teenage angst

So I have a cousin Jessica, whom I adore. Given the difference in our ages, she's more like a niece, but that's just fine. She's 15. She's always been a great kid, and I see so much of myself in her. We've always gotten along well. So she's been having what she considers to be high drama with her boyfriend Steve, whom I think is very sweet. They are on again off again at the drop of a hat. Which is quite typical. Well he's gone off to Florida (oh, did I mention he's from a wealthy background?) and she's not sitting around pining for him. So he's pissed. Her mom, my aunt, has had her going through therapy for her attitude and a bunch of other stuff. Children (and young adults) can be so cruel. Because she's with Steve, her friends are jealous and spreading lies about her. Which is really unfair, but part of growing up. So she's been on her own since school go out. I mean she has a couple of acquaintances, but her deep down long time friends are not around. So I feel bad, and suggest that she and I will have a day that's just us. No guys, no parents, just us. She somewhat reluctantly agrees. Kind of a "well I suppose so, I've got nothing else better to do" type attitude. So I sleep over last night, after an impromptu BBQ with her parents and my parents and Rob. She comes back from the movies last night and immediately is in her room. With 3 of these new friends. Two of whom are boys. In her room. With the door shut. No big deal. I mean, my parents probably would not have permitted it, but who am I to say. I suggest we go into town on the T, maybe go on a harbor cruise, or a whale watch, and go shopping. I get the eye roll. Big sigh. "what would we do?" "how long is a whale watch?" I perserve. It will be fun. We'll go where the wind takes us. So she gets out of bed and says she's getting ready, yet I find her on the computer IM-ing a bunch of people. (I've had to have some talks with her about her choice of screen names and IM buddies, but that's a whle other story.) So I say "let's go" and off we go. So we head into Boston to this store that I thought she would love, it's a jewelry store where they have all sort of twinkly sparkly things : rings, toe rings, bracelets, necklaces, you name it. She does seem to enjoy it and we are having a good time. So I say that we had better get a move on if we are going to hit the whale watch. Eye rolls and big sighs. "I don't think I want to. " OK, I think to myself. "how's about a harbor cruise?" "Well I don't want to go on a thing where I have to learn stuff. It sounds kinda boring." Now let me point out that it's like 85 degrees with 98% humidity. Being out on a boat, even for a short time sounds cooling and refreshing to me. Not so much to her. So I ask what SHE wants to do. Go shopping. Go on a duck tour. I. Get. Nothing. No "that's sounds OK".... no crumb or morsel of interest. In desperation I ask if she wants to go to a movie where it's cool. "All the movies that are out are stupid." OK then," I reply. "Do you just want to go home and go swimming?" Her comeback is classic. "I don't care, whatever." So I decide we are going on a Duck Tour. I could have gotten really mad, but I do remember being that age. Where hanging out with anyone more than 4 years older than you is just the worst. I do catch her laughing a couple of times, but when I acknowledge it, she clams up. I try to open some communication "Are you excited about going to California?" "not really." "what books are you reading for the summer" "haven't started it." Oh - let me point out - she's going to CA for 2 weeks with her parents, to visit our family. One is in Lake Forest, with a huge pool and she always has the run of the place, One has a place in CA as well as Lake Havascu, where she gets to jet ski, and hang out with my cousin's incredibly good looking husband, who treats Jess like a queen, and one lives in a million dollar condo in Costa Mesa and is loaded and spends money on her like it's going out of style and she's "not really" interested in going??? Excuse me???
So all in all it wasn't quite the day I had in mind. Ah the angst of youth. I will, however, say this: I would never go back there, not in a million years.