Loving The Jerk Who Might Have Feelings

For the next week I am completely together. No I’m not going to start bitchin’ about being completely depressed on the inside, psh, as if.The fact is that the week wasn’t bad, it was rather pleasant. I got asked out at least twenty-five times to the Halloween dance, and half of those were just AJ alone.

And I think I just might say yes to him, since he’s taking me out to a movie at seven thirty, tonight.

But the only thing that’s still bugging me (aside from the whole Nate-Lilith drama, which I have chosen to firmly ignore) is Alex Winters. I mean honestly, it’s like if I bit him in the ass or something. He hates me through and through; but, why?

I mean I haven’t done much to him really, except give him all the wrong answers to the Bio tests he cheats off me, and give him my signature grimace which he happily returns back to me each and every time.

But, by the way he acts towards me it’s like I killed his cat or something; I just don’t know what it is

“Later, Princess,” Winters snarls, pushing past me roughly at the exit causing me to drop all my books. I roll my eyes and sigh, then bend over and pick up my books. He keeps coming at me with those stupid nicknames, I mean it’s like he wants me to hate him back. And oh I do, more than he’ll ever know.

Before I can exit the classroom my dad comes up to me, “I know you’ve asked me not to interfere, but—“

“No ‘but’s, father, I can handle that jerk on my own, you know how I am” I state.

“I know,” he smiles at me in that fatherly way that I have come to love. In the beginning, when we first met as father and daughter, I absolutely refused his tries to be the father he never was to me, though he was to Joy, and that made me angry. I was a hothead when I was eight. But now I’m thankful that I have a father figure.

Then he pulls me into his arms, books and all, “That’s why I’m afraid”

I roll my eyes but melt into his embrace, but he just has to ruin it, “By the way, your mother says she wants you to stop by her office”

I groan and detach myself from my dad, “Why?” I whine.

“You haven’t seen her in nearly two weeks, nor Mase, it won’t hurt, y’know” he persists.

“Sure” I say sarcastically and exit the room.

I stop at my locker to leave my books, (ah Fridays, how I love them), then head to my dorm room to do my afterschool-cleansing and before-date-make-up.

Lilith isn’t there and I’m grateful, she always makes fun of all the make-up I use. At the moment it is approximately 4:00; I’ll have to visit Mom like at 7:00 and make sure she doesn’t keep me too late. That leaves me with three hours to prepare.

I better rush.

I do the usual; hot shower, exfoliate face, apply a liberal amount of my favorite shipped-from-France expensive face mask, pluck my eyebrows, shave my legs, and, er, other places, like above my top lip. I don’t want any stray hairs anywhere on my face; gross.

Then, as I wait for the mask to do its magic, I paint my toenails and fingernails. I still haven’t decided what to wear so a simple but hot French-tip is always the way to go. As I wait for them to dry, I expertly comb my hair into curlers. I don’t ruin my nail polish; of course, I am a master at this.

After they’re dry I wash off the mask which leaves my face looking glowing and rosy-red. Hmm, I need to decide what to wear.

I go out of the restroom and into closet I share with Lilith. Her half is mostly band-tees and her uniforms which are piled at the bottom; my half is perfectly neat and organized. Ah, let’s see, what am I looking for?

Well we are going to the movies and for a bite afterwards. So nothing too glamorous; a dress is out, and so is a business suit

I want to go casual, like a jean and a tee?

No; absolutely not.

So that’s out.

AHA; a pair of black tights, a longish, tight, jade green shirt that hugs my curves and a black belt on the waist. YES!

I look through all my pairs of shoes and at last I come by a pair of Chanel black and dark green flats the same shade as my shirt. Then I rummage through my accessories, finding the green Chanel bag that accompanies the flats.

I smile and head back to the bathroom, where I apply my basic coat of make-up, foundation, concealer, powder, eyeliner, mascara, and etc. Then I add a darkish blush to my cheeks and some smoky black eye powder to my eyelids followed by a sparkly green eye powder.

I purse my lips, what color of lipstick?

Red; I need to show AJ how bold I can be tonight. I apply some of the ruby red lipstick and then some clear lip-gloss that protects my lipstick incase we decide to make-out.

Then I go put on my outfit. I’m glad that my shirt had sleeves up to the elbows, that way I don’t look like an idiot wearing this out in the freezing cold and so AJ puts his arm around me to keep me warm. I know all the tricks.

I let my hair down, add some hairspray, iron my bangs, which I’ve styled to the side instead of my usual fringe horizontally across my fore head, and spray some more hairspray.

I put my phone, wallet, keys, and emergency miniature make-up bag into the Chanel purse and head out.

Oh shoot, I’m running late; its 7:10.

I hurry to the main building, which is where my mother’s office is, as fast as I can but these flats come with a heel and it’s freezing outside so I end up getting there at 7:20; oh I hope my mother doesn’t expect a long chat.

“Hello” I wave to the many secretaries in the front office, they’ve already met me twice when I came to visit my mom here, and I think they might hate me.

They grunt as I pass by but I don’t care, I’m already in the elevator that takes me to the second floor which is where my mom is.

In case I didn’t mention it before; which I know I haven’t; my mom is a high school counselor. I mean, it’s pretty weird when she seems like a teenager herself, but she’s amazingly good at talking with people my age and she’s got a degree that says so.

I enter the counselors’ office without asking, already used to the procedure. See there are two counselors here, my mom and a middle-aged man called Mr. Koch (by the way the ‘ch’ at the end is pronounced like ‘K’ so say this with me “Kuh-aw-kuh”) and the students here aren’t real comfortable talking to him, that’s why my mom was hired.

Mr. Koch waves at me as he devours a turkey sandwich, and barely glances as I rush past him, down the hall and turn to the right. I knock briefly in case my mom has somebody in there.

“Busy” my mom’s reply comes from the door.

I roll my eyes and cough making my voice deeper, “Er, it’s Gerard Way, I’ve come to give Pandora Night the kiss she’s been waiting for her whole life”

Automatically I hear something being knocked over, a scuffling noise, and the door being unlocked.

My mom’s head sticks out from the room, “AWW!! You’re SOOO MEAN! SNIFFLE; I WAS EXCITED, HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO YOUR MOTHER?!” she accuses me.

I roll my eyes.

Then she opens the door wider and hurries to hug me.

“Ouch, Mom, watch my hair” I complain.

“None sense! You came out of me, and I never said, “Watch my pelvis!” did I? No because I was in too much pain for you to—“

“Yes mother, I know the story” I give a laugh, “Anyways Dad said you wanted to see me or something, I, um, have to go out, though, so can you make it quick?”

“I never asked you to ‘make it quick’ when I was giving birth to you, did I?” She counters.

“Mom!” I whine.

She laughs and hugs me again, “Fine, so where you headed?”

“Bowling” I state.

My mom looks at me up and down and begins to shake her head, “Athena, we talked about this, I can’t let you go out, and I’m pretty sure you’re not dressing like that to go bowling with your sister, right?”

I start to frown, “Mom, don’t be this way, I’m mature I can handle myself, and for your information, I am going on a date, something I haven’t been on in practically a year”

Her lips begin to purse in that way that pisses me off, God sometimes my mother’s stubborn, “’Thena, remember what happened the last—“

My temper gets a hold of me, “How could I forget?! Honestly, do you think it’ll just slip out of my mind one of these days, mother? Because in case you didn’t know, it hasn’t, it never will, are happy?”

She sighs sadly, “No, I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to upset you, I just—look, just go on your date, have fun, but be safe, please, don’t do anything that you know is bad, you’re smart, I know you are. I named you after the Goddess of Wisdom for a reason.” She smiles at me.

I resist rolling my eyes and hug her quickly.

“Okay, now if you get in trouble, promise to call me or your dad before you do anything else, ‘kay? Oh and let me give you some emergency cash” she leads me into her office but two steps in and I’m rooted to the spot.

On the seat in front of my mother’s chair is Alex Winters. I blink at him, and he blinks back at me, it’s very clear he’s heard every word of our conversation.

But my mom doesn’t notice my silence until she hands me a twenty and looks between me and Winters.

“Oh, ‘Thena, this is—“

“Yeah, I know who he is” I say briskly, meaning to leave as quickly as possible since my phone has started vibrating and I know its AJ wanting to know where I am at.

But my mom smiles and practically claps, “That’s great!” Why’s she so happy?

“Er, I guess—look, Mom, I—“but Winters interrupts me.

“I’m leaving, Mrs. N, have a good night” he says quickly and walks out.

“Practice what I told you!” She calls after him.

I look at my mom suspiciously, “You are aware that Alex Winters is a psychopath, right?”

She laughs and pushes me out the door.

The scary part is she doesn’t deny my accusation.