Sand through my toes

Chapter 1- Shoe Shopping

'Thump.'

I wake up to the blizzard cold floor, I start to rub my left cheek. It's not the first time I’ve ended up down here. I believe I have now received a bruise the size of Jupiter, I guess it's the process of adapting to a new environment or something along those lines.

John White and my mother got married after dating a few months. A bit of a shock he wasn't more snobby considering he owns a whole chain of businesses across Australia. Now living further down the east coast down in Sydney rather than the coast at Queensland, they are now bonded in 'holy matrimony.' Those words make me feel queasy, At least there is one good thing to say about John's living quarters is the fact that it's near the beach or I might have gone crazy to be so far away from the ocean.

I’m not bothered dragging my limp body back to my king size bed. I figure I’ll end up on the floor again sometime this morning. So rather than risking it I drag my quilt over my body and roll over the carpet until the quilt is under me - I don't want to catch a cold.

It only felt like I dozed off for two minutes until suddenly,

"Jen!" My mum screamed." wake up! It's 11AM!"

I moaned.

"Jen! You have to get up! We have a big day, John's cousins wedding party is tonight. Firstly you need something to wear, and who knows what considering you forbid me to buy you clothes anymore. Plus you promised to go to the mall since you turned down John’s job offer, so you can search for a part-time job there. Just because we are now rich doesn't mean I want you slacking off, understand me Jen? Are you listening to me?" Mum continues.

"The mall closes at five, so I have six whole hours." I reply bitterly, still half asleep. I’m not much of a morning person.

"You need to be back here, downstairs,  ready to leave by six." Mum emphasized.

"I told you I'm not going, but your gonna force me to go anyways." I mumbled.

I tried to pull the covers over my head to indicate I'm not moving but Mum already had grip on my covers, for a petite woman she should join a football team. She would be an asset.

Mum pulled the covers off me, to which I rolled into a heap onto the cold floor whom I met hours ago.

"Ow!" I groaned.

"Meet me downstairs, when you’re ready to go to the mall. And we can talk about what you can wear tonight." Mum replied forcefully.

"Fine." I sighed.

I sit up and rub my eyes, slowly beginning to stand up and stretch. And I begin to trudge to my bathroom to take a shower.

 After taking a short shower I grabbed my tank top and denim shorts to wear to the mall. I printed off my resume last night so I grabbed it from the desk and popped on a pair of thongs. Before leaving my room I grabbed my bag which had my wallet and swimming gear, passed the power point in my room, taking my phone off charge on my way through to the kitchen.

"Jen, what will you wear tonight?" Mum interrogates.

“I told you I’m not going." I tired to protest, but failed to get my point across.

"Yes you are...we have an obligation to attend. You don’t miss a wedding for family when you’re invited. It'll look rude." Mum insists.

"Fine, give me some money and I'll buy something to wear." I reluctantly reply.

"How much?" Mum countered.

"$200." I answer.

"Here you go, keep the change." Mum passes the money.