"Turn on the TV! Turn on the TV!" my little sister shouted, running into our living room. "Hurry up or we're going to miss it!"
"Okay, okay! The remote's right there," I said, gesturing with my arms at the coffee table. "You turn on the TV."
"Are you seriously reading a book?!" Carmen asked loudly, turning on the TV.
"Yeah. Do you have noodles in your head where your brain should be?" I retorted, looking up from my book.
"No. But you must have something wrong with your head because it's the most exciting day ever!" Carmen shouted, throwing her hands up in the air above her head excitedly.
"You said that yesterday, too," I muttered, looking back at my book.
"Nuh-uh! Yesterday I said best day ever! There's a difference!"
"Not much of one," I whispered.
Carmen took my book from me and threw it across the room.
"Hey!" I shouted, standing up. "I don't even know the page number!"
Carmen grabbed my wrist and pulled me back down. "No. You're sitting here until they announce the winner," she demanded. I sighed and sat down, knowing that she would only throw a fit if I didn't. She'd done it plenty of times after she moved to my apartment when I graduated.
"I don't even care about this stupid contest. What is it even for?" I asked.
"And now for the drawing!" the TV crackled. "The winner of this contest will go on an all-expenses paid trip to London, flying first class there and back, where they will spend the summer in the penthouse of a five-star hotel."
"Come on, come on, come on!" Carmen screamed at the TV. "Get on with it!"
"Why are you so excited about this? You didn't enter," I said.
"And the winner is...." the woman said, unfolding a piece of paper. "Carmella Bratlie from Los Angeles, California!"
My head snapped up and my eyes got wide.
"YES!" Carmen screamed.
"Congratulations, Carmella! In one week, you will fly out to London. Check your email, because we're sending you all your information. And now for the weather," the TV woman said cheerily. Carmen turned off the TV.
"I told you this day would be exciting!" she shouted.
"But I didn't even enter!" I said loudly, standing up. Then it hit me. "Carmen..." I growled, walking slowly toward her.
"Don't kill me! I just wanted you to have a memorable summer for once! An exciting summer!" she said, backing away.
"My summers have been fine! I chose to spend them that way!" I said. Carmen started running and I chased after her. I didn't know what I'd do with her once I caught her, which is always the case, because it's not like I can beat her up. I'm her guardian, and if I do that, social services will put her in a foster home. I can't let that happen.
I chased her around my apartment, laughing, until she tried jumping over the back of the couch. I caught her in midair and tickled her until she begged for mercy.
"I surrender! I surrender!" she shouted, laughing.
Then I had a thought. "What am I going to do with you while I'm gone?"
"So you're going?!" Carmen said, sitting up and grinning.
"I didn't say that. But if I did, where would you go? Plus, I'd have to call social services and explain the situation, find a place for you to stay, and find out if I'm even qualified to leave you behind," I said, exasperated.
"I forgot about that," Carmen said, her smile fading.
"You stay here. I'll be back in a few minutes, okay? Clean your room or something while I'm gone. Or fold laundry. Do something productive," I said, pulling on my shoes and walking out the door.
I sat down on the cement stairs that led into the apartment complex and rested my chin on my hands, thinking.
"Hey, Caramel!" a familiar voice greeted me. My best guy friend, Tyler, sat down next to me. "What's up?"
"The sky," I retorted.
"Okayyy, lemme rephrase that. What's wrong?"
I sighed. "Carmen entered me in a contest and I won," I said, looking at him.
"What's wrong with that?" he asked.
"The contest was for a summer trip to London. All summer," I said, emphasizing the 'all'.
His face fell for a moment. "Are you going?"
"I don't know if I can, Ty," I said, resting my chin on my hands again, my elbows digging into my knees. "If Mom and Dad were still in the picture, I would, but I don't think social services would let me. It's too long of a trip."
"Take her with you," he suggested, shrugging.
"I can't. Carmen wants me to have an exciting summer, and I think by that she meant without her," I explained. "She knows how much she restricts me from living a life that a normal teenager does."
"Well, I suppose if I asked my parents nicely, they'd let her stay with us," he offered.
"No, no, I can't do that. She's a handful and doesn't clean up after herself," I said, horrified. "She'd turn your apartment upside-down! I couldn't burden you with her."
"Oh, please! My parents love her, and sometimes being upside-down is fun," he said. I knew what he was going to say next. "Like when you're on monkey bars and you're too scared to finish crossing or let go."
"Okay, I was five and had never been on monkey bars. When will you shut up about that?" I said, punching his arm.
"Never," he said, punching me back.

Notes

I'll try to make chapters shorter than this, I promise. But I'm only trying, it's not guaranteed.