short

“The Contract” is a short story about a teenager who wants a cellphone but is met with resistance by her mother, who thinks she is still too young. Amanda is almost fourteen, and her older brother and most of her friends at school have cellphones. But Amanda’s mother is worried that having a cellphone may change their relationship, affect Amanda’s schoolwork, and leave her open to cyberbullying. The story concludes on an open note: will Amanda’s mother agree to Amanda’s terms and let her get a cellphone?