A Bumpy Ride

Author’s Note: This is a short story that I wrote so that I can write a little bit of  a character development on it. I tried to make the characters change a lot, but not something that has already been written. It also was a challenge not to go overboard with the writing because I love to write <3 My character development for this piece is below:

In this story, although Ashley is the main character, Kevin was also the main focal point. He changes like a day from dark to light due to Ashley. Even though it really doesn’t seem like Kevin would change, he did. This story that I wrote reminds me greatly of my brother. He’s so much like Kevin that it was a little scary, but I did make sure that Kevin was even more “extreme” because of course my brother isn’t that crazy. Only a brief reflection of each other. Sometimes he runs throughout the house when he’s full of energy, but other times he’s sitting nicely in a chair without even moving at all. Connor is kind of up and down, just like Kevin. But in the end, they’re both wonderful, and my brother. (I only have one.) Back to the story, though Ashley affects Kevin just by being there. I can relate this to many things, but the most I can relate it to is my brother and me.





Early in the morning, before many people were awake, I slipped down the stairs of my house as silently as a black cat, hidden by a few remaining shadows that were left by the night. Looking at the window outside, I was quite surprised to see the scene. All of the color seemed to be sucked from the earth, the blue sky clashing against it. I could see gray clouds rolling in from the horizon that will soon blend with the rest of the world.

I tip-toed back up the stairs again, hanging up my fluffy robe. Today was a big day for me, and the weather sure wasn’t helping the nervousness. My very first babysitting job is going to be for a family on the street in the back of our house, Noodle Avenue. I’m not exactly sure if I really want to babysit kids, but I think it will be fun. Besides, I need the money to save up for college, not to mention things on the side such as clothes, and just things that I buy when I see them.

When I walking into the McDealie’s house, I didn’t exactly know what was coming for me. I hoped that I had brought enough to keep the kids occupied in my backpack.

Kevin opened the door once I finished walking up the brick path. “Mom, there’s someone here for you!” his yell would have been able to be heard from one hundred miles away. The screech hurt my ears, and I found it hard not to cover them. Then he charged up the stairs and pounded on a door until Mrs. McDealie came to the door. He was obnoxiously chewing a piece of gum.

“Oh, I must apologize for Kevin, he’s a bit rambunctious today. Please come in,” she motioned with her hand to enter. Tying my hair back, I looked around for Rosey, a perky four year old girl. Without any luck, I walked into the living room to find Mr. McDealie holding Opal, the three month old baby. She was so unbelievably cute, but... she was drooling. That’s absolutely disgusting. I could hear Kevin pounding on the floor upstairs. Sighing, I asked Mr. McDealie what time they were going to leave and come home at, plus things like when the kids go to bed, when they eat supper, what do do, etc.

“Here’s a list,” he said, handing me a piece of paper, “Make sure to follow everything on it.” Then he gave me a look that said something like, “You mess with my kids, I’ll mess you up.” It was really pretty scary. I was happy when the McDealies left in their small car to the SteakHouse for their anniversary.

What scared me the most now was if something happened that I won’t be able to call them or maybe not even contact them at all. I mean, I wouldn’t want to disturb them. Hopefully that won’t happen...

“Tag, you’re it!” screamed Kevin at the top of his lungs, practically shoving me to the ground. I watched him as he bolted back up the stairs again. I sighed, seeing that he probably wasn’t going to calm down. Then I remembered something- maybe I could just let him sit in front of the TV.

“Kevin, do you want to watch TV?” I asked. flipping through the channels to see if there would be anything appropriate for him to watch. Racing up the stairs behind him, I found Rosey and took her back down the stairs to play Barbies with her and fed Opal while Kevin watched TV. Luckily I had found a fun, educational show that wasn’t violent at all. In fact, it was rated G.

Except Kevin kept fake burping and attacking Rosey. It was very difficult to break them apart when I also was holding Opal. Finally, I was so exhausted that I looked at the clock and noticed it was 5:30- time to start making supper so it would hopefully be ready by six. I plopped Opal in her lavender bouncy chair so I could prepare some kind of meal out of macaroni and cheese.

Good thing the kitchen counter where I was preparing the gloppy meal was looking over the living room because Kevin started to shoot the TV with his Nerf Gun. Even though he wasn’t shooting the actual TV, just the stand, and they were little foam bullets, I knew if Mr. McDealie found out, he’d throw some kind of mental fit. I took it away from him after the last warning. But as soon as I’d turned my back again, he was out with another one! We kept playing this “game” until I couldn’t take it any longer and there were ten Nerf Guns up on top of the fridge.

“How many do you have?” I asked him when I was ready to explode with frustration like soda after a Coke bottle that was shaken up with a Mentos.

“I’m not telling,” he said in a rather creepy voice which was at the same time very mischievous. Sort of like this face that I love to use when texting my friends >:D
Although I like to use it on my phone or over the computer, it’s much better to see it on the screen than in real life.

As you might have been thinking, supper was just a disaster waiting to happen. Kevin was blubbering with his mouth open and Opal was smearing cheese all over the wall. It was a hassle to clean it up with just a wet washcloth- it felt as impossible as climbing Mount Everest.

Before long, I had Kevin, Rosey, and Opal sleeping in their proper beds. I must have tuckered Kevin out because even though he complained, he was out like a light. Although, I wish I could’ve spent more time with Rosey- she was a really sweet girl, and I know she likes to be with me. Maybe she’ll rub off on Kevin. Now that I’m actually saying that, it sounds pretty strange, with Rosey being the younger child...

The next morning, after Mrs. McDealie payed me kindly for taking care of her crazy kids, she said to me, “Kevin says that he had a really good time last night.”

I was so shocked I thought I was going to fall over. “He really said that?” I managed to get out.

“Of course he did! Would I lie to you?” she questioned with a puzzled look on her face.

“No... it’s just that it doesn’t sound like him.”

“That’s exactly what I thought! Now, you should probably run along home now, Ashley.”

“Yeah, I think I should.” The grayness of yesterday was washed away by a sea of color. The sun rising above the houses was spewing streaks of orange across the sky. It almost blinded me, but I didn’t care one bit because what Mrs. McDealie said had put me in the best mood that I had been in a while.

Over the next few days, I had been gathering up a present for Kevin because I was so surprised he had actually changed just a little. I thought that maybe this gift would go a long way just as my mom always used to teach me. Finally, it was done, so I brought the huge surprise over to the McDealie’s house.

“May I speak with Kevin?” I asked as Mr. McDealie answered the door. He gave me a look like: What the fluff? But he called for Kevin to come.

“Hi, Ashley!” he looked pleased to see me. This was seriously a first.

“Hi. I brought you something.” I handed Kevin the hand-wrapped gift.

He laughed, opening up the Nerf Gun. I was happy with myself- I thought it was perfect. Except he said, “Thanks, but I have a lot of these.”

“That’s okay, because I also brought you something else,” I said, handing him a large bag which contained many things. “Except you can’t open it just yet. Wait until I go off to college, and you can think of me.

Kevin gave a pouty look, but muttered a thanks anyways. I guess he was still glad to receive yet another Nerf Gun. Although I’m not so sure about his parents. Grinning, I hopped across the beautifully carved stepping stones on the way back to my house.