anonymous said...

Is it possible that school will be a doddle second time round? Will you be able to relax and coast a bit? Maybe not.

What do you think Brianna was like? Has anyone said, "Ooh, Brianna seems so different since her holiday, more mature somehow"? Speaking of which, what was a 14-year doing on holiday without her family? Was she with one of the other girls at the inn or was she just travelling on her own?

Anonymous said...

... and why weren't the cops called in? I mean, a rich teen girl is missing - I'm surprised it wasn't all over CNN.

Perhaps you'll have more "freedom" than you think.

As for anyone noticing a difference... maybe the original Brianna was a bit "distanced" from everyone else, so other people never really bothered to pay her much attention... in other words, would anyone even notice?

fakeminsk said...

You have no idea! You've got to understand... I'm from a really tight family. I mean I--Jeff--is. Was. Whatever. And yeah, being that tight was driving me up the wall and I was glad to escape but...

It's messed up here. My new 'dad' was around for when I got back, and I haven't seen him since. As for 'mom'...