The Junk Drawer

Fighting for the Bad Boy

“Miss Adeline, breakfast in 5” the intercom crackled and the voice of our Butler, Rodger, faded away. I sighed, content in the peacefulness of my room but not having it in me to fight my mothers’ wishes.  Monday mornings were, for me, a time to look forward to. The only thing about my life that I had actually gotten to decide for myself was the school I chose to attend: Grove High School. If it were up to my mother, I’d be schooling in an elite private school with people I didn’t want to be associated with. Already showered, I wore converse sweatpants with a matching hoodie before slipping into a pair of white sneakers. My waist length hair was conveniently brushed away in a tight ponytail so the piercings on my upper ear lobe wear visible, much to my mothers’ dislike.

Aware that I was already late, I picked up my school bag and headed down the long staircase before whistling my way to our dining room.

“You’re late Adeline”.

As per usual, I ignored my mothers’ snippy tone and planted myself down on the seat furthest away from her.

“She has no sense of time mom, just ignore it” the voice that had spoken, uninvited, was the curse my step father had brought from his previous marriage.  Diamond was everything my mother wanted me to be, and only a few months younger than me, my mother grasped her with both hands and treated her like the princess she claimed she was.

“That’s quite alright Diamond, I’m used to it” they spoke as though I wasn’t there, and I managed a glare in Diamonds direction before grabbing the lunch that Hannah prepared for me specially every day. I took a bite of butter toast, and retrieved my meter before pricking my finger with the small pin: the lancet. Pushing the strip into the device I waited for the reading.

“Please don’t do that at the table” Diamond spat “Blood makes me queasy”

I was about to point out that it was only a prick of the skin but stopped as the meter beeped.  90 mg/dl. I sighed, I was borderline.

My mother looked at me questioningly, but I refused to give her a reading. Like she cared.

“Where’s dad?” I heard Diamond vaguely enquire; nibbling on an apple as though she was going to gain 3 dress sizes just by looking at it.

“Your father had to head off early, releasing that new single is not going to be easy!” my mother smiled at Diamond before her eyes flickered to me.

“Don’t you want to know how your father is Adeline?” her tone was accusatory.

“Oh I know how he is Jacqueline, his ashes are scattered along Oakland Park, you remember don’t you?”

Knowing I had hit a nerve I bore my eyes into hers, which I swore flickered with emotion.  Choosing to ignore me, my mother turned to Diamond sending her a warm smile “Why don’t you head off now, the limo is waiting”. I watched Diamond kiss her goodbye before strutting away in her varsity dance crop tee and 6 inch heels. Sadly, Diamond had been kicked out her private school, due to being caught in a compromising position with the home economics substitute teacher. But my mother waving a few thousand dollars in their faces had convinced them to forget about any legal actions they were planning to take on the teacher (her cousin) and allow Diamond to move on somewhere else. 

I pushed my chair back, hoping to escape the tension that had arrived with Diamonds departure.

“Sit down”

I stood up.

My mother gave me a look of exasperation “I am missing valuable items in the pantry”

“That’s nice Jacqueline, better start searching”

She shot me a warning glare as I made for the door “I know you took them, and because of that I’m cutting your allowance”