Elitism

I hated Monday. It put an end to weekend and it was always a recommencement. I was little disappointed when Carmen didn’t wake me up. In the week that I’ve lived here, it had become our thing. Sisterly bonding. She would wake me up and we would chill in my bed for a few minutes before joining everyone else for breakfast.

So imagine my surprise when I came downstairs to an almost empty kitchen except for a quiet Jensen reading some textbook at the island table.

I cleared my throat. “Light reading?”

“Forgot to do the reading,” he said causally not looking at from the book.

I made myself a bowl of cereal and joined Jansen at the island table where I sat at the other end.

“Where is everyone?” I said between bites.

“Carmen at work with mom and dad had an emergency at his.”

I was about to ask where Lauren was when I heard footstep. I looked over where Lauren had entered the kitchen and I almost spit out my food. She looked like an amateur slut. I didn’t know whether she was trying really hard, or she was clueless on how to dress like one.

She was wearing a white tank top with a black bra that you could clearly see with a mini black skirt and tall black boots that stops at her knees. What the hell? Her face looked like an emo version of a clown and it was actually distracting. And I was pretty sure she did not brush her hair this morning leaving it messy and tangled.

Meanwhile, I was wearing a white t-shirt with a vibrant red vest and black jacket over it accompanied with leather leggings and my black boots. I wore my hair down straight and applied light makeup that made my eyes pop out. That was all and this girl in front of me went the length to make sure her entire body stood out, and that was why I thought it was inappropriate, especially for a 13 year old.

“Wow,” I deliberately said out loud.

“What?” she said as she put her hands on her hips.

“You’re showing more skin than clothes,” I said, bored.

I didn’t really care what she was wearing, but I sure was having fun bothering her about it. She looked really annoyed with me right now.

“So? What’s it to you? You’re not my real sister,” she scoffed.

Oh, the irony in that. This girl was one big wave of several mixed emotions. Sure, she was my sister and all, but all I could see was how she was a two-face person. If she wanted something, she’d be the nicest person in the world. When she didn’t get her way, she would act unforgiving.

“Okay, one,” I held up a finger, “We have the same father so yes I am, and two,” I raised another finger, “The real question here is what’s gonna happen to you.”

“Nothing is going to happen to me. Mind your own business, sister,” she said and snapped her finger.

She grabbed her lunch bag and left. I didn’t know youngsters still snapped their fingers. She was one weird child. She was lucky she left because I wanted to break her fingers right then. My mother would scowl me and smack me if I ever gave her attitude like that.

“Quite the attitude that one has,” I said to Jansen.

He chuckled. “Mom and dad won’t let her go.”

“What? Alpine skiing?”

“On a motorcycle ride with a boy.”

“Are we talking about the same boyfriend, or someone different?”

He shrugged. “I don’t bother with that shit, but the second any boy puts a hand on her, I’m there. That’s all that matters.”

Aw, look at him being the man of the house and all. Cute. Suddenly, I had a thought that I believed would be quite amusing on my part.

“Don’t,” a voice interrupted my thoughts.

“Don’t what?”

“You got that look, like you’re thinking of some devious plan.”

I had only been here for a week now and he was figuring me out by reading my expressions. He was good. I was so proud of him in that moment.

“I just have one question,” he looked at me seriously, “Will it hurt her?”

“Physically, no. Emotionally, yeah,” I nodded.

“Go easy on her, will you?”

I laughed. “Oh brother, I don’t do easy.”

I smiled at him and left to get my shoulder bag and head to school. While walking to my car, I pulled out my cell phone and called in a favor.

“Hey, Brad, I need a favor,” I smiled.

At school, Riley was keeping a close eye on me. She would watched me from the other side of the classrooms and then again during lunch. I didn’t what she was up to, but I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of picking a fight with her again. I was keeping my distance and I was finishing high school so I could get out of here.

After school, I went to the park with Carmen because I promised her this morning I would take her. Meredith didn’t mind taking her if I had something else to do, but I insisted. I loved Carmen and I would take every chance I got to spend time with her. One day, when she was older, I wasn’t going to be the first person to hang out with.

After that, Carmen and I went to get some ice cream. Carmen got caramel because it sounded like her name. I didn’t tell her. We were enjoying our ice cream when Riley appeared and she was walking toward us. What the hell did she want now? It was one thing to harass me at school, but outside of school? This bitch was going to get punched.

“Hi there,” she smiled, all innocent.

I didn’t say anything. I just watched her. She sat down at the picnic table next to Carmen.

“What’s your name, sweetie?”

“Carmen!” she smiled.

“Well, I’m Riley. I have a present for you.”

Instantly, my entire body tensed. Riley was up to something and the fact that she was using my little sister to get to me made me want to throw myself at her in the most violent way possible.

Riley took out a little box. It was wrapped in a unicorn. Carmen smiled. She looked at me for permission. I reached over and grabbed it out of Riley’s hand.

“I’ll hold it for now and we can open it at home. Now, Riley, if you don’t mind… leave before this becomes an unnecessary situation.” I made sure I was very clear about this. Riley understood and nodded. She got up and left.

When we got home, Carmen had forgotten all about the ‘gift’ and I opened it in my room behind closed doors. My blood boiled the second I saw what was inside. I picked it up and threw it against the wall, pretending it hit Riley. I looked at it as it lay there on the floor looking harmless.

It was a pocketknife.

Oh, that fucking bitch…