(spanking) Stone Garden High

chapter fourteen: dinner from hell

TW: slight reference to eating disorder.

"Anna honey? Are you ready yet?" My mother hollered up the stairs. 

"Yes!" I respond then mumble "unfortunately..." under my breath. I guess It's time to have the worst dinner of my life. I don't even know why I have to go to my parents dumb thing anyways. They said It's for us to "bond" but we all know I'm only going so they can show off their "beautiful daughter" to their friends and then not say another word to me the rest of the night. It happens every time and I'm sick of being used as their pretty little doll! 

I walk down the stairs of our house and see my mom waiting at the bottom step while scrummaging through her designer purse. She hears me coming down and glances up at me with a frown.

She comes up to me and pinches my half an inch of belly fat. She shakes her head. "Have you put on a couple pounds? No man wants a fat woman, remember that." She scoffs and turns toward the front door, her heels clanking on the wooden floor as she walks.

I just didn't respond to her. We go through this every time I see her and I've gotten used to the body shaming. It's just a normal occurrence at this point. Can't say it doesn't bother me though, because my mother is the main reason why I starve myself.

"You look nice," Alex my step-dad says with a sympathetic grin. 

I roll my eyes. "Thanks." I say. I push my shoulder on Alex rudely as I walk past him and then open the front door.

I have to give it to Alex though because he tries to be a good "dad" but he's barely been in my life, not even more than my biological father. God do I miss him. Sometimes I imagine how happy I would be if my dad was still alive. All the memories I have of him are slowly fading away because the last time I saw him I was 6 years old. Those were the best six years of my life.

------------------------------------------------------------

We are at the fancy restaurant waiting to be seated. My parents "friends" aren't here yet. I look around the restaurant and everyone in here looks like they make 7 figures a year at least! We wait another 10 minutes until our table is ready. The waiter who is a tall Italian man leads us to a table of 6 and places the menu's on all 6 spots. I sit down on the chair farthest away from my mother and begin to look out the window.

"Why the gloomy face Anna? You have to look pretty! The Shepherds are bringing their son and he is in your grade at school!" My mother tries to excite me.

"Wow I'm so happy" I say with major sarcasm. Why would that make me happy? I'm sure the dude will just be some preppy schoolboy that thinks he's all that.

I go on my phone to text Kate about how this dinner is sucking so far. All she has to say in return is how lucky I am to be eating at the most expensive restaurant in our city. She says I should order the most expensive thing and take leftovers to her.

"Anna get off your phone, the Shepherds are here please be on your best behavior." Alex whispered.

"Huh-" I look up from my phone and just about faint when I see who is walking toward our table. This can't be happening this can't be happening.

"What is he doing here!" I shout and point toward Clay. Clay as in Clay Shepherd.

My mother snaps her head toward me, "shh Anna! Right now!!"

"But-" I was cutoff by the Shepherds greeting my parents. They do the usual cheek kiss thing and then they introduce themselves to me.

"Hi Anna so nice to meet you! This is jerry." She says pointing to her husband, "and this is Clay, my son. You guys go to the same school do you know each-other?" She asks me.