Matt slipped the bracelet on and tried to imagine what he wanted... "I want things to be better but how?" he pondered to himself... He wanted respect and love just like anyone else... Like all 16 year old boys he sorta wanted to get out on his own, but he knew he didn't know how to support himself, and honestly it felt wrong to wish his life away.
"I guess, I wish there was some kind of karmic retribution that benefited me and punished people who were intentionally mean to me. Like if someone called me names, or bullied me, they would get dumber or weaker, and I'd get smarter or stronger and only I would notice anything changed." Matt smirked, "If only."
"Kids. Dinner!" Ariel called. "Ooh! I hope we're having spaghetti!" Matt said hopefully.
Matt went down to find that the delicious smell was masking gross food. As he approached the table there were squares of some kind seasoned liberally and baked, the girls were digging in and Ashley looked up and said, "Mom thank you so much for making food on my diet plan! Roasted squash is so healthy, and you can eat like as much as you want."
Lisa was cautiously picking at it. Matt took a square and bit into it unknowingly eating the rind. The texture was simply awful and the seasoning tasted powdery and did nothing for the center. After a couple chews he spit it out with a grimace. "Um, mom? What else are we having, where's the meat?"
Ariel's face twisted, "Matt, we discussed this. Having meat every meal is a luxury we can't afford right now. Ashley is going to start college in a month and that will make two college tuitions to pay, on top of 6 mouths to feed and a mortgage to pay."
"I don't really like this, can I make spaghetti? pasta isn't meat right? That's like bread isn't it?"
"No, the pasta is for Tuesday night. This is what you are getting for dinner tonight."
Matt was hungry but tonight's offerings were disgusting, and the "discussion" Ariel mentioned was more of a declaration that this is happening... and it only really effected him... Lisa, Ariel, and Ashley ate like birds. Cody, Ashley, and Dad all tended to eat out, Cody and Ashley because they have jobs and hang out with friends. Dad because he is working late and grabs something on the way home. Matt is a growing teenage boy, he needs real food, and lots of it. "Why don't we cut the sports package on the cable, or cut the tv all together? nobody watches it, we watch things online instead. Why don't we cancel Ashley's 12 different magazines? Or you can stop paying for Cody and Ashley's cars, cell phones, and car insurance, since they both have jobs they can cover the expenses themselves so we don't all have to make sacrifices while they eat out."
Both Ashley and Ariel were immediately up in arms about how he is way out of line, doesn't know what hes talking about, and therefore has no room to talk. The word ungrateful came from somewhere and so did entitled. "I'm just going to go to my room." Matt said, unable to hear either of them since they were both agitated and shrill.
"Yes, you think about that, mister!" was all that came across clearly.
Matt plodded up the stairs and heard Cody, "Dude, my mom is on some stupid no meat kick, or some shit like that, I need to grab food, you in? .... Cool, afterwards we were planning on seeing The Blood Letting 5 and hitting up the Starbucks to discuss the sexiness of the bitches."
Matt jumped at the opportunity, "Cody, can I come? Please! That food mom made tonight isn't food!"
"Hey hold on." Cody looked at Matt already irritated from the interruption, "No. You don't have a job. I heard mom yelling at you for something, so she wont give you money, and I ain't paying for you."
"Please Ill find a way to pay you back, the food is inedible and I'm starving." Matt pleaded.
"Even so, the movie is right after so I wont have time to bring you home, and its like pg 13 or something so I can't take you, then we are going out for Starbucks and you can't handle coffee."
Matt looked at Cody, hurt. "I'm 16, and you were watching R movies at my age... and I'm sure Starbucks has something without coffee. I might even like coffee now since I haven't tasted it since I was 13. or I could get water."
Cody put the phone up to his ear. "Thanks but no thanks." he continued talking to his friend as he shut the door, "Yeah that's my infantile step brother. ... No relation whatsoever actually, yeah it's a story as weird as him, I'll tell you..."
Matt stared at the shut door and listened to Cody mock his life circumstances. It hurt. All the terrible events in Matt's life were being used to entertain some jerk friend of Cody's, "So he's actually not related to anyone in the house, or even our families, but we have to take care of him. Crazy right?"
That's when the hot tears began streaming, No, it wasn't anything new, but the level of disregard for his feelings was astounding.