A year after losing her older sister in a tragic accident, Charlie's Mom marries the father of the most popular boys in school. Still grieving, Charlie struggles to accept her new family and gets involved with her stepbrothers worst enemy, the capta...
My Mom's eyebrows furrowed together in concern. "What stuff?" My Mom questioned in a low tone.
I bit my lip. My words had rushed out without me thinking them through. I didn't want to tell my Mom what they said to me in the parking lot or anything. I hated being a snitch. I still cringe at myself when I snitched on them when we first moved in. I knew It was stupid and unnecessary, but the weight of their words were heavy in my mind.
"They sort of disrespected me." I answered, my voice quiet in its deliverance of honesty. Even though, my mind told me not to, I felt myself being lulled into telling my Mom what they had said after the football team. "Some of what they said was out of line."
My Mom raised her eyebrows in fury and examined me like I was one of her clients filling her in on the facts of a legal issue.
"What exactly did they say to you, Charlotte? You can tell me. Despite everything, you are my daughter and I will not stand for someone disrespecting you. I don't care if they are your brothers are not." She said, her tone hitting me coldly.
I swallowed hard when she called them my brothers. Right now, they were nothing even close to that. You don't treat family the way they've treated me. You shouldn't treat anyone the way they've treated me.
I looked at my Mom, trying to gauge what she was thinking. Sometimes, it was like she was never on my side so it was hard to be honest or vulnerable with her without feeling like she'd throw it back in my face. Yet, here she was looking at me with fury brimming in her eyes.
"They sort of slut-shamed me and threatened to ruin my life at school." I admitted, regret washing over me as soon as I let the truth out. This time, I didn't want to snitch, but after the way they had treated me, I felt like I shouldn't care. I shouldn't give them any form of protection because they don't deserve it.
"I beg your pardon?" My Mom, exclaimed looking even more furious than she had a minute ago. "How dare they."
My Mom stood up instantly, making panic rush through me in fear. I wasn't sure what I wanted her to do with the information I had told her. I just wanted her to understand my point of view on this issue and maybe even be on my side.
"I don't want to make this worse." I said, cautiously. The expressive angered look on my mother's face was making me fear what she'd do. "They really hate me right now and I feel the same way about them."
My Mom sighed, "I'm going to talk to Peter about this. His boys shouldn't be speaking to anyone like that, especially you. You understand?"
I nodded, biting my lip as I feared my honesty was only going to make things worse.
"Can you just pretend you don't know? I don't want to cause trouble. Of course, I'd like to make it clear to them how wrong their behaviour has been, but I don't think it will do anything any good if it happens."
My Mom raised her eyebrows and looked at me with a slightly shocked expression. "Charlotte, I understand what you are saying to me, but you're not seeing the bigger picture here. It needs to be made clear to them that what they've said to you was out of line. As parents, we have to make sure our kids understand that so they don't continue learnt behaviour and understand that it's wrong."
I nodded, understanding what she was saying. I didn't want to face the truth of it, but I knew I had to accept it. My Mom wanted the boys called out on it and who was I to stop her? She was right, if someone didn't tell them off now, who would? The pattern would just continue.
"I think they're good boys, Charlotte. It sounds like they've acted rashly and lashed out at you. By no means do that excuse their behaviour, but what it does do is give you a starting point. I will talk to Peter about dealing with the boys' behaviour. In the meantime, you should talk to them and try to get them to understand your perspective on what's been said and done, but also theirs."
"You want me to try to make peace with them? After everything they said to me?" I questioned, frustration rising up inside of me.
"No, Charlotte. I'm asking you to communicate with them."
I nodded, reluctantly. My Mom gave me a small smile before telling me to come downstairs. The guests were arriving in less than twenty minutes.
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