The Phone Addict

“Emma! Shut that phone of yours and come eat!” shouted my mother from downstairs. “One second mum!” I yelled back. My best friend Claudine was on the line. “Anyway, I really think we should watch a mystery movie,” I told Claudine. “Why not Sci-fi? That’s better!” she replied. “EMMA!” my mother bellowed hoarsely. “Whatever, let’s decide tomorrow, I gotta go eat.” I sighed, rolling my eyes and heading downstairs. I just received a text message from Zoe when I slipped on a ball and fell down the stairs with a loud thud. “TOM!” I shouted angrily to my 6-year old brother. “Maybe watch where you’re going!” Tom sneered. I rubbed my throbbing back and sat down silently on the chair. Ping! Zoe just sent a hilarious video. I started munching the salad while watching it. “Emma! No phones near the table!” my mother demanded. “Mum!” I groaned in exasperation, my eyes still glued to the glowing screen. “Anyway, how was school today?” “Hmm… good.” I replied absent mindedly. Claudine texted me. After dinner, I went to my room and started playing my favourite video game till something like 12:30a.m. I rubbed my eyes and went to bed. Tomorrow was a Saturday so I woke up around 11a.m. , only because my mother woke me up. My mother and father were going out today so I had to babysit my little brother Tom. “Bye Tom! Bye Emma!” my dad called out. “Bye dad!” Tom answered. I just found a cool trending video. “Hm… yeah, bye” I responded. “Hey sis! Wanna play with me?” Tom asked earnestly. “Na… you play” I murmured, my fingers jabbing the screen of the phone. “Pleease! I wanna play with you!” “No Tom” “Please! I’ll play whatever you like! Ludo? Car-” “TOM I SAID NO! LEAVE ME ALONE! I yelled at him. I tear rolled down his cheek and he walked away silently. A few minutes later I was thirsty. “Tom! Get me water!” I hollered. There was no answer. I looked up. “Tom?” I sighed. “TOM!” I put my phone aside, got up and started searching for him. I couldn’t find him. I looked everywhere. His hiding spots. His ‘upset’ corner. He just wasn’t there. “TOM! Don’t play tricks!” I screamed loudly. Fear started to rise inside. My heart started to thud harder. He wasn’t in the house. I looked everywhere. A cold knot tightened in my stomach. My breathing hitched. I went outside in case he went out of the house. “TOM!” I shouted defiantly. I walked down the street, a lump forming in my throat as I gnawed my fingers in despair. If only I had played with him. None of this would’ve happened. Why? Why was I so stupid? He was my brother after all. I didn’t want to lose him. At the end of the street, I saw a little boy playing with a poor beggar’s son, laughing and having fun. More fun than he would’ve had with his sister.

The Phone Addict

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