The Rules of Life
Rule #9: Blackmail is bad. It's also very effective.
My suspension passed boringly. Paul had been surprisingly okay with Soe’s appearance and had even went out and bought cat food and a litter box as well as a small scratching post. His only condition was that I had to clean up after the furball. It didn’t bother me that much. Mostly I was just glad he didn’t toss the kitty back out on the streets where I’d found him.
But Soe proved a pest. He didn’t sleep at night, so I didn’t get that luxury either. He pooped all the time. I didn’t understand how it was possible but since he ate constantly, I guess it wasn’t too out there. Every movement was a threat, which was taken care of with razor claws and sharp teeth. Within one day, my arms resembled a slasher movie. By the time my suspension was ending, I was cranky from lack of sleep and on my last nerve from dealing with a menace cat. In between his evil ploys, though, he was an angel. Purring and snuggling against me, making satisfied mewing noises pretty much silenced any anger I felt towards him. He’d also taken a liking to Paul.
Every day, when he got home from work, Soe would sit by the door and yowl pitifully until I couldn’t stand it. I’d open the door and he’d scramble down the stairs, sometimes tripping ungracefully on his tiny kitten legs. Later, when I went downstairs to get food, I’d find Paul and Soe sitting on the couch, watching Animal Planet because it was the only show Soe wouldn’t meow through. I glared at Soe each time, the traitor cat. But he never abandoned me at night, when I most wanted him gone because he couldn’t go two seconds without pouncing on me.
As bad as it was, I was actually looking forward to going back to school. At least there I could snooze through a few periods. It’d be the best sleep I’d gotten in days. So when my alarm pulled me from the last hour of sleep I’d gotten, my annoyance was squashed by the thought of more sleep soon. Soe had finally fallen asleep and was now curled into an orange ball in the center of my bed because obviously he needed all that space. I pulled on yoga pants and a sweatshirt, tying my blonde hair up in a ponytail and started off on my jog.
Outside was cold. Winter was coming early. The whole world was still, aside from the soft purr of cars warming up for those unfortunate people with early jobs. I was a few blocks away before I stopped for a moment. I kept moving, my legs bouncing on the pavement as I jogged in place. I squinted, my memory fuzzy. This place was familiar but I couldn’t place it. After a few moments, I left, not wanting to make another trip to the slammer for stalking.
My jog had warmed me from the cold and the slight breeze that cooled the sweat on my forehead felt good. As I ran, my body gave a slight protest, my muscles straining as they stretched out. It even got difficult to breathe, both from exertion and the cold. Each breath was like sucking in ice. But I pushed through and eventually wound up back in front of my house. The kitchen light was on and when I got inside, I was surprised to find that it smelled wonderful, like bacon and eggs. How cruel, I thought. He’d make breakfast for himself and taunt me with the smells. Disgust colored my mood and I took the stairs two at a time and rushed through my shower.
Soe was still sleeping, his body rising and falling with each breath. For a moment, I wanted to pet him, a goodbye, but I didn’t want to wake him since he’d spent so much of the night playing. I tugged on my jeans and a long sleeved shirt. My hair was still wet so I left it down and then went back down to the kitchen. The meal was all cleaned up but there were a few pieces of bacon sitting on a plate. Paul was already gone. I frowned at the bacon and then threw it away. I didn’t want his food. I snagged a granola bar and headed out to the bus stop at the end of the street.
A few kids were already there. Most of them were freshman. One was a sophomore. A senior riding the bus was practically unheard of unless you were seriously uncool. I hadn’t passed my driving test and didn’t feel like practicing to re-take it. And I had no friends to pick me up. So I stood on the sidewalk, glaring at anyone who looked me in the eye. They all kept their distance.
I was the first person on the bus when it arrived and I took my normal seat, one in the middle. I ignored everyone, just like they ignored me. We all filed off when we got to school. Another surprise was waiting for me.
Travis Elton was standing outside, leaning against the building. His eyes were focused on the bus I was getting off. When he saw me, he pushed off the wall and walked over to me. Being popular, Travis had that arrogant walk. Straight back, head held high, and the air of propriety. It was more like a saunter than an actual walk.
The closer he got, the more I could see that my punch had left a desired mark. The swelling had gone down but he was still left with an ugly bruise along his jaw. He grinned, though. Travis might be an asshole but he sure as hell was persistent. Apparently not even my punching him had thwarted his intentions.
“Go away,” I said. I was tired and not in the mood to deal with him.
“That isn’t any way to treat someone who could get you expelled,” Travis said happily. I raised my eyebrows which only intensified Travis’s glee. He dug around in his pocket and pulled out a plastic baggy. To the untrained eye, it looked like it held ibuprofen or aspirin but I’d spent months with these things and I could tell. My eyes narrowed. “One false move on your part and Principle Tanner gets an anonymous tip that you’re hiding drugs in your locker.”
God I loathed him. “Travis, you already took my virginity. What the fuck do you still want?” I snapped.
“A date.”
I stared at Travis. He’d been trying to get me to go out with him ever since I’d gotten out of rehab. After the party, of course, after he’d already made me his conquest, I was boring. Then I was an addict. But now that I was out, now that I was clean, and had professed my hatred for humanity, well, I was interesting again. No one else could get me but if he could, he’d be considered a god among his cronies. It was sick and twisted and nothing in the world could get me to go out with him. Except those little pills. They would mean certain expulsion and with my track record, no high school would take me. I was a senior and technically old enough to drop out. But what could you do without a high school degree? Nothing. Unless I became a prostitute and started using again. After all the work I’d gone through… would it be unraveled by a dumb high school jock?
I couldn’t risk it. Travis knew he had me stuck so he grinned widely. “Saturday, 8 o’clock. Wear something pretty.” And then he, and that baggy of drugs, disappeared into the school.
But Soe proved a pest. He didn’t sleep at night, so I didn’t get that luxury either. He pooped all the time. I didn’t understand how it was possible but since he ate constantly, I guess it wasn’t too out there. Every movement was a threat, which was taken care of with razor claws and sharp teeth. Within one day, my arms resembled a slasher movie. By the time my suspension was ending, I was cranky from lack of sleep and on my last nerve from dealing with a menace cat. In between his evil ploys, though, he was an angel. Purring and snuggling against me, making satisfied mewing noises pretty much silenced any anger I felt towards him. He’d also taken a liking to Paul.
Every day, when he got home from work, Soe would sit by the door and yowl pitifully until I couldn’t stand it. I’d open the door and he’d scramble down the stairs, sometimes tripping ungracefully on his tiny kitten legs. Later, when I went downstairs to get food, I’d find Paul and Soe sitting on the couch, watching Animal Planet because it was the only show Soe wouldn’t meow through. I glared at Soe each time, the traitor cat. But he never abandoned me at night, when I most wanted him gone because he couldn’t go two seconds without pouncing on me.
As bad as it was, I was actually looking forward to going back to school. At least there I could snooze through a few periods. It’d be the best sleep I’d gotten in days. So when my alarm pulled me from the last hour of sleep I’d gotten, my annoyance was squashed by the thought of more sleep soon. Soe had finally fallen asleep and was now curled into an orange ball in the center of my bed because obviously he needed all that space. I pulled on yoga pants and a sweatshirt, tying my blonde hair up in a ponytail and started off on my jog.
Outside was cold. Winter was coming early. The whole world was still, aside from the soft purr of cars warming up for those unfortunate people with early jobs. I was a few blocks away before I stopped for a moment. I kept moving, my legs bouncing on the pavement as I jogged in place. I squinted, my memory fuzzy. This place was familiar but I couldn’t place it. After a few moments, I left, not wanting to make another trip to the slammer for stalking.
My jog had warmed me from the cold and the slight breeze that cooled the sweat on my forehead felt good. As I ran, my body gave a slight protest, my muscles straining as they stretched out. It even got difficult to breathe, both from exertion and the cold. Each breath was like sucking in ice. But I pushed through and eventually wound up back in front of my house. The kitchen light was on and when I got inside, I was surprised to find that it smelled wonderful, like bacon and eggs. How cruel, I thought. He’d make breakfast for himself and taunt me with the smells. Disgust colored my mood and I took the stairs two at a time and rushed through my shower.
Soe was still sleeping, his body rising and falling with each breath. For a moment, I wanted to pet him, a goodbye, but I didn’t want to wake him since he’d spent so much of the night playing. I tugged on my jeans and a long sleeved shirt. My hair was still wet so I left it down and then went back down to the kitchen. The meal was all cleaned up but there were a few pieces of bacon sitting on a plate. Paul was already gone. I frowned at the bacon and then threw it away. I didn’t want his food. I snagged a granola bar and headed out to the bus stop at the end of the street.
A few kids were already there. Most of them were freshman. One was a sophomore. A senior riding the bus was practically unheard of unless you were seriously uncool. I hadn’t passed my driving test and didn’t feel like practicing to re-take it. And I had no friends to pick me up. So I stood on the sidewalk, glaring at anyone who looked me in the eye. They all kept their distance.
I was the first person on the bus when it arrived and I took my normal seat, one in the middle. I ignored everyone, just like they ignored me. We all filed off when we got to school. Another surprise was waiting for me.
Travis Elton was standing outside, leaning against the building. His eyes were focused on the bus I was getting off. When he saw me, he pushed off the wall and walked over to me. Being popular, Travis had that arrogant walk. Straight back, head held high, and the air of propriety. It was more like a saunter than an actual walk.
The closer he got, the more I could see that my punch had left a desired mark. The swelling had gone down but he was still left with an ugly bruise along his jaw. He grinned, though. Travis might be an asshole but he sure as hell was persistent. Apparently not even my punching him had thwarted his intentions.
“Go away,” I said. I was tired and not in the mood to deal with him.
“That isn’t any way to treat someone who could get you expelled,” Travis said happily. I raised my eyebrows which only intensified Travis’s glee. He dug around in his pocket and pulled out a plastic baggy. To the untrained eye, it looked like it held ibuprofen or aspirin but I’d spent months with these things and I could tell. My eyes narrowed. “One false move on your part and Principle Tanner gets an anonymous tip that you’re hiding drugs in your locker.”
God I loathed him. “Travis, you already took my virginity. What the fuck do you still want?” I snapped.
“A date.”
I stared at Travis. He’d been trying to get me to go out with him ever since I’d gotten out of rehab. After the party, of course, after he’d already made me his conquest, I was boring. Then I was an addict. But now that I was out, now that I was clean, and had professed my hatred for humanity, well, I was interesting again. No one else could get me but if he could, he’d be considered a god among his cronies. It was sick and twisted and nothing in the world could get me to go out with him. Except those little pills. They would mean certain expulsion and with my track record, no high school would take me. I was a senior and technically old enough to drop out. But what could you do without a high school degree? Nothing. Unless I became a prostitute and started using again. After all the work I’d gone through… would it be unraveled by a dumb high school jock?
I couldn’t risk it. Travis knew he had me stuck so he grinned widely. “Saturday, 8 o’clock. Wear something pretty.” And then he, and that baggy of drugs, disappeared into the school.