“The usual?” Gert asked both incredulous and furiously.
“Yeah, the usual. Just because mine is different from yours: sleeping with the football team, doesn’t make mine any less important.” They all stared at me in shock.
“Michaela!” Alyssa said finally getting the words out of her mouth and still managing to mispronounce my name. But it didn’t piss me off like usual, I was in too good of a mood. Paix laughed out loud and got a death glare from both Gert and Alyssa.
“You know what I’m out of here, I’ve had enough of you,” Gert shouted, throwing back her chair and leaving the room.
“Where are you going?” Alyssa asked, calm and unmoving. Gert didn’t answer but Alyssa seemed unfazed and continued cutting her chicken smaller and smaller.
That night the euphoria started to die down and I began to think clearly. Did James mean it? And even if he did, would he break his promise to me again? Would he leave me? Because if he did, I didn’t know if I’d be able to go through this again, it was already so hard the last time, it was like part of me had died but I still had to see him going along happy, mocking me, I couldn’t imagine going through this again. I fell asleep feeling very tired.
“Good morning honey,” a rough, happy voice said to me. I opened my eyes and found my dad standing over me. For some unfathomable reason I expected it to be James even though it obviously wasn’t his voice.
“Dad, what are you doing here? You’re home early,” I said, sitting up.
“I got an earlier flight home. But I can leave and come back in a few days if you’d rather,” he joked.
“No, I’m so happy you’re home,” I said, giving him a giant hug.
“Good, I brought you a present,” he said, holding out a wrapped box two for me. “For your birthday.” He smiled, excited. I took the present and carefully peeled the paper back, under the paper was a white box. I opened it and pulled out a skirt, it was flowy with a pretty pattern. It kind of looked like a gypsy skirt, it was beautiful and thin, the material soft. There was also a thin white tank top that looked very pretty, with thin spaghetti straps. I was surprised dad had bought me such a revealing outfit, well it only showed my stomach but still I loved it, it wasn’t too flashy, it was comfortable and earthy.
“I love it, dad,” I said and gave him another hug. He looked relieved.
“Good because I can’t return it. The lady in London said you would look great in it,” he said, placing a silver chain with a feather pendant in my hand, it was also very simple but I loved it too.
“Thanks, it’s all great,” I told him, hugging him once more. We talked about his trip, school, and what he’d missed and then finally he said in a soft voice.
“Alyssa told me you haven’t been behaving and have been fighting with the girls,” he looked grave as he spoke.
“It’s true but they deserved what I did and more. Alyssa doesn’t like me, so I was the only one to get the blame and always be the one in trouble. She even kicked me out of the house,” I told him. I could tell dad didn’t like me saying that but he didn’t deny the fact that Alyssa was never the fondest of me or a good mother figure.
“What did they do?” dad asked, looking stressed, lines forming on his forehead.
“They, well, Gert and Reggie. They threw out all the videos of mom,” I gulped, my voice wobbly. I’d been trying to be strong and tough, but on the inside, I was so hurt and sad. Be strong, I ordered myself. Dad gasped and held me tight.
“They will be severely punished,” dad told me furiously and then left without even saying bye. Dad was more than mad and you didn’t want dad to be mad at you. I didn’t feel bad at all though because they deserved what they were going to get.
“Hey! What happened? You look wonderful!” Em said running up to me, once I reached my locker. I smiled at her and tried to pretend I didn’t know what she was talking about.
“Oh, you mean the outfit, yeah my dad got it for me,” I said casually but I couldn’t keep from smiling.
“You should let him buy all your clothes, you look great!” She laughed. Derek came over looking even more shocked.
“Hi,” he said shyly. “I like what you’re wearing, is it new?” he asked. I nodded, not liking the way he was looking at me, it wasn’t how friends looked at each other. “I wanted to say sorry about yesterday. I was out of line and rude,” he said, looking genuine. I felt bad for him, it wasn’t his fault; you can’t control how you feel.
“It’s okay,” I said and then the bell rang. Derek offered to walk me to class, even though I told him not to because he’d be late for his class but he still did. We talked like usual and he stopped right in front of the door to hug me. I returned the hug, not wanting to lead him on but also not wanting to be rude. He left and I walked in and walked to my seat, where James was already waiting.
“I’m sure you heard it already, but all the same, you look great,” he told me.
“Thanks, dad got it for me when he was in London,” I informed him.
“Oh yeah, how is he? How’d the trip go?” he asked curiously. I relayed all the details and still we talked, it was just like old times.
“James, Mike you can talk during lunch, now we are learning about the beautiful English language,” Mrs. Becker told us in front of the whole class, who all turned to stare at us. We’d been too
