Providence (A Clato Story)

Chapter 7. The Dinner Fight

"Dinner's ready!" I heard my mom yell from downstairs.

"I am coming!" I said while trying to finish the last sentence I was typing on my English paper.

We are reviewing old poetry. Yuck.

Our classroom assignment was to write a paper about Emily Dickinson's works. 

I must say her works are very confusing. Her most common poems are mostly about death, nature, and love.

Pick a struggle, girl.

I wondered if Emily had ever been in a situation in which I am 

Whenever I think about the blonde boy, It makes my heart happy. God, Will I ever stop? I did have crushes before, but not like this one. Why do I even like him?"What is his favorite color? Is it blue like the sky? Or is it orange that symbolizes the sunset? The world will never know. Gosh, that sounds weird. 

"Clove! Dinner's ready!" I heard my mom call out my name.

"Coming!' I said while I closed my laptop shut.

I hurried down the stairs and saw the table had already been set, and everyone was looking at me.

Mom, Steven, and Glimmer.

Great, why is she here? I forget that Glimmer lives here. She is never here for dinner. 

I am assuming that my mom could read my disappointed thoughts.

"I wanted to have a family dinner tonight because I felt like we haven't had one in a while!" exclaimed my mom. 

Really, Elina? Seriously?

I sighed and sat across from Glimmer, taking the only seat left. 

"Thank you, Clove, for joining us; we are waiting for the maid to bring us the food." Steven gave me a wink. 

"We have a maid?" Glimmer questioned with amazement in her eyes. 

"Yeah, for about four months now. Her name is Stacey," I mumbled under my breath.

Glimmer glared at me.

"How was I supposed to know?" She cried out. "I am always at cheer practice or with-"

"and who signed you up for that? You made your own schedule." I said, raising my voice, not caring that Stacey walked into the room with our plates.

"You girls need to stop! This is getting out of control. You two need to learn how to get along. You always fight!" Steven raised his voice, getting both Glimmer's and my attention.

"Yes, you guys need to bond with each other." My mom said, sending daggers at me.

"I will once Clove learns to respect me," Glimmer said under her breath.

I wanted to explode then, but Stacey put my plate down before I could react.

"Respect is a two-way street, Glimmer," Steven said, picking up his knife and fork. "I understand you two are very different from each other, but you girls need to learn how to love and appreciate each other for your gifts."

Glimmer stared at her dad for a long time until she picked up her fork. She played with her food until she said, " I am not hungry," and stomped out of the dining room. 

"Glimmer, darling, come back," Steven called out and followed her out of the dining room. 

My mom looked at me with anger in her eyes. 

"Did you really have to start a fight tonight? I finally got her to sit down with us," My mom hissed at me. 

I rolled my eyes. 

"It was going to happen either way. She is always in a pissy mood," I said, staring at my plate of food. 

"Clove. You started this fight. Have you ever tried being nice to her?" My mom said annoyingly. 

"Yes, I have," I said, gripping my fork. "She hates me either way."

My mom rolls her eyes.

"Fine, then, don't believe me," I said, standing up, walking out of the dining room, and heading to the front door. 

"Clove, come back her-" I heard her yell, but I shut the front door before she finished. I shut it a little too hard. I almost felt bad.

I started walking to Finch's home, but she lived about two neighborhoods away., which doesn't bother me. I like walking. I am also very angry. 

I called her phone in case she wasn't home. 

"Hello?" I heard her voice with concern. I hate phone calls, and I rarely call my friends unless there's an emergency,

"Can I come over?" I said while biting my lip.

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"Wow, I can't believe you came at Glimmer like that. Very bold of you." Finch said while painting her toenails. 

Finch was in her living room, painting her nails, while I sat on one of the barstools in her kitchen Island. 

She asked me which color to paint her toenails, showing me five shades of blue. They all looked the same to me.

"Well, I guess I was in defense mode because I felt so angry!" I exclaimed while eating her leftover Chinese food. 

"You were hungry, I can see that based on how you're chowing on that orange chicken," Finch laughs. 

"Ugh, why does my mom have to date Steven? Out of all of the guys in Panem!" I said while cringing.

"I thought Steven was a nice guy?" Finch said while finishing up her pinky toe.

I sigh slowly. "He is; he is a good catch. I just hate his daughter." I shuddered at the thought of Glimmer.

"Well, then, that is why your mom is dating him. He is a good guy, Clove. Glimmer is a bitch, I will admit, but you will survive. Once you graduate from high school, you can say bye-bye to her and never see her again!"

"She might end up becoming my stepsister." I cringed while picturing us as bridesmaids. 

"Well, siblings don't always need to get along," Finch winked. 

"Agh," I said, throwing away the empty Chinese food box in Finch's trash can. 

"I also think that you should apologize to your mom," Finch said with serious eyes. 

" I am not sorry," I said with a stubborn attitude. I felt like a big baby. 

"Clove. She is trying to make things work." Finch looked at me with a gleam in her eyes. 

"I guess so."

"Okay then, go back to mama Kentwell."

"I will... next year"

"Clove!"