At dinner we pretended we were a normal family. We made as though this had been an ordinary weekend. But there was an unspoken catastrophe chilling the air and even Josh's fake laughter and breezy words couldn't warm the conversation. After dinner I got up to leave the table and my father said, 'Sit down, Ivy. We need to talk to you.'
Josh smirked as he walked away. I sat back down on the chair and waited. My mother rolled a handkerchief out of her sleeve and wiped her nose in anticipation.
'Your mother and I are absolutely horrified that you go out spray painting. It's dangerous and illegal. We want it to end now. Do you understand?'
The Abandoned Spaces show whispered an appeal in my ear. I didn't want to miss out. But I had no choice but to tell my parents what they wanted to hear.
'Okay. I won't do it any more,' I said.
'We will talk to Mr Colter about you going to art school. If you are going to put your energy into something, it's better that you put it into that. Do we make ourselves clear?'
'Perfectly clear,' I said. 'Thank you. That means a lot to me.'
'And no more going to parties until the government lifts restrictions,' dad said. 'We know this is hard for you not seeing any friends, but rules are rules. You can go for a walk and see one friend, outside, that is all.'
'It should be a school friend,' mum added. 'Someone we know.'
Dad looked at her, but didn't say anything.
'Okay,' I said. 'I get it.'
YOU ARE READING
Repeat After Me
Teen FictionAn impossible love between two young street artists. *** Ivy is a 16 year old street artist who finally has the streets to herself when Melbourne goes into the first COVID lockdown. She meets another street artist, Asten, and can't help falling for...
