4 of 78

Write now Article Tools

I Don't Want to Grow Up

She was seventeen and scared to death of everything. "What's the point of life?" she'd ask her mother. "You get up, go to work, come home and do it all again the next day I just don't get it."

Instead of doing homework, she would surround herself with piles of beauty magazines and gossip rags. After thumbing through them once, she'd go back through each of them, page by page, and cut out pictures of all the large-breasted, raven-haired women with tiny waists and big butts. She began to make collages with the cut-outs to hang on any empty wall space she hadn't already filled with posters of Vivid porn stars, Victoria Secret models and Carmen Electra. She wasn't shy about her obsession with beautiful women and it wasn't because she wanted to be with them, she wanted to become them. "I wish I had brown eyes." Here eyes were blue. "I wish my hair were longer." It was already waist-length. "I wish my butt were bigger." What? "Does my butt look big in these jeans? Please say yes"

Unfortunately, she'd developed a phobia of drawers. The unrest she'd struggled with since the divorce materialized in the piles of clothing, cut-up magazines, and half-eaten bags of potato chips that smothered her bedroom floor. Her mother had long since tried to understand why her daughter did the things she did. All she could do was love her.

For ten years she'd had two homes one with each parent. Her parents separated when she was seven and divorced shortly after she'd turned nine. Though her parents meant well and tried to protect her and her brother, it was a difficult experience. She was the good and perfect child. Until she turned eleven.

On a hot, August night she spent the night at Jessica's house. After Jessica's parents had fallen asleep, the two brand-new seventh graders opened the liquor cabinet and took turns drinking from the Jack Daniels bottle. Jessica crept upstairs to get a couple of cigarettes from her mother's purse while she waited on the bed. As she sat picking at the stuffing on Jessica's ratty teddy bear, she began to feel the effects of the alcohol take hold. By the time Jessica returned, she was feeling giddy. The two girls sat close to one another on the bed and began to concoct their plan.

They listened quietly for any signs of movement overhead, but

High on their own naughtiness, they decided to walk over to Adam's house for a little fun. Adam had called them bitches during their first week of school so they thought it would be fun to pay

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Short stories: Growing Up?
We want to hear your view. Write now!