The next day, Isis was NOT looking forward to school.
Last night she had excitedly called Roman to tell him about the streaming listing. She was in the middle of gushing about the games she would play when he cut her off, asking “Wait, you’re actually serious?”
The ensuing conversation turned her excitement into frustration. Roman was dismissive at first, and Isis tried to explain herself. This was a way for her to make some extra cash while doing something she enjoyed. She wouldn’t have to get rides to and from a physical job. She wouldn’t have to report to a supervisor or request time off. And her parents already said it was okay.
None of that mattered. He didn’t like the idea and even said the same thing her dad had said, about weirdos and creeps. Isis felt like a deflated balloon. They bickered back and forth until she asked if they could talk about it in person.
So now she was waiting in the outdoor quad for him to show up.
When he walked up, he apologized “Hey I’m really sorry if I sounded mean last night. I probably didn’t verbalize what I wanted to say very well. I’m dealing with… something else. It’s not important. Anyways, I still don’t think streaming is a good idea, Isis.”
Isis looked at him concerned, “Wait, what do you mean you’re dealing with something else? Is everything okay?”
He brushed that part off and replied “Yeah yeah, it’s nothing. But please tell me you’re not going to start streaming? Why don’t you work at the cafe?”
Isis was getting even more frustrated. She was tired of doing what everybody expected of her! She didn’t want to work at the cafe, taking people’s annoying orders. Why couldn’t he be happy for her? And what the hell did he mean going through something? Did this have to do with the text he got yesterday? Why even mention it if he wasn’t going to talk about it?
As she sat there deciding what to say, he continued “I just don’t like the idea of a bunch of strangers watching you online.”
She knew they weren’t going to see eye-to-eye on this. She felt so torn as she realized this was their first fight.
The bell rang before they finished the conversation and when they hugged bye, she could feel that he was closed off to her.
On the plus side, Jackie was super excited for Isis. They briefly talked about it at lunch, but with Roman sitting next to her, Isis didn’t want to make him more upset than he already was and told Jackie to call her after school.
After school, on the phone with Jackie, they discussed which games she would play and ways to make a neat backdrop for her stream. Jackie was giving her tons of cool advice and the conversation was going well until Jackie’s tone turned serious as she asked, “What are you going to do about Roman?”
Isis wished she hadn’t brought that up. It was a topic she was trying to put in the back of her mind. She replied “I don’t know Jackie. It really sucks he can’t be supportive, but he’s acting like my dad and that really irks me. It’s like he doesn’t trust me.”
Jackie told her not to care about his insecurities, that she wasn’t a child, and she could do what she wanted. Although Isis wasn’t sure about that kind of advice coming from Jackie, who went through boys like disposable batteries.
They ended the call and Isis went to bed feeling conflicted.
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