the girl in the green house » david dobrik au

eight

I got home late Friday night, so I really didn't want to go to my dad's dinner to win over the city council on Saturday. As if there was even anything to be won. Margaret Calhoun Emmerson would ruin anyone who even tried to take away her husband's rightful title as King of Calhoun. Even if Matt's dad was seriously considering running, the people of Calhoun and every city council member would be a fool to vote for him. I'm sure everyone knew how my mother was when she didn't get her way.

Still, by six o'clock, my hair was straightened down my back, my makeup was perfectly done (to the point where I looked pretty but didn't look like I was wearing makeup), and I had my new dress on. It was light blue and floral and stopped just at my knee. Mother would probably be mad that it didn't have any type of definition at my waist, but my favorite type of dress was one that felt like I had nothing on. I paired it with some brown leather sandals.

If I had to be fake nice to a bunch of people I didn't care about, I'd at least save my feet from the pain of heels.

"Well, don't you look pretty?" Dad smiled as I descended the stairs. He was wearing a gray suit with a blue shirt underneath, his hair combed perfectly and his smile as bright as always.

"Thank you," I smiled back, giving him a little twirl. "This is my new dress."

"I like it. You put it on the Amex?"

"Yeah. It was only twenty dollars."

"What a steal!" he nodded.

"You're wearing a twenty dollar dress?" Margaret, of course, turned her nose up.

There was a reason my dad was my absolute favorite.

"Well, it doesn't look like it was cheap, I hope," I glanced back down at it and back up at my mother. "Is it okay?"

"It'll do."

I was sure that's what she thought every time she looked at me. Not perfect, nowhere close to her unachievable standards, but good enough to trick everyone else. She could spot a hair out of place from a mile away, but no one else seemed to have as damning of an eye.

The ride to town hall was mostly silent. I no longer needed rules about how to act since I had been attending these fancy affairs and behaving for so long, so that took away most of my mother's talking points. We listened to conservative talk radio. I tried to drown out the hateful voices.

By the time we got there, I was almost excited to get out of the car. The city council of Calhoun was small, only 6 people serving, but Calhoun was small, so that was really all you needed. I didn't understand what they did, but I didn't need to. I was always banished to the kid's table anyway, to sit with Matt (who I was surprised even showed up) and Flora and Fauna Collier. They were probably twelve—identical twins with dark, short Dora haircuts and devious little smiles. I had never seen the Shining, since horror movies weren't really allowed in my house, but every time someone brought up those creepy twins, I always imagined them being played by Flora and Fauna. Kent and Elizabeth Collier did them dirty with their haircuts. I hoped one day they rioted.

"Hello, Matthew," I smiled as I took the open spot next to us. Flora and Fauna openly stared at us, like they were watching our every move to later write a novel about us. "Didn't know you'd be here."

"Dad said he'd look like a pussy if he didn't show up," Matt answered. Matt's dad was the one planning to run against mine for mayor, so it made sense that he'd want to show up and show out for this dinner trying to keep him out. "I'm glad you're here."

His eyes darted to the menacing twins, then back to me. He continued, "Don't know how I'd handle it alone."

I whispered, "They'd probably bewitch you."

He laughed, "I know! That's what I'm saying! Fucking creepy, man. You look nice."

"Thank you," I smiled. "My mother made me buy a new dress, but I don't think she likes it very much. This is probably the first and last time you'll ever see it."

"You could wear it to our wedding," he raised his eyebrows in a joking manner, and I couldn't help but giggle and roll my eyes. Me and Matt had been friends for all my life pretty much, and he loved to flirt with me, just to see the blush on my cheeks.

"My daddy won't let me marry a liberal, Matthew. You know this."

"So close," he sighed, with a dramatic shake of his head. "So close, but so far away."

"I honestly can't believe they even let me sit at the kid's table with you over here. I thought we were mortal enemies," I joked.

"You're their spy, Lulu, duh," he replied. "They know we'll say anything to each other because we're friends, and then they'll expect a report back in the car ride home."

"Scary. I'm gonna make up something crazy to tell them. Come on, help me think of ideas!"

The food was catered from the country club. No surprise there. Food was always catered from the country club. In Calhoun, we had the grocery store, the farmer's market, the diner, and the nearby country club. It only made sense that my daddy would pick the most expensive place to get food from.

That being said, it was always good. I was a picky eater, so I stuck to the chicken tenders and mashed potatoes, but Matt said the salmon was the best he ever had. He tried, multiple times, to shove some into my mouth. He only stopped when I told him I'd spit it on him if it even touched my tongue.

I got glared at for most of that exchange by my mother. I was being too loud and unladylike, which was further drilled into my head the entirety of the ride home.

I sat there, tuning her out. I wondered what would happen if I just opened the car door and jumped out. I wondered if they'd even stop to make sure I was okay. But I couldn't wonder for long. Everything was real close together in Calhoun. By the time I wrapped my hand around the silver door handle, the car was pulling into our driveway.

Opportunity missed. Maybe next election.

Ive been gone for so long im so sorry college is really stressful pls forgive me

Also idk if i ever said this but im writing the book in a country accent cuz shes a country bumpkin so the grammar mistakes are usually on purpose. If u read something in a country accent and it still sounds wrong its probs an actual mistake so pls lmk so i can fix it!!

Xoxo abby