Thomas, I Love You

Chapter Three

The worst thing about having your step mom that you hate has your teacher is that you see her every day and she's watching you, waiting so patiently for you to mess up so she can use it against you with your won father. She can look at my grades, she can see how stupid I am. Just looking at her hideous face and polished nails day by day makes me want to gag.

Truth be told...KC is actually pretty gorgeous. Like, uh, total upgrade from my mom, no offense mom. Love you.

KC is like high cheekbones, long eyelashes, perfect waist gorgeous. And I hate her. Call me selfish, or even jealous, I don't give a rat's ass what you think. No joke, KC is pure evil. She's out to get me.

Two summer's ago, she came on a trip to the beach with my mom and I in the name of "spending time with my new family". I wore my favorite bathing suit, the one everyone compliments me in. A few months before then, she told me that if I were her child, I'd have skinnier legs and a much prettier face. Like, bitch watch KJ to grow up to be an ugly mother fucker. Either way, I'm gonna love him.

But besides the point...

Her words hurt me. But mostly, I wanted to hurt her more. Maybe she's just used to getting a lot of attention on her and she's trying to put me down because I'm competition. Lady, I'm 16! You're grown! Stop.

"Loni. Loni!" She shouts in her fake teacher voice.

I look up from my cell phone, not caring what she has to say.

"Please put your phone away." She scolds patiently. This woman might have her students and the entire board of education fooled, but she doesn't have me fooled.

I resist the erg to roll my eyes and just put my phone away. No need bringing at home problems to school.

"You know what?" She begins walking towards me.

"What?" I smile.

"Give it to me." She holds out her hand as if a queen awaiting her breakfast.

"What? You asked me to put it away and I did."

I eye my friend Kelsey from across the room. She's silently laughing at me.

"True, but now I've decided to  confiscate it because I have given you many warnings but still, you chose to show rebellion."

The kid that sits beside me slowly puts his phone in his pocket. I'm not even surprised KC is targeting me. But in school?

"No, you can't just-"

KC stoops down in front of my desk so we're almost eye level.

"Look, Loni. I don't want to get you in trouble. If you don't give me your phone right now, I will write you up and Off. You. Go."

Now that she's closer to me she smirks subtly, obviously enjoying our little public moment. Are you fucking with me right now? 

But something else fills my heart. The true, personal meaning of her words. She is in my personal life now. She's my dad's wife, my brothers mom. She is now my step mom whether I like it or not. She has power over me. And she's already proven that over the past couple of years.

"You wouldn't want that...Would you?" She asks, titling her head slightly and pouting her lip.

My hand twitches and I swear I almost slap the son of a bitch. But I can't. Because we're in school and my dad would be so disappointed.

"No, Mrs. Clooney. I don't."

She holds out her hand again and I try not to slam my phone into it. God knows when I'm getting it back.