Just Like Cinderella

Just Like Cinderella [20]

Letting out a loud yawn, Josi rolled onto her back later that morning and blinked up at her ceiling, coming awake to the noises outside her door.

It was—she glanced at her phone screen—barely six in the morning. She had caught about three hours of sleep but it felt like she hadn't gotten any shut-eye. She moaned, wondering who was at her door so early on a Saturday morning.

"You locked your room?" came the disbelieving voice in Spanish. Shit, Tammy! She jerked up in bed immediately. "I most certainly do not give you a room in my house for you to lock the door. This is my house, I decide if you get any privacy. Get out here now."

Josi bit back another moan as she got off the bed. She had forgotten to unlock her door back after talking to Caleb. In her defense though, no one ever came looking for her there except Kitty May. That Tammy was here so early didn't say much about her having a good day. All of that and she was so exhausted from her late night talk.

At the door, Tammy switched back to English. "I won't repeat myself, girl."

Hearing this got Josi rushing to the door and unlocking it in seconds. Yet when she blinked away the rest of the sleep in her eyes, she needn't have bothered as she felt a hand strike her across her face.

Tammy glared icily at her. "That was for locking the door."

Josi's room was supposed to be her safe haven. No one cared what she did there. It seemed that was changing now. "I'm sorry, Tammy," she muttered, her eyes down and she noticed her stepmom was still in her nightwear.

But her apology was pointless as Tammy waved it all away and got to instructing Josi in a calm, leveled voice, like she hadn't just stuck her. "I'm having some friends over from my book club. They'll be here at eleven and brunch is to be ready before then. I've made a list of all I want you to make. Put yourself together too, I don't want your ugliness overwhelming them. I also expect to see this entire house shining from top to bottom for my guests."

Josi was suddenly thankful she had been woken up this early. With all what Tammy said, she'd need the extra time if she wanted to make it to work on time.

"And as you prepare, we're all gonna have a friendly chat about your recent company."

Shit, she already knew about Caleb. Her stepsisters probably told her.

"You disappoint me, Josephina." Tammy shook her head. "I gave you more than enough time to break off whatever it is you have with him."

Double shit, she talked like she'd known for a while. Which meant Josi had been right to worry about their silence; God knew what they'd cooked up. "I—"

"Cállate!" she barked out. "I don't want to hear a word. We'll talk when the twins are awake to hear your filthy lies."

This did not bode well for her. Yet Josi merely nodded, speaking no more.

This seemed to satisfy her stepmother. "Make sure you don't embarrass me today, Josephina. Any thing that displeases me and I'll put the next bruises on your body myself."

Remembering Sunday night had Josi shuddering in fear. She was used to not having a voice in this house, but now she was to live in fear, wondering what little act she'd do to send Tammy over the edge again. What happened that night was one of the worst beatings they'd ever given her. The few months till she graduated felt even longer now. Would she actually make it out of this alive? What if that was enough time for them to finally do permanent damage to her? She needed to keep a low profile, do everything Tammy said to the T.