Destined

Fourteen

Alex

She's in a bitchy mood today and I can't deal with it. Ever since she got home from school, all that's come out of her mouth is smart ass comments and snide remarks. Granted, from how I'm reacting to them and treating her since she revealed the truth to me, she'd probably say the same about me. But, I highly doubt she has an actual reason to be stomping around the house like a madman and telling me to shut my mouth before I can even say anything. Not that I would anyway, I haven't spoken a word to her, my only move towards her has been glares. I'd honestly love if whatever decided to crawl up her ass would just screw off before I really get annoyed.
I glide into the kitchen where the irritating girl stands with Jolene and find I would rather leave than spend one more waking moment near her. However, I came in here for one thing and one thing only, I head straight to the fridge for a nice chilled water bottle. I could've sworn we had a few left so not being able to find one anywhere isn't entirely thrilling. Especially since that requires me to be in here for even longer than anticipated.
"Honey, obviously something happened at school today because there is no logical reason for you to be treating everyone in this house so poorly."
"Nothing happened and I'm not treating everyone poorly, only certain people."
"If you want to stop lying and tell me the truth, that'd be fantastic."
"I'm not lying."
"Yes you are, that's what you do, you lie. So start talking."
"Do you think that's all I do? I'll have you know, I'm honest a lot more than everyone would like to think. But fine, you really want to know?"
"I wouldn't be asking if I didn't."
"There's a guy at school who was being rude to me and I did nothing to stop it." I slow my movements in the fridge so I could listen better. "He poked me, threw paper balls at me and said some things that I didn't like. This isn't the first time he's done these things and usually, it's worse but all I did was sit there and take it because the last time I stood up for myself, I'm the one who got in trouble." These boys at her school are getting on my last nerve. Even though I'm not talking to Evelyn, I will fully admit that I can't stand the fact those kids are getting away with what they're doing.
"Oh honey, don't you even worry about that. He probably just likes you and doesn't know how to tell you." Pardon? I close the fridge and look at Jolene completely baffled.
"I'm sorry, did you just say what I think you did?" I ask, feeling the need to double check.
"Yes, I did, because that's probably what's going on here. Alex, boys will be boys." The woman I've known for decades responds.
"No. No. Jolene, I can't believe the words coming out of your mouth right now. You never would've said or thought that when you were her age. Boys are stupid, assholes even but they do not pick on someone if they like them. How are suddenly someone I don't know? When I liked a girl, I never did what that kid is doing to Evelyn. In fact, you told me how to get the girl without acting like a complete moron."
"Alex, this is how boys act and you of all people should know that."
"It's unbelievable that you're trying to condition your daughter's brain to think that when a guy is mean to her it means he likes her," I tell her.
"Well come on, even I know that's not true," Evelyn says.
"And how is that?" Her mother asks.
"Because Alexander is mean to me and he doesn't like me like that, now does he." My eyes widen, eyebrows lift before scrunching. I clear my throat and shake my head, completely thrown off guard from the example used.
"Uh, yeah, exactly. See, Evelyn knows what's right and what's not in this situation. I'll see you two at dinner." I say quickly, casually rushing out of the room.