Round 8: January 2011
Frank April is 40 years old, Nate is 15 and Danny is 11.
Narrated by Nate April
My birthday was a small party at home. I wasn’t really big on a party, especially since we’re nowhere near rich, and the money can be saved on my college tuition.
Mom couldn’t make it because the restaurant she worked at got slammed, and her classes for the spring semester start Monday anyway. It wasn’t a huge loss, even though Dad was not happy about it. Sometimes I think he still misses Mom, even though he’d never admit it.
To be honest, I only cared if Nikki and Ren could come or not. Ren said I had tunnel vision, and I probably did. Even though I’d still have to sneak around with her another year, since Dad told me I couldn’t start dating till I was 16, I tried to be optimistic. And Nikki didn’t seem to care as long as she was with me.
Besides, even if Dad is home, Danny’s easy to blackmail. I just threaten to tell Dad about how much he’s playing with his girlfriend instead of doing his homework and he’ll do whatever I say. Even if he always yells that she isn’t his girlfriend.
Even if the little nerd ever got a girlfriend, he’s such a good boy he’d just patiently wait till 16 to start and never cause any trouble. Boring.
I just wish Dad would punish him for how much he yells at everybody, including him, but he gets away with everything.
The actual birthday party was cool. Even though Dad insisted on singing and I really wish he hadn’t. It was so embarrassing.
It was after the party that sucked. I was just going to pee, and I find Nikki and Ren hugged up on each other like I wasn’t even there. Of course I was pissed, I yelled at Ren and told him to get out.
I asked her if she was still hung up on Ren, why did she accept me last year, but I’ll admit I didn’t wait for an answer. I was too angry to listen anyway. I told her since she wanted him so bad she could have him and we were done.
She was crying and apologizing, but I didn’t want to hear it and after a while she left.
I don’t know if she knows how much she hurt me though. When I asked her to be my girlfriend, I knew she had had feelings for Ren, but I figured since she accepted they were gone. And then I see this, and on my birthday too.
I talked to Dad about it, since he was all I had left, though I left out the part where we’ve already been dating for almost a year. He said I’d had my first heartbreak, and there will be more, but it will be worth it when I find the right one. I was tempted to ask about Mom, but decided not to. Besides, it was the first time Dad and I had had a conversation like that.
I was always the odd one out, stuck in the middle, interested in sports but not nearly to the extent Dad and Danny are and Tommy was. I still want to cook for a living, just like Mom, but after that night I felt really close to Dad.
My grades are improving, and I even got two scholarships. Dad is thrilled, but now I have no excuse if they drop again. Maybe breaking up with Nikki was a blessing in disguise.
It’s been a week and a half, and I already really miss hanging out with Ren. I still don’t miss Nikki, but then I’m still mad at her. Maybe once I get over it, we all can get back to the way we were. At least I hope so.
Kalika’s first trimester has passed without incident and she can confidently move on to her second. Now that she has been reassured that nothing is wrong, she feels much better, though she is still annoyed that they have to wait for a cab home. Baby Macarevich is due in July.
- Title ref: Tangled – Maroon 5.
- Nikki is quite brazen, isn’t she? Mao warned me that Family sims can seem rather Romance-like in their quest for Mr. Right. She only has a bolt with both of them, but maybe it’s just a bit higher with Ren. But if that’s the case, then why would you want to go steady with Nate? She probably doesn’t know either.
- Ah, the drama. Let’s see what happens when we get to Nikki, which won’t be for a while (see the brand-spanking new schedule, above!) and Ren, who won’t be till the end of the round.
- Danny got the Family Feud ROS, though as you see, the real fun was with Nate.
Poor Nate. What a sucky birthday. If something like this was going to happen, it’s probably better for it to happen now than in 10 years. you know? Stakes are a lot higher with adult relationships, as much as everything feels so massive when you’re a teen. I’ve had a couple of situations like this crop up in my hood too and with the teens, they do seem to be able to iron things out.
It was good that Nate was able to have a nice talk with his dad over this though. I bet Frank was glad to make the connection too.
I agree that it was good that this happens now. He really was very hung up on Nikki, so it’s good that she fell from the pedestal he put her on. That means he should be more careful about his next girlfriend. And as I said, I know their friendship will come back.
I think Frank was glad to have one of his kids talking to him, striking up conversation because they enjoy his company. I think under his stoic persona, he’s scared to death of losing another son, so getting the chance to connect with one is key to prevent it from happening again.
Aww, poor Nate, being jilted on his birthday by his girlfriend. I hope that him and Ren can repair their friendship in due time, and that he does find a better girl down the line. I’m glad that he connected some with his Dad, that is nice to see, especially before he heads off to college soon.
I’m sure my three musketeers can repair their friendship, and I have no worries about Nate’s romantic prospects; he’s adorable and a good guy. I’m glad he is connecting with his father, since he never had a chance to do it before.