As a teenager in high school, we are expected to always be at a party, or at a football game every Friday night. Or, if nothing is going on, we have to be hanging out at a friend's house. Apparently, it is against the rule book for someone to say "Nah, I think I will just stay home tonight. I'm not feeling it." Being raised with an older brother who was the party type and always at a friend's house every night and winning every popularity award possible, my mom doesn't accept the fact that sometimes I just wanna stay home.

My school made it to the playoffs for football and none of my friends are going and our theme sucks. I told my mom that I want to skip this game because I would not have anyone to hang out with and I would look terrible while doing it. I hate being called anti-social because I know I am not--I have many friends, everyone loves me at school, and I am a fun person to be around. Every weekend, if we are not doing anything, I could breathe too loud and my mom would fuse me for being bored. She says: "You don't wanna invite a friend over?" or "We got you a car, why don't you go to a friend's house and hang out?" Like why?? Why do I have to be with someone every single moment of my life. I should be able to stay home without having to entertain someone.

I sometimes wish my mother would just ask me "Would you wanna do something together?" I love to hang out with my family. I would drop anything to be with my family. If only my mother knew sometimes my friends and I get into arguments and nobody wants to be near each other. I wish my mother knew that it wasn't me who was canceling plans all of the time but it was actually them. If only she knew the struggles I go through when she is not around. I wish she would just accept the fact that, for that one game it would be okay for me to stay home. I wish she would just greet me with open arms and said it's all right.