New Girl in School

Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

As I trudged home on the third day after the incident at school, my shoulders were slumped in defeat. Martha had won. I allowed her to change my life.

I knew I was in trouble as soon as I entered the house. There was no "How was school?" Instead, I almost bumped into my waiting mother who stood in the foyer with her arms crossed.

"Your school called?"

My eyes dropped before returning to my mother's face. What could I say? Of course the school called. What had I been thinking?

"Well?" my mother asked in that tone I hated.

"I'm sorry."

After a long pause, she said, "Why haven’t you been going to school? I want an answer, young lady."

Shit! She called me young lady. I was in trouble.

"Mom, it's just that I'm not getting along with the other kids at school. It became too hard. Why can't we just move back—?"

"Kayla Jane Carson!"

Double shit. She used my whole name. I was in big trouble.

"We are not moving back. This is our new home. You're not even trying to get along with the other kids."

"That's not fair."

"It's not? You haven't even tried."

Maybe she was right. I hadn't tried. I was going to do it my way no matter what. But I liked wearing skirts. I liked the way they made me feel. I'm a girl and it made me feel pretty and sexy. There, I said it. It made me feel sexy.

"I'm waiting." My mother's arms were still crossed and the fingers of one hand tapped her other arm.

"Mom, I'm an individual. What if everyone came to school naked? Would you want me to—?"

My mother stamped her foot and her face turned red. She pointed a finger at me and her lips quivered, but no words came out. Instead, she stormed out of the foyer into the kitchen. I heard pots banging and hoped she didn't break anything or she'd get even madder.

We were well into dinner before a word was spoken between us.

"You're going to school tomorrow."

I looked up. "I know. I'm sorry. I was stupid."

"Damn right you were."

I coughed until the foot lodged in my throat popped onto my plate. It had been halfway down. I had never heard my mother curse. Sure, damn wasn't that bad a word, but it was Mom who said it.

When my mother woke me the next morning, she stayed in the room for a while, glaring at me, once again with her arms crossed. She didn't leave until I was washing up. And when I entered the kitchen, I saw the disappointment on her face.

"Well, at least you're dressed for school," she said. "I should have known something was wrong the last three days when you wore jeans. Just tell me one thing. If you wear jeans when you're not in school, why can't you wear them to school?"

"I want to feel like a girl."

"Is that the only reason?" No one ever said my mother was dumb.

I looked away, but then back at her face. I inhaled and let the air out slowly. "This is how I want to dress. I'm old enough to decide what to wear, aren't I?"

I had her there. She always told me that I was old enough to take responsibility and her telling me what to wear would be the opposite, but I knew she disapproved of my choice. But to her credit she didn't make me change.