Nothing Matters

Chapter 26

So far New Jersey has been hectic with bustling people on every corner. You'd literally run into anyone no matter where you turn, not to say that it was stuffy and crowded, but it was definitely a place to find a tourist. My mum hauled my things into the back of her silver Porsche before insisting I get a pair of sunglasses for my stay. I didn't find it totally necessary, but I complied when she pulled out a twenty dollar bill and demand that I purchase some from one of the vendors. We sat back in our seats, letting the A/C kick to life and blow cool air onto our moist skin. "You'll love the food we're about to get." She laughed indifferently, jabbing the dashboard, causing a flow of upbeat music to pour out of the speakers. I was actually very hungry, the airplane peanuts not filling me up whatsoever. We cruised under the sun for another 10 minutes before entering a gated community with impossibly even a larger amount of bustling people. A boardwalk can be seen in the distance, different vendors and restaurants perched on the wooden dock elevated over the sparkling ocean. Rides and other conventional coasters were scraping the sky, and I can already here the loud shrilling noise of screams and laughter. "This is where we usually eat lunch when we want to celebrate different things." She informed me as we parked somewhere near the dock. "Things like what?" I asked, unbuckling my seatbelt and smoothing out my shirt as I stepped out. "Just-- things." She chortled nervously, shrugging her shoulders. I found a spark of uneasiness in her voice, signaling something that she was palpably trying to hide, but I rubbed it off.

We stepped through the barrier, keeping loiterers who haven't paid for admission off of the dock. The smell of different foods and various cotton candy flavors swirled up my senses, causing my cheeks to lift pleasantly. "We're eating there." She informed me, her finger pointed towards a large shop with strobe lights (even at the midsts of day) and a big shrimp logo symbolizing the seafood that they presumably served. "It's delicious." She added, wrapping her arm around my shoulder and giving it a comforting squeeze. "I hope so." I nervously laughed, carding my fingers through the sweaty roots of my hair. "You're step father is waiting for us." She strained, her voice full of noticeable glee. I nodded, my smile faltering at the thought of my biological father being gone.

We entered the shop, loud laughter and crispy american accents slicing through the air along with the pleasurable fishy smell. I was lead to a table where a man dressed in a faded blue polo top and cargo shorts sat, his fingers blindly flipping the laminated pages of the menu. Around him were 3 children, each seeming to be no younger than 10. "Look who's here." The guy chuckled, training his deep blue eyes on me. I shifted under his glare. "Hi honey." My mum greeted him, bending over the table to press a quick kiss to his lips. I slightly cringed, uncomfortable with parent PDA. "This is Stephanie, my daughter." She introduced me, turning towards the 4 other people sat at the table. I smiled brightly, grabbing each of their hands before returning my attention back to my mother. "Stephanie, this is Geoff, you're stepfather, and these three youngsters-- those are your siblings." She nervously countered, using her fingertips to flick some hair behind her ear. I tried to contain my shock and dismay at the new information that I just received, but it didn't help as my eyes boggled from their sockets. "S-Siblings?" I swallowed, attempting to keep my cool. "Yes, this is Lionel, he's 7 and that's Vivian and Johnny, they're twins, 13 year olds." She exclaimed, her mouth gaping as she hesitated to add one last remark. Finally she glared down at her stomach and parted her lips. "And this here is baby Sophie, she'll be here in 3 months." She finally added, and it was then that I realized she had a not so palpable baby bump. My mouth gaped open as I took in everything that was shoved towards me in the last few minutes. The three kids that my mum gave birth to all had a very strong similar appearance. They had roundly shaped jaws, heart shaped lips and tan skin. My skin was pale and starched with the stale London air. I was jealous of their great looks. They all had eyes that were a weird mixture of deep brown and blue. "It's so great to meet you guys." I spoke, and suddenly felt like an outcast with my accent. For some reason, the name Johnny was oddly familiar, but it could've been just an old school friend. I shook it off and sat at the silver table as my stepfather still continued to rummage through the pages of the menu. "So what do you do, Stephanie?" He asked, eyes still peppered to the laminated flaps. It took me a few seconds to digest the words and realize that they were directed towards me. My face heated up and I chortled at my awkward persona. "I write." I simply replied, pursing my lips together. His eyebrows furrowed as he gave me an impressed smirk. "Vivian loves to write. Of course, she's going to be the valedictorian-- I hope, and Johnny here plays professional high school football. Lionel plays the piano and bass." I eyed Geoff as he rambled on about his children, my siblings. "I'm going to be the valedictorian as well." I cleared my throat, nodding my head. Geoff clasped his hands together and parted his lips, nodding as he attempted to find the words to retaliate. My mum sat upright in her chair, beginning to cough on the water that she had been sipping in.