On her birthday, Maria got her first phone. She was thirteen, and she was so happy.
“There are rules,” Dad said. “No phone at dinner. No phone after nine. And answer when Mom or I call.”
“Okay, okay!” Maria said. She was already taking photos of the cat.
The first week, Maria loved her phone too much. She watched videos on the bus. She sent messages at breakfast. One night, Dad found her under the blanket with the phone at ten thirty.
“Phone, please,” he said. Maria gave it to him. She was angry. The next morning, Dad gave it back.
The next Saturday, Maria went hiking with her friends. She took her phone for photos. At the top of the hill, the view was beautiful. Maria took one photo. Then she put the phone in her bag and just looked.
That night, she showed Mom the photo. “It was better in real life,” she said.
Dad smiled. “That is the first rule of phones. The best things are not on the screen.”