Samantha  C.  

We Have To Talk

“We need to talk” is the last thing a child wants to hear from their mother and father. It all started four days after my sixteenth birthday party. I wore a teal tank top with a teal skirt with colorful flowers all over it. Topping off the whole outfit off was white flats. Papi did not like the fact that the skirt was super short. Mami thought I looked gorgeous. I began to open my gifts. I had received all my gifts from all my friends, but there were only two special people I did not get a gift from–my parents. Mami had forgotten to pick up my present from my Tia Yesinia’s house. That’s when the whole argument started between Papi and Mami.

Ever since that little incident, Mami and Papi relationship went from above and beyond to a sinking ship!

A few days later I was in Mrs. Santos’ class. “Class! Listen up! Today we are going to write an essay, but not just any essay. It has to be personal and about someone you know. It has to be real,” said Mrs. Santos. The whole class began to whisper to each other.

“Are you going to write about your mother and father?” asked my best friend Bernardo who was seated in the desk besides me. “I think that would be a perfect way to show them your true feelings.”

“I think so as well, but I have so many feelings that I feel and I really want them to understand!” I said.

“Then grab that pencil of yours and write away!” I smiled at Bernardo and made a little giggle and began to write.

School was over and I was on my way home. I scurried up the five cement stairs that led me to my dark blue door to my house. As I opened the door, I dropped my bag and closed the door behind me. It has been three hours and Mami and Papi were not home yet. I lay on the living room couch with my lap-top on my lap and typed my personal essay for Mrs. Santos class. I heard the front door swing open. It was Mami and Papi yelling and cursing at each other. I shut the lap-top screen as quietly as I could, but all you heard was a loud CLAMP! Mami and Papi turned their heads towards the living room. When Papi saw me, he turned towards the stairs and scurried up them ending his appearance with a loud shut of their bedroom door.

“Mami?” I said. “What is going on between you and Papi?”

“Nada Jasmine, everything is ok.” Mami replied with a lying look on her face.

I walked away holding the laptop in my hands. I set the lap-top down on my desk. I changed my shirt and pants and put my pink p.j. shorts and my purple hello kitty shirt. I laid on my bed and began to sob. I heard my Mami and Papi going back and forth arguing. I began to

Samantha  C.  

cry. I grabbed my pink iPod and white earphones and played a song. Then I turned off the lights and silently fall asleep.

The next morning the house was silent. I walked into the kitchen and saw Mami wiping the tears off her cheeks. Mami looked up at me and said “Jasmine... Papi has gone to your Tio Sergio’s house; he is going to be there until tomorrow.”

“I thought you said everything was O.K. Is lying to me the best way of telling me you don’t care what I think?! HUH!” I exclaimed.

I paused. There was a long silence between Mami and me. Mami got up and grabbed her keys and said in a quiet voice “Let’s go. Get in the car. You don’t want to be late.” I walk towards the front door and furiously slammed it shut. Mami locked the front door and got in the car.

I was in fourth period again and Mrs. Santos was going around reading everybody’s essays. I told her that I’d email it to her because it was saved on my lap-top. Mrs. Santos looked at me and gave me and nod walking away with a grin. Bernardo was not at school today and I needed to talk to him.

My whole day was going from bad to worse! My Papi was not staying at home anymore. Everything that came out of Mami’s mouth was a lie and my best friend was not at school today when I needed him the most. Wow! I didn’t know how much more I could take!

When I got home, Mami and Papi were both sitting at the kitchen table. “What is going on?” I said.

“We have to talk mija,” Mami said

I felt a huge rush go through my body. My heart was racing faster than a car speeding and my mind was ready to explode like a volcano ready to erupt. I looked at Papi, and he had a sad disappointed look on his face. Mami looked like she had been crying.

“Jasmine,” Papi said. “Your Mami and I are having hard times.” I sat there not saying one word. Mami began to tear up.

“Mami and I are not connecting like we used to,” said Papi. Mami look at Papi after he talked. Then they both looked at me with a gloomy look on their faces. In my mind it was like a fire pit. My eyes were like a streaming waterfall, and my body was shaking like I was ready to hit somebody. I knew what they were trying to tell me. I got up from the table and ran to my room. I heard Papis’ feet walking up the stairs. An hour later I heard the door slam and the car start up. Mami was in her room crying on her bed. I was in my room lying on my bed writing the ending to my essay. I was on my final paragraph. The last sentence I wrote down on that paper was.

Samantha  C.  

“And the last thing a child wants to hear from their parents is WE HAVE TO TALK.”

The End.