Just go with it

Dinner

Two weeks have past since my conversation with Taylor. Not much has happened. Today is the day something is actually happening. Today is the day mom and I go to the Smith's house for dinner. If I said I was looking foward to this I would be lying.

I lied to my mother.

When I told Michael about my mother's engagement, he was happy for her. But when he found out about the situation with the boys, he was furious.

"You mean you're going to have to live with them?!" he had yelled.

"Yeah, that's the idea." I mumbled.

Micheal had stormed around the room, deciding that punching a whole in the wall was a good idea.

"But, their assholes! Players. Their rude, arrogant, stupid assholes. You can't live with them! Who knows what they'll do! Ahhh.." Michael was stressing out, running his hands through his sandy blond quiffed hair.

I sighed. "Well, do you really think they would do anything, like, player wise, to their stepsister? Think about it."

Michael looked at me. Eventually he relaxed. But only a little bit.

"They'll still be a dick to you." he muttered.

I shrugged. "Yeah, but I can handle that. Besides, I don't have to be around them too much."

Michael gave me a pointed look. "You're going to be living with them, Alex. How would you not see them?"

"I don't know. I'll probably stay in my room the majority of the time to be honest." I looked down at my hands. The last thing I wanted to do was be stuck in my room constantly. But I'd have to deal with it.

"You know you can come over whenever you need to. Or want to. Either one." Michael swung his arm around my shoulders.

"Thanks Mikey."

That had been Monday. It was Friday now.

Mom wanted me to wear a dress to James's place, but I told her I would feel absolutely ridiculous. She didn't seem to care about that though. So then I threatened to leave for the night. Mom glared at me, obviously annoyed that I was making such a big deal over wearing a dress to dinner. But I eventually got my way. I still had to dress nicely. I figured sweatpants was suitable enough, but mom disagreed.

"Finally. You're presentable." mom eyed my outfit up and down. I felt like a monkey in a cage being examined.

I was hoping she wouldn't make me change again. The black and white flowey dress pants that I didn't even know what to call them seemed to do the trick.

"Button up that button." my mom pointed strictly at my chest. I sighed, purposely making a huge deal out of buttoning the last button on my button up shirt. I hated buttons, and hated the word.

"Darling," mom placed her hand on my shoulder, "it's very important to me and James that our children get along. I know you aren't very happy with the idea of having siblings-"

"Step. Step siblings." I interrupted.

"Fine, step siblings. But I'm sure you'll grow to love these boys like brothers after a while. Their sweethearts, really."

Mom was so clueless. So was the rest of mankind, excluding myself, Michael and Taylor. It seemed like we were they only ones who saw through the Smith's phony act. It was extremely frustrating hearing my mom talk so highly of these boys. They do not deserve my mother's approval.

"Do you understand?"

No. No mom. It's you that needs to understand.

I found myself nodding my head like I knew she really wanted.