I pulled the covers over my head to the sound of my annoying 12 year old brother yelling my name. Stomping up the stairs, “Reign! Reign!" he shouted walking closer and closer to my bedroom door. Which I shut as soon as I heard my name. I didn't want to wake up yet, whatever breakfast mom had cooked was perfectly capable of being warmed up in a microwave later. I pretended to sleep as he opened my door, which unfortunately had no lock on it due to my over protective mother, even though I loved her dearly she never gave me the space I deserved when it came to privacy. She wasn't too fond of me dating Tyler either, but she eventually got over it. I rarely bring him around my house though because my mom doesn't like him and I never understood why. I mean he can be a jerk sometimes, but I've been dating him for a year & a half now, so he must not be that bad right? Not like I can do better anyway. "Wake up!" Ryan screamed at me before pulling my covers off my body. "Ryan, get the fuck out!" I yelled in a sleepy tone. "Watch your mouth young lady, I made you breakfast and you have school, now get your lazy butt down here!" I heard my mom scream from downstairs. I groaned in annoyance at my persistent family. "Fine fine fine, I’m up. Now get out the fuck out." I said under my breath pulling myself to the side of the bed and placing my feet on the floor. "MOOM REIGN CUSSED AGAIN!" Ryan shouted at the top of his lungs. I furrowed my eyebrows and hurled a pillow at his face. Making him finally leave. I dragged my feet over to the pillow on the floor, picking it up and throwing it back on my bed, making my way to my closet and throwing on a quick outfit and heading down the stairs. Finally reaching my kitchen, I was greeted by my mother’s disappointed look as usual. I shrugged my shoulders at her. Opening the fridge and grabbing a glass to pour myself some orange juice before I chowed down. "Reign..." oh no here comes the lecture, I rolled my eyes to the tone in her voice as she said my name.”Reign!" she got louder. "What mom?" I said with attitude. "I'm right here." I reminded her sitting down the orange juice carton on the counter and sipping from my cup as I looked at her, waiting for a response. "You know I don't like that tone young lady and what did I tell you about cussing?" she began. "Sorry won't happen again, god." I said nonchalantly putting back the orange juice. Her eyes went back to what she was doing but I could still tell she was annoyed by what I just said."You know I don't like it when you use the holy god’s name in vein, it’s very disrespectful." Oh yeah did I mention my mom’s a total religious freak too? One time I told her I was an atheist just to see what she would do, she disowned me, but I told her it was a joke and she didn't speak to me for three weeks. That's okay though because she forgave me and at least she's there for me when I need her, unlike my father. Who decided that he didn't want to raise me and Ryan anymore, we don't know what he looks like, what his intentions were or why he even left us in the first place. All we know is, well that's the problem we don't really know. Anyway our stepdad Arnolds in the mix now, he's nice to Ryan and I but behind the scenes he really hurts my mom whether it’s physically or emotionally. The one reason why I can never grow to like him. I don't know how many fights I've had to break up between him and my mom, that shouldn't have even started. I really hate it and I really hate him, but I can't tell my mom that. If you saw the way she looks at him, you wouldn't either; besides the fear in her eyes from him I still see the love there. She loves him more than he will ever love her, which just tears me apart inside, because if I had to choose anyone in the world who deserves more love than they receive it would be my mom. She does so much for Ryan and me, but she feels as though she's stuck with Arnold because he supports us in ways she could never do on her own.
Arnold walked in the kitchen, as I made my way over to the table with my plate of food in my hand. Sitting next to Ryan who was half way done with his portion. I looked over in the kitchen at my mom and Arnold who were both talking, I don't know about what, but it seemed like Arnold was angry as usual. I was too far from the kitchen to hear and the short hallway from the kitchen to the dining room disabled me from hearing the beginning of their argument. My mom tried to brush off the situation as usual by calming him down and trying to finish cooking. I saw him grab her wrist and jerk her hand away from the cooking pan she had sitting on the stove and I heard him say, “What did I tell you about touching my things? Huh? I sit things in certain places for a reason. Jesus woman. You drive me insane." He said. My mom just continued cooking looking down in disappointment. "Look at me when I’m talking to you, woman!" he yelled, grabbing my mom’s chin in a very ungentle way. I looked away and looked at Ryan who had stopped eating and was just staring down at his empty plate. "I-I'm sorry, I won't touch your things again." my mom pleaded in discomfort. Arnold let her chin go. Still with an angry look on his face he suddenly smiled when he walked into the dining room, his whole attitude changed. Ryan and I just looked down the entire time not making eye contact at all. "So you guys ready for school?" he asked us but we didn't answer. "I'll take that as a yes." he said cheerfully laughing. I wouldn't be surprised if this man was diagnosed with bipolarity. We rose up out of our seats and made our way out the door with our backpacks on. Arnold shut the door behind him, as we all climbed in his car. Riding shotgun as the car engine started we backed out the driveway. I was dropped off first as we pulled up to my school, “Do you need me to pick you up after school?" he asked. I looked over at him and shook my head no."I’m hanging out with some friends after school." I replied. "Okay than." he said sounding a little annoyed. "By friends she means Tyler’s penis." said Ryan in the backseat of the car. Our mouths got big in shock as I reached in the back to hit Ryan upside the head. Ouch he yelled. "Hey don't hit your brother." Arnold scolded me. "Whatever." I said getting out of the car and slamming my door. Walking fast as I could to the front doors of my school. I looked up eventually to find Tyler standing there waiting for me. I smiled and walked over to him, standing on my tip toes to give him a kiss he bent down due to his height. He looked at me before planting the kiss I wanted on my lips. "What took you so long? I've been standing here forever." he complained after our lips separated. "Sorry babe, I just, it’s been a long morning...”
I said looking down and sighing."It’s okay. Let’s go inside." He said totally changing the subject and grabbing my hand, we both walked into the hallways of J. Greg High School together. I spotted my best friend Serenity as soon as I walked in. I ran up to her letting go of Tyler’s hand with a smile on my face,"Hey! Sorry I couldn't hang this weekend! My mom totally went all bitchy on me at the last minute." she said in an angry tone. "It’s alright, I understand." She smiled at my response. She saw Tyler standing behind me and her smile disappeared. She didn't like Tyler very much either, because I always told her about the problems I had with him and it made her only see and hear about the side of him that I didn’t like very much. She's always telling me I can do better. "I'm going to go say hi to the guys, cya later babe, meet me after school." Tyler said kissing me and giving Serenity a glare before walking down the hall. Serenity made a face behind his back as he walked away. I hit her in the arm, “What?" she said offensively. "You know what." I said laughing a little. "He’s a total jerk, like I said.." I finished her sentence before she did," I know I can do better." I said. “You can!" she replied. I rolled my eyes," No I can't, I’m lucky I even have a boyfriend at this point." I told her. She pushed me," You have to stop settling for less with all these guys you get with, you need a good boyfriend for once.. Not just a fucking last minute put together." She said. I laughed," Tyler and I have been going out for a year and a few months now." I reminded her. "Uhm so doesn't mean you can't break up with him, look I just want the best for you Reign and I’m just saying I think you can honestly do better, watch you don’t believe me now but one of these days the right guys going to come to you and your going to know he's the right guy, trust me." She finished. "Tyler is that guy." I told her. "Maybe he is I can't say for sure, but neither can you." she said giving me a hug and walking to class. I walked to my class slowly thinking about everything in my head. Who else would want me? I wouldn’t want me, so why would anyone else?
