Before

Chapter 11.

When he first met the flame haired girl who's arms were covered in tattoos, he saw something dark in her. He felt something competitive in the way she stared at her friend who's hair was lighter than hers. She compared everything they did and he saw that desperation she held inside of her for attention. She reminded him of a maiden named Roussette from a fairytale he read when he was a boy. The red-haired princess was jealous of her younger sisters when they married princes, even though she wed an Admiral herself. It wasn't good enough though, he wasn't good enough unless he made her better than her sisters.

Steph POV.

My dad is home late from work again. He's been late every night that week and I was supposed to be able to use his car to go to get a prom dress every day of this week. All of my friends got their dresses a month before and I'm starting to panic, if I don't have a dress for prom, I will lose my fucking mind. I'm so frustrated and it's complete bullshit that my dad is late again and my mom is too busy watching my niece to listen to me about my dress problem. Everything revolves around my sister and her baby. I always believed that bullshit about the youngest being the baby of the family. That was until I grew up with only hand-me-downs and last minute Birthday parties where no one showed up except my immediate family. I'm the reject of the family, the weird one who's become a ghost in her own home.

The last time my mom said more than two words to me was when I stained the sink upstairs red with cheap hair dye. He was frantic since my timing was perfect, the night before my sister Olivia's baby shower. I may have accidently spilled a little on the bathmat and it's possible that I used their embroidered towels to cover my shoulders while I let the fire-engine red dye soak into my strands. I didn't want to ruin Olivia's shirt from when she was my age. That's another thing I hate to hear, "when Olivia was seventeen she was the Student Council President." "When Olivia was seventeen she had straight A's and a popular boyfriend who she married right after high school."

I'm so tired of being compared to her sister, she was the golden child and I'm so sick of it. I can't wait to leave for college. I'm going to Washington State where Olivia graduated with honors. I'll never live up to that shit and I'm done trying.

As soon as my dad's jeep pulls into the driveway I grab my purse, check the mirror one last time, and rush down the stairs. I nearly run into my mom on the stairs and she doesn't even notice my fishnet tights or red leather top. She just mumbles something while looking at her tablet. That's all she ever does. The front door opens and my sister walks into the living room with my dad. Sierra, my baby niece is asleep in my sister's arms.

"I'm so tired," Olivia announces to the room as she walks through it. My mom appears quickly, closing the case of her tablet and she sits it on the mantel of the fireplace. Of course, for Olivia.

"Stephanie can drive you home honey," my dad offers for me.

"Dad, I have to get my prom dress and they close in thirty minutes!" I toss my bag across my shoulder and reach for his keys.

"Olivia and Sierra can ride with you."

My sister interrupts, "I won't mind." Her soft brown hair moves when she talks. She's wearing khakis and a short sleeve shirt with bright flowers printed on it. My dad smiles like his eldest daughter is the most thoughtful and considerate girl alive. It's super annoying.

"Fine," I huff. But this is the last day they will hold it for me so if I can't go to prom it's your fault." I glare at my sister. Olivia nods and I push past my dad to get outside. "I'll be in the car."