Her EX, Her BF

Chapter 16

Jordan opened his door.  His jaw dropped open when he saw all his stuff in boxes and Debi was putting new decor.

"What the hell?"

She turned on him.  "Don't you talk like that," Debi scolded.

It ticked him off because she said way worse a lot more often.  But at the moment, he was more focused on his room. "What are you doing to my room?"

"Oh, I'm going to start renting the room out," she answered causally as if it was a normal thing to do overnight.

"In my room?" Jordan repeated.  "Where the hell am I sleeping?  You didn't even freaking ask me if I was ok with this!"

"Relax, you're sleeping upstairs.  Here." She gave him a box of his clothes.

"But we don't have an upstairs," Jordan retorted with confusion.  The woman sighed.  She walked into the hallway and pulled down the string and a ladder unfolded.  Jordan gaped at her.  "You're kidding!  Right?"

"I want everything out of here by dinner," Debi said.

"But there's no heat up there!  And I have homework-"

"If you were working, the cold wouldn't be a problem and you'll have time to do your school work.  Now get moving."

She was serious.  This was ridiculous.  How could she expect him to just go along with this?

"You're still standing there.  I would stop complaining and get working," she warned.

Seeing that he was not able to argue his way out of it, he turned and brought his first box upstairs.  To his surprise, he realized he hadn't been up there in years. And, from the looks of it, neither had anyone else.  There was a trunk and a few boxes, Kristine's old bed on one wall, and her dresser next to it.  Besides that, it was actually mostly empty.

He glanced around.  It was dark, but was dusty and dirty.  Cobwebs were everywhere.  He set his box down and brought up his lamps and set them up on the dresser.  Then he got the cleaning supplies and swept the floors and cobwebs.  Then he dusted and got rid of all the bugs.  Only then did he bring up everything else.

Jordan was glad that the mattress had a bedbug cover on it.  It made him feel more comfortable after he wiped it down to be clean enough to sleep on.  He put on his sheet and bedding.

Deciding to us unpack another day, he fell back on his bed.  He looked at his clock and blinked to six.  A groan escaped his throat.  He had a math assignment and an essay due the next morning.

He forced himself up to go downstairs to get dinner.  When he got to the kitchen, he saw the pizza box, indicating that Debi had ordered out.  Jordan opened the box.  It was empty.  He went to the fridge and there was no other pizza.  Did she eat a whole pizza?

"Hey, Debi?  Is there any dinner?" He asked when she came in, throwing her paper plate.

"If you can find any."

Jordan held his breath.  This was perfect.  He didn't have time to cook a meal.  She didn't think to order him food too?  She was the one that wanted custody of him and feeding him was part of that deal.

He made two peanut butter jellies and poured himself a glass of milk. Jordan took it upstairs in the attic that now acted as his room.  The cold air made him shiver.  He would have to find a way to get a heater in his room.

Overall, it wasn't terrible.  Apart from the cold and unable to have his computer set up, it wasn't as bad as he had thought.  Once he had everything set up, it would feel a little better.  He set his plate and milk on the dresser.  His foot hit a box.  It wasn't his.  He bent down the pick it up and take it to the other side of the attic.  The picture on top made him freeze.

There on top of all the miscellaneous items was a picture in a picture frame.  It was the picture of him, his dad, Kristine, and his mom when they went to Disney Land.  He picked it up.  Looking at it made his heart ache.  He missed his Dad.  He wanted Kristine.  But most of all, he really missed his mom.  Her pictures were gone once Debi moved in with them.  Jordan did realize that they were all in the attic.

He brushed a tear away with his sleeve.  Them he composed himself and quicky shoved the box aside.  It wasn't the time to feel lonely and sorry for himself.  He had homework due.  If he was lucky, he would be done by eight, because he still hadn't gotten to research anything or come up with a topic for his paper.

Maybe he should do one on how not to treat your stepson, but that was something he didn't really want to explain to the teacher.  Or the principal if the teacher was worried enough.  Or to his peers.  Overall, he wanted to avoid bringing up his shitty home life.

He sat down and pulled out his tablet and keyboard.  He was glad he had it, otherwise he was doomed without his PC.  He pulled out his pencil, math textbooks and notebook.  Taking a deep breath, he began to work on his school.