| Page 3 �Groveling,� I said. �Excessive groveling.� Mr. Marks nodded. �Usually works with women.� When I returned home I was surprised to see a man sitting at the kitchen table. �Mom,� I said hoping she was dating again. �Who�s this?� My mother was smiling but her eyes told a different story. I could tell she was furious. �Natalie,� She began in a cold, harsh tone. �This is your father. Suddenly the door to the bathroom opened and a petite brunette emerged eyeing the room critically. ��and this is your stepsister, Remy.� I couldn�t speak. I was too shocked for words. Chapter 3: The Word Hate I stood there dumbfounded as my father strode across the room and kissed me on the forehead. �Natalie! It�s so great to finally meet you! You�re beautiful, just like your mother!� That compliment was also meant to warm up my mother who was obviously very upset by his presence. I smiled wanly still speechless with shock. �Oh you have to meet Remy!� My father exclaimed giving the waif-like brunette a slight push toward me. The girl had been eyeing me nervously since the moment she saw me. Now, she stuck a perfectly manicured hand out for me to shake. I grasped her hand, watching her closely. She made no secret of looking me up and down once to size me up. She then smirked and raised an eyebrow. She was obviously not impressed. I loathed her on sight and I had no doubt she felt the same way about me. �It�s nice meet you,� I said forcing a smile. �Charmed,� Remy replied stiffly. �Excuse me,� I choked out and walked slowly and steadily until I reached the top of the stairs, feeling Remy�s eyes on me the whole time. Once I was out of sight I dashed to my room and flopped on the bed. I had no idea how my father had gotten our address or why he came but I knew my mother thought I had invited him. Any other time I would have called D.T. for advice. I considered calling my other friends but Al thinks a lot like me and would just succeed in getting me more worked up. Simon probably wouldn�t care in the least. I had no voice of reason to straighten me out. Except one. �I don�t think you�ve given her a fair chance,� Mr. Marks said pushing yet another chocolate milkshake toward me. I tried not to think how many pounds I had gained in the last hour. �You should have seen the look she gave me. She hates me almost as much as I hate her!� I snapped �Hate is a strong word, Natalie. You don�t even know her. She was probably just as apprehensive at meeting you as you were about her. Besides, this visit was probably your father�s idea. She might not have even wanted to come.� Mr. Marks said soothingly. It never ceases to amaze me how he can be so calm all the time. �Well she made that quite clear,� I grumbled taking a huge gulp of my milk shake. I glanced around the ice cream shop at the people eating, playing pool and chatting. Suddenly, I spotted familiar face. Simon was leaning against the wall talking to someone. I craned my neck to see who it was. The girl turned her head slightly and my jaw dropped. It was Remy! What was she doing here? I was out of my seat and across the room in a split second. I grabbed Simon by the elbow and shoved him into a corner. �Natalie! What is your problem?� A bewildered Simon said rubbing his elbow. �That is my stepsister!� I hissed. �Oh my God really? Wow, I never knew you had a stepsister.� Simon said gazing at Remy who was watching a game of pool and casting flirtatious glances in Simon�s direction. �She�s fifteen!� I said loudly. Simon laughed. �Wait, you don�t think. My God, you thought I was flirting with her. Get real!� Simon pushed past me still shaking his head. I watched him chat with Remy for awhile with growing anger. I marched over to the counter where Mr. Marks was standing and gestured toward Remy angrily. �Now you see why she�s trouble!� Chapter 4: The Worst Summer Two days later I sat with my dad in the local pizza shop for the third time in a week, having yet another father daughter bonding moment. Once again I asked myself why I had gotten Al to cover for me at Burger Town to meet my dad even though I hated it. I guess it was just because I wanted to bond with him and I wanted to feel like we had something in common. I didn�t want to admit that talking to my dad was just like conversing with a complete stranger. I was certain he felt the same way. He kept asking me corny adult-ish questions like what my favorite cereal was and how I liked school. I thought D.T. had given me a gift with connecting me with my father. Now I just felt it emphasized how out of touch we were. For instance, a real father would know I had already graduated from high school and was going to Sarah Lawrence in the fall. But my dad had never been a real father to me and now that was plainer than ever. After my so-called bonding moment with my father I headed to the ice cream shop hoping to catch Mr. Marks. Instead I found Simon hunched on a barstool. I knew immediately something terrible had happened. He was eating soft pretzels. I immediately pulled up a chair. �Who died?� I asked. �No one, unless Al kills me,� Simon muttered. �Oh God what did you do? I thought she was over the McDonalds thing,� I asked. �Well, she was- I mean, she is it�s just that- well I�Look, just keep me away from your stepsister. And don�t say I told you so. I don�t need to hear that right now.� Simon turned and stormed out without another word. I leapt up and headed in the opposite direction towards home. I bolted up the stairs ignoring my mother�s greeting and the 12 calls from Al. I stormed right up to the guestroom and flung open the door. �Haven�t you ever heard of knocking?� Remy said from her bed where she was painting her nails. �How could you? What did you do?� I screeched. �I have no idea what you�re talking about,� Remy said calmly as if she were mocking me. This infuriated me. �What did you do to Simon?� I asked through clenched teeth. �I didn�t do anything to him,� Remy said smirking. �With him, to him, I don�t care! Why is he so upset? Why is Al furious beyond all reason?� I knew I was yelling but I couldn�t control myself. I was so angry. �I don�t know. Some people are just touchy. Tell that friend of yours to get a life and stop being so overprotective of Simon. He can do whatever he wants with whomever he wants.� Remy sneered. �I�d keep that in mind too if I were you.� Remy gestured toward the door and I stormed out and to my own room slamming the door behind me. I flopped down on my bed, buried my face in my pillow and let out a loud scream. �This has got to be the worst summer of my life,� I said to nobody in particular. For some odd reason I almost expected someone to answer. Chapter 5: Storm Clouds and Memories I�m not sure how long I paced around the room trying to decide what to do when I suddenly decided I couldn�t bear to stay cooped up in the house for a minute longer. I grabbed my purse and dashed out the door deciding against letting my mother know where I was going because I didn�t really know and I didn�t want her to tell me when she wanted me home. This was all about space; space to think about what action to take. page 4 |