The Step Sister

Chapter 8

I woke up. The clock read 6:33 a.m. I rolled over, finding the other side of the bed empty. Claire. I stretched and laid there staring at the cieling. It was too early to get up. Claire kept popping up in my head every second. What if things are awkward now? What if last night was just one big, crazy, mistake? I could still see her eyes looking at me. I felt a tinge of sadness that she left. Ira said this was going to happen and I thought she was wacked out of her mind. Inside I still kind of hoped she was wrong. I rolled back over and fell asleep with Claire and Ira in my mind.

***

"Wake up!" I head a voice say. I blinked my eyes a few times, fully opening them to find Ira holding a present in each of her hands.

"What time is it?" I asked, moy voice was groggy.

"It's about," She looked at the nonexistent watch on her wrist. "Eighteen past who cares! Your eighteen now and all you care about it time? Boys, I just don't get them. Just sit up and open your presents."

I sat up against my head board and reached for the gifts Ira was extending out towards me. They were both wrapped in blue and white stripe paper. I tore them open, one revealing a box with dress shoes in it, and another small box with a gift card to a tuxedo shop and an envelope with fifty dollars in it. I laughed.

"Are you trying to tell me something?" I got out of bed.

"Me? Nah, just trying to give you a path for the future."

"And the future is prom?"

"I don't know. It's either that or a wedding. Which one is your choice."

I gave a her a hug and really squeezed her. I really appreciated the gift. "Thank you, Ira."

"No problem, but could you do one thing for me?"

"What?"

"Go shower. You teenage boys have no sense of smell whatsoever." She left the room.

I walked into the bathroom, moving all of Kat's stuff to one side of the sink. Not caring anymore whether or not it was neatly laid out. I turned the knob on the shower to hot and hoped in. I felt my body immediately relax under the hot droplets. I cupped my hands collecting the hot water then splashing it on my face. I didn't feel any older. Not at all, but now I was an adult and not some stupid teenager anymore. I guess that meant I'll have to make smarter decisions.

I turned off the water and was about to pull back the curtain when I heard the opening and closing of lotion bottles. I pulled back the curtain slightly, poking my head through. Kat had her leg elevated ontop of the toilet fully extended to moisturize every part.

"Do you mind?" I said aggravated.

She looked over at me like I was bothering her. She wrinkled her nose.

"Well you either need to leave or hand me my towel." I looked over at the towel that was hanging on the back of the door.

I could make a run for it behind her for the towel, but didn't want to take the chance.

She just kept spreading lotion across her legs. "So you're the birthday boy."

I didn't feel like dealing with her. "Kat. Leave."

She didn't even move. "So I guess you're looking for your gift from me."

"If the gift is my towel, then yes." She was acting like a psychopathic killer from a horror film.

"Nope." She capped the lotion and put it back on the sink with the other ten bottles. She began to walk out the door and I started to feel better because she was leaving, but then she stopped and grabbed my towel from the back of the door and walked out. And that sneaky bitch left the door wide open.