Monster

I sighed as I looked up at my light purple room ceiling. Another year of school begins I thought. Junior year was supposed to be the start of when your life becomes a living nightmare. I wasn’t ready at all and I didn’t want to endure it either.

But I gathered all my strength to push myself off my bed I stumbled when my feet touched the ground. My legs wobbled giving out as I tumbled to the ground; I groaned quickly picking me up before one of my parents decided to barge in seeing me on the floor.

I didn’t want them to have a heartache knowing that their perfect child fell clumsily on the floor while getting up from her bed. I walked barefoot across my room to my closet my dark brown eyes skimmed through the clothes that I owned.

Taking some black leggings and a casual red dress I quickly undressed and put them on. Tugging on my dress I clasped the golden pendant necklace that my father bought for my 16th birthday that was two weeks before.

Lightly touching my hair, I bit my lip trying to figure out what would look good with the outfit I was wearing. Being lazy today I pulled my hair back into a high ponytail and pushed my bangs back into a tiny bump.

Finishing my morning rituals I walked out of the bathroom to put on my black boots, I looked myself over in the mirror slightly proud of myself for dressing up so nicely today. Well, there wasn’t much choice since Ronnie took me shopping when my mother pleaded with me to throw away my baggy clothes for new ones.

I convinced my parents to let Ronnie take me and promised that I wouldn’t get anything too revealing. They reluctantly agreed and I knew they would flip out if they saw me dressing the way Ronnie was, I would never dress like her.

I didn’t have as much confidence to wear half the things she wears to and away from school. Bounding down the stairs I smiled when I reached the kitchen. “Zao an!” Good morning. My parents turned their heads and greeted me as I walked in.

My mother waddled to me as she put down a bowl of rice on the table that was already filled with traditional Chinese dishes. I thanked her and did a quick prayer before I picked up my chopsticks before I munched away on my breakfast.

“Are you excited about your first day of school?” my mother asked me in English.

I shrugged as I continued to pick at my food, “More like nervous”

“Why would you be nervous sweetie?” my mother held ton of concern for me as her eyebrows furrowed in worry.

I didn’t want to have her worried, not when she’s six months pregnant with my little brother. It came to a shock to me when my parents told me they were expecting. I thought they only wanted one child but I also discovered that this wasn’t planned either.

Regardless they were both excited about the arrival of their baby boy and I was also bouncing off the walls to finally have someone in this house other than myself. Even if it was going to be a wailing, pooping, cooing baby.

“It’s nothing, I’m just being silly” I answered.

“You will be fine airen” sweetheart. My father added “It’s all the same people you have been around since you were thirteen.” He patted my shoulder soothingly.

I nodded before finishing up my breakfast, I checked the time seeing that I had twenty minutes to get to school.

“I should go before I’m late to school” getting up from my chair I pecked my father on the cheek as I picked up my dishes and putting it in the sink before I kissed my mother’s cheek. Both wishing me a good day at school I grabbed my bag as I heard my mother say

“Shiori” I tilted my head back to her as her lips curved into a smile, “You look very lovely today, I guess shopping with Ronnie wasn’t all that bad” she muttered the last part to herself.

I grinned “Thanks. See you after school. Zaijian!” Good bye I waved at her as I climbed into my new car that I saved up for. Well my parents agreed that if I saved up half the money they would pay the other half so I still got a pretty decent car.

Butterflies swirled in my stomach knowing that I was going to get attention from my new car that I just got. Ronnie hasn’t seen the car yet either because she was away at New York during most of the summer visiting family.

She was just as excited to see what fantastic car my parents bought me. In the back of my mind I knew it was going to have me labeled as the rich kid. There’s a difference though, my parents were rich. I was broke.

But I guess that didn’t make a difference when heads turned as I rolled up to the small high school in my new car. My heart started to pound even more something jumped out of nowhere near the driver’s side and I let out a high pitch scream.

Spinning to see a mess of blond clutching her stomach I knew it was Ronnie even if her hair was covering her face at the moment. Hearing the faint laugh from inside the car, I got out of the car shakingly reaching for my backpack.

“Ronnie! Why did you do that?! You scared me half to death” I lightly pushed her.

Ronnie moved her hair out of her face her light blue eyes gleaming with heavy eyeliner and eye shadow around her eyes. Her thin lips were painted a deep red as she wore black skirt, a white top and a black leather jacket.

Her eyes squinted when she smiled, wiping the fake tears that were streaming down her face. “I thought it would be a good start for junior year if I shook you up a bit” she hugged me before looking me over.

“You look good girl. I told you that if you dressed more like a girl you can get boys attention. That could lead to mind blowing sex” she gazed off in the distance.

I snapped my fingers in front of her face making her blink before she smiled at me sheepishly. “So where’s this car you ranted on about?” I pointed behind her before she got a good look at it. She stood there quite.

I got nervous thinking that maybe it was a bad choice of car that I bought or maybe she was stunned. Stepping closer to her I leaned forward to get a good look at her face “Ronnie?”

She let out a shrill scream bouncing up and down as her eyes bugged out with her lips parted. “Are you fucking kidding me? You got a 2008 BMW M3 Coupe?!”

I chuckled and just nodded not knowing what to say.

“How many years have you saved up for this beauty” she mumbled letting her hand graze lightly on the brand new silver car.

“Since I was around 10.” She continued to scan my car “My parents told me early that I should start saving up for a car when I turned ten so I learned how to be responsible and learn about saving up for something this huge. It took a lot of hard work but I think it was worth it in the end”

“Fuck yeah” she said “Now we can drive around in this baby all the time!” her blue eyes shined as she threw her arm around my shoulders as we started to walk to the entrance of the school. She started to rant on and on about how cool my parents were to buy me the car even if they had sticks up their asses sometimes.

“They aren’t that bad” I murmured.

“Shiori please. They have you locked in your room for hours at a time studying your ass off to get good grades. I remember you came to me crying because your father got mad at you for getting a B. I fuckin’ B Riri. Then you have those stupid violin lessons during most of the week, I barely get to see you sometimes”

I cast my gaze downwards knowing she was right, but they were my parents and they only want what’s best for me. I hugged her before we went our separate ways since our lockers weren’t close to one another.

“See you second period”

Walking to my locker, teenagers were chatting away about their summer and what they did. I was pretty envious that they had such a great time while I was stuck at home doing extra work my father gave me, working on the baby room, and I would have violin practice more than usual since I was on break.

It was nothing like a summer vacation, I didn’t mind doing the baby room since I didn’t want my mother to strain herself but it would’ve been nice if they let me go to New York with Ronnie like she planned. But of course, they don’t trust Ronnie because of her reputation on the reservation and her foul mouth didn’t help her either.

Reaching my locker I opened it up after spun the combination to grab the books that I need for my first two classes. Putting the two books in my bag and taking out the books I had over the summer into the locker and my violin song book someone shoved me into the next locker.

I winced as I heard my books and bag tumbled to the ground and some papers scattered all over the floor. People laughed as I grabbed onto my shoulder, “Well, well, well. Isn’t it Shiori.”

I mentally groaned knowing who it was, opening my eyes to see chocolate brown eyes and mocha skin that was placed in front of me.

Paul.

I stayed silent, “Did you miss you me?” he asked “I mean I know you were deprived of me pushing into the lockers and making your life a living hell”

I pursed my lips, “What’s the matter? Didn’t grow a fucking backbone over the summer?”

I cast my eyes downward just taking blow after blow waiting for him to leave like he always did. I picked at my dress, “I see you changed your style of clothing. Still doesn’t make you attractive in any way. Still the flat chested little boy you always were”

The bell rang as I heard him chuckle a bit, “You got lucky squirt” with that he left as I felt my eyes water as I sniffled gathering my papers together making sure to grab them quickly before people stepped on them.

Finally getting my stuff together I quickly got up and walked to my first class, “What I great start to a fantastic first day” I muttered.