Tricking My Life into Place | Teen Ink

Tricking My Life into Place

October 20, 2017
By AbbyD BRONZE, Coal Valley, Illinois
AbbyD BRONZE, Coal Valley, Illinois
4 articles 0 photos 0 comments

There are a lot of factors that have contributed to the decision that I’m about to make. I’m tired of living like this and I’ve decided to do something about it. But will it be the best decision for my future? That I don’t yet know.
Earlier that week:
“Calista wake up now! You need to get up and start your chores,” Queen Alice yelled. I slowly open my eyes. It felt like there was a weight on them. They were so heavy. Once they finally opened I look over at my alarm clock and it said the same thing that it said every morning; four am.
I always asked Queen Alice why I had to get up so early, but I always got the same response. “It’s good for you to get up with the sun.” I honestly don’t think it’s that great for you, if every time I look in the mirror, I have dark circles under my eyes. It looks like I put black marker under them.
I knew that if I didn’t get up in the next two minutes, that there would be even more chores that I was expected to do. I got out of bed like a bear waking up from hibernation. Slowly but surely. Once I was up, I opened the blinds, so more than just a sliver of the sun was showing. I could already tell that it was going to be a gorgeous day. I threw on some clothes and got right to work. I never got all dressed up, because I really didn’t care what others thought of me; Calista Ruby Harp. Most people thought of me as just Queen Alice’s daughter.
I’m never allowed to go outside so what’s the point of getting all fancy. Queen Alice said that there is no point of going out, when I could just stay inside and help around the house, and do chores. I don’t think it’s fair, but I don’t dare argue with her.
I’ve always wondered what it’s like outside, besides what I see through the windows. Queen Alice told me what nature is like but I’m not totally sold.
“What’s it like outside of the house?” I asked Queen Alice one day.
“It’s terrible. There are annoying bugs everywhere. And the deer always eat out of the garden. And especially the dirt that is all over the place.”
“But Queen Alice, the deer are just hungry and dirt is just a part of nature.”
“I know that, but they’re destroying our food.”
“Then I will put up some fencing so they can’t get in it.”
“Don’t you dare go outside.”
I was really fed up with her never letting me go outside.
“Queen Alice why do you never let me go outside?” I asked.
“Honey, outside is a dangerous place,” Queen Alice responded.
“How do you know? ”
“Because I’ve been outside.”
I was tired of being pushed around. And having to call my “mom” Queen Alice. And not being allowed to go outside. And having to constantly do stuff for Queen Alice. There were so many other things that I was mad about also. At that moment I was tired of it all and I totally exploded.
“Well, if it’s so dangerous, then why do you go outside, Queen Alice? And why do I have to call you Queen Alice anyway? Why can’t I call you mom? Why do I have to do everything for you? You have two legs and two arms. You can get up and do it yourself. And why can’t I go outside? I’m stuck in this house doing nothing but chores. There is so much more to life than cleaning and serving you!”
“Excuse me, young lady. What makes you think you can talk to me that way, and don’t you dare call me mom. I am Queen A-”
And right there I cut her off. “That’s exactly what I mean. I’m tired of it all. And I’m going to do something about it.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” my mom yelled confused and angrily.
At that moment I stomped up the stairs to my room and shut and locked the door behind me. I had to figure out something to stop this madness and I needed to do it quick.
I grabbed my computer and opened the browser. I already knew my plan. Every year they hold a Re Election For Queen. Once you are eighteen you’re legally allowed to replace the queen if she is your mom. To become queen, you have to really impress the judges. This year I’m eighteen and I don’t think my mom realizes that. She never celebrates my birthday and that’s another thing that makes me mad.
The re election is tomorrow and I had no idea how to get out of the house without getting in trouble, or how to really impress the judges. I knew that they asked you a little bit about yourself and then why you want to become queen. So I had to tell them stuff about me that they would think would be key characteristics of a queen, and say something that I would do to help the kingdom.
I was hoping I could beat my mom. I honestly didn’t know why she kept getting re elected. She never did anything good for the kingdom, and definitely couldn’t do anything for herself. I had to do everything for her. But then I remembered that the only person that could replace the queen was the daughter. But if she didn’t have a daughter, or no one showed up to the re election but the queen, then she was re elected queen again.
If I planned on winning, I needed to get plenty of sleep so I would be refreshed. I knew that it was only eight at night but I fell asleep anyway. I dreamed of not being able to win and being stuck under my mom’s rules the rest of my life. The rest of it was a blur.
The next morning I didn’t wake up at four am. I slept in until eight in the morning! This was the one day that I didn’t have to get up early because my mom got up at three, and got all dressed up for the re election figuring she would win. But she didn’t know what my plan was. I never understood why she got there so early. It didn’t start until ten am.
At that moment my mind came back into real life. It was already eight in the morning!!!! I hopped out of bed as fast as I could. I had to hurry and get ready for the re election!!!!
I ran into the bathroom and hopped into the shower. Once I was out of the shower I threw on some clothes and went back into the bathroom to finish getting ready. I looked in the mirror and I really had no idea what to do with myself. I definitely didn’t know how to put on makeup. My “mom” never taught me how. I did know how to blow dry my hair though.
So I got out the hair dryer and blew my hair dry. When it was all dry, I brushed through my hair and I was done with that. After that I definitely had to brush my teeth. The judges would surely appreciate it. When I was done with that I realized that I was already starting to sweat. So I put on some deodorant and perfume and I was on my way. But my stomach begged to differ. It let out a giant GGGRRRROOOOWWWLLLL!!!! I opened the fridge and found some yogurt and cheese and shoved it down my throat, and then finally I was off. Thankfully I knew where the spare key was for the jeep. I grabbed it and started up the car.
I knew where the event was being held because I used one of those old time, paper things called a map. On my way there I saw my mom’s giant, pink jeep parked on the side of the street. She always parks so far away because she doesn’t want anyone to rear end it or back up into her car.
I tried to park as far away from her car as I could. I definitely didn’t want her to know that I was there. I parked and then hopped out and started walking into the event. I checked the time on my phone; ten fifteen. I was a little late but they should at least wait half an hour to close. But that wasn’t the case.
“Wait,” I yelled, “I’m here for the re election.”
“Sorry miss, but you’re too late,” one of the judges said.
“By only fifteen minutes.”
“And that is fifteen minutes too late.”
“But please Mr., let me try out. I have to. I just have to.”
“Fine. But make it quick.”
“Thank you so much.”
I followed the judge into a booth and he sat down with two other judges. “Are you the daughter of Queen Alice?”
“Yes,” I responded.
“First, how old are you?”
“I just turned eighteen a week ago.”
“Great. Next is the question. Why would you like to replace you mom, and become queen?”
“The main reason is to make the kingdom a better place. Don’t tell my mom this, but I don’t think she does anything good for the community. She never gets out of the house, so she definitely can’t do anything for the people.”
“That is some pretty good information,” the judge exclaimed, “we’re done now.”
“That’s all? Are you sure?”
“Yes we have everything we need. You can leave the booth, and go sit with the audience.”
I left the booth, and went and sat down in the very back row. I could see my mom all the way at the front. I was praying that she wouldn’t see me. The judges came up to the stage and said, “Attention everyone. We are proud to present, that Queen Alice is being replaced by Calista Ruby Harp!”
“WWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT?!?!?!” my mom screamed, “that can’t be possible!!!!!!!!”
“I’m sorry to tell you that it is,” the judge addressed.
“Where is she? I’m going to kill her.”
“Now that definitely doesn’t sound like a characteristic of a queen,” the judge said.
They handed the re election paper to Queen Alice. She thought she was signing it to make me not queen so she obviously signed it. I don’t know why she thought that, because they literally just said that I am replacing her. But what she didn’t know was that once she signed the paper, I would officially become queen.
She signed it and from that day I was in charge of my mom. She eventually figured out how the judges tricked her with the paper, but I didn’t blame them. She really was a terrible queen.
The reason I wanted to replace my mom was because she was a cruel, unkind person, and that was not what kind of queen I wanted representing this kingdom. I guess you could say that I tricked my life into place.


The author's comments:

This piece is based off of an idea that I had about equal rights. I feel like this story can relate to everyone in a least one way. There are times in our lives where we feel like we're being bossed around and we just want to be in charge. In this story a girl is tired of it and decides to do something about it. It shows that if you want something done, sometimes you have to do it yourself


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