Against The Rules    by Jen Carmody June 2004

    "But you’re only sixteen!" Vivian’s mother shouted as she flipped the dishtowel over her right shoulder.
    "So what? Do you think I’m too immature, too irresponsible or something?" Vivian yelled back.
    "No, that’s not what I’m saying, I’m just saying that I think it’s too early for you to be dating."
    Vivian’s mother turned away from Vivian and walked out of the kitchen. Vivian was never able to get along with her parents. Part of her wanted to get along with them but the other part of her didn’t see the point. To Vivian, her parents were old-fashioned. They were in their late fifties and older than most of her friend’s parents. Her house looked like a flashback to a past decade with bright yellow lamps and a couch that was kept covered in clear plastic. They lived as if everything was left the way it was back then. The mother stayed home and did the cooking and the cleaning and the father would come home from a long day at work at five o’clock hanging his hat on the rack and setting down his briefcase. Everything was simple and there wasn’t much change. Families were typical and they all seemed to blend into one happy neighborhood. This was Vivian’s hardest year ever because she was a sixteen-year-old girl and it was her first time dating, driving, and thinking seriously about her future. But Vivian’s current battle was the right to go out to a movie with a boy for the first time.
    Vivian ran to her room and shut the door. She plopped down on her bed and squeezed her light blue pillow. That pillow had been through many squeezes, many tears, and many nights of Vivian’s teenage life. She sat on her bed wondering why her parents were so hard on her. Her best friend Rachel had been dating since she was fourteen. Vivian used to envy her friends who were able to do all the things that she couldn’t do. Vivian felt like she was living a constant punishment for something she knew nothing about. No matter how good she was and how hard she tried, her parents still treated her like a child.
    In most cases if Vivian’s parents wouldn’t let her do something, she would argue for a while but eventually give up. In the case of the Saturday night movie, she had made up her mind that she was going to go on this date no matter what. The movie was two days away. Vivian looked at the small alarm clock sitting by her bed. Six-thirty-five it read. Vivian flopped over on her back and stared at the ceiling. This is what she did after every argument. Last time it was over the fact that she wasn’t allowed to drive until she turned seventeen. Vivian lost that battle and after a while she got over it, but this was different. It was more powerful than any other argument. She knew she had every right to date a boy she liked. Vivian thought of how perfect Joey was and how he would open doors for her everyday in school. She thought of his smile, his jokes, and the tone of his voice. She had never felt attracted to anyone before and she never knew she was capable of liking someone so much. She did like him and she wasn’t about to let go of that to satisfy her parents.
    Vivian’s thoughts were abruptly disrupted by the telephone. She ran to pick it up down the hall. "Hello?" Vivian answered in the same tone she always used that expressed a sense of uncertainty.
    "Hi," replied the voice on the phone. Vivian knew exactly who it was and her tone of voice quickly relaxed.
    "So what are you up to," asked Joey.
    "Well, I just got into an argument with my mom but I’ll deal," she responded.
    "What was it about?"
    "Oh nothing, nothing for you to be concerned about." Vivian didn’t like explaining her problems nor did she want her first boyfriend to know about her parents. She quickly changed the subject. "So are we still going to the movie Saturday night?"
    "Yeah, did you ask your parents?" Joey answered.
    "Well…. yes and they said it was all right." Vivian lied.
    "Good, I can’t wait!"
    Vivian’s fingers clenched together with nervousness.
    The two continued to talk and laugh for about an hour on the phone. When Vivian got off, she sat back and thought about how wonderful a conversation they were able to have. Vivian knew it was right for her to be with Joey. He listened to her and they seemed to have no trouble finding things to say. She had never had that with other boys she talked to. Vivian realized her parents had heard her close the bedroom door when they called to her.
    "Vivian, come out her for a minute," her mother called. Vivian felt her fingers clenching again. This was never good.
    "Your father and I both agree that you can go to the movie Saturday if you bring your friends."
    Vivian did not have that in mind at all. That would not be what she called a first date. She figured the easiest way out of this one would be to lie to her parents. "All right, I’ll call Rachel and Heather and see if they want to come with us." She said. She had no intention on calling them however and so she returned to her bedroom to call it a night.
    It was a sunny Wednesday and Vivian was walking towards Joey who was leaning against the main door of the high school. It had been two weeks now that they had been together. School seemed to be their official date, a meeting place. They walked hand in hand as Joey opened the door for Vivian. Everyone saw them hold hands and meet after class. Everyone was aware. It wasn’t a secret and school was like a safe zone for Vivian. She could be with Joey in school and no one cared.
    "You know, I was thinking about Saturday night," said Joey.
    "Yeah?" Vivian looked at Joey worrying that he was going to say something that she didn’t want to hear.
    "I was wondering if I could pick you up at your house," Joey replied.
    Vivian didn’t know what to say. "Why?" Vivian asked at a loss for words.
    "Why? Because I want to and because I want to meet your parents," said Joey laughing.
    Vivian stopped walking and stared at the pale peach tiles on the hallway floor. She couldn’t let him do that; she knew it wouldn’t go well. But she didn’t want to say no to him. At that moment she wanted to confidently tell him it would be fine and she wished that when Joey came that Saturday, her parents would invite him in and tell him it was nice meeting him. She had seen it done in movies at least. If only her parents could be like that. Snapping out of it, Vivian realized she had to answer Joey.
    "All right, how about sevenish," she told him still staring at the floor tiles.
    "Sounds great," Joey said smiling.
    When Vivian got home from school, she thought about how she was going to get away with the mess she had gotten herself into. Even if she did let him come and meet her parents they wouldn’t even need to speak to him to not like him.
    Saturday came quickly and Vivian was excited about her first date but afraid of all the problems surrounding it. If her parents didn’t like something she did, she would never hear the end of it. Vivian was sitting in her room contemplating what she should do next. She had three hours until seven o’clock. Vivian got up, walked out of her room, and stormed off to find her parents. Her mother and father were sitting in the living room talking.
    "Mom, Dad…. Joey is coming to pick me up," Vivian said confidently. If anything, she figured she could pretend she didn’t care and face her parents without fear.
    Her parents said nothing and looked at each other. With that, Vivian went straight back to her room. Now, everything was up to her parents and so far they had no response. If they kept this up, Vivian thought she could introduce Joey in a few seconds, leave, and hope her parents don’t say a word. She knew it wasn’t going to go very well.
    Two hours had passed and Vivian stayed in her room while getting ready for her date. She had let her hair hang loose around her shoulders; a touch of makeup that she thought would be perfect for a first date, and a perfect outfit with a blue shirt that brought out the color in her eyes. She waited nervously sitting on her bed. Her fingers were tightly wrapped over the edge of the mattress and she watched the clock closely.
    The doorbell rang. Vivian raced to answer the door before her parents could. Vivian took a deep breath and opened the door. She could hear the sound of her parent’s feet walking towards her. She didn’t turn around to see them but she sensed them so well that she knew the exact expressions on their faces.
    "Hello, I’m Joey," Joey smiled at Vivian’s parents. He put his hand out to shake her father’s hand. Vivian didn’t turn to see if her father actually shook it. By the look on Joey’s face, she knew Joey was all of a sudden uncomfortable. He ran his hand across his short black hair, which he did whenever he felt uneasy. Vivian turned and glanced at her parents. She knew the look she saw. Her parents stood there looking at Joey without a smile or a frown. It wasn’t right. This was what they expected but this would not be allowed. Vivian knew what they were thinking. She knew the consequences that would come when she got home. Right now, she had a date with a great guy and she wasn’t going to let her parents ruin it.
    Vivian took Joey’s hand and they walked to the car. Vivian could see her parents at the corner of her eye as they stared at their daughter’s small pale hand slip into a larger and much darker one.

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