Anarchy's Daughter

Chapter 4

            “When’s your birthday?” Tara asked, still trying to show interest while learning more about me. Small talk. I guess it was the way that she worked.

            “December 4th,” I answered.

            Tara nodded. Sadly, that wasn’t any time soon. I wanted to try and wait until I was eighteen before finding my father, but I couldn’t take it at that house for another six months.

            I saw Tara pull over on the street in a parking spot and all three of us got out. I placed my hands in my pockets and looked around before I heard Gemma ask me, “we can go window shopping, see what stores spark your interest honey. Don’t worry about money. Your dad and I are going to have that all covered.”

            Looking around, I noticed that there were a good number of clothing stores, but they were more uptight and expensive. That wasn’t my taste. I kept looking around until I saw on the other side of the road a store that kind of looked like a thrift store, or at least well used clothing store. I smiled. Perfection.

            I looked back at my stepmom and grandmother before saying, “what about that one?”

            Tara and Gemma looked up and saw her choice. Gemma asked her, “you sure honey? I told you that money isn’t a problem. There are lots of clothing stores around.”

            I shook my head and said, “I would like to go there first.”

            Gemma and Tara looked at each other before they shrugged and walked across the road with me. I went into the shop, smiling as I looked around at the clothes. It was perfect. Most teenagers hated used clothing, but I liked it. It’s where you would find the real gems that are my style. That’s where all of my stuff in my closet back at the old house was. It was what I was wearing now. I did have new things included, but not much.

            I instantly went to the sweaters, looking through them as I found nice knitted ones with weird colours that most people would find ugly. After finding a multi-coloured and multi-pattern one, I picked it up and smiled, placing it over my other sweater since it was so baggy. I liked ones that were bigger. I looked in the mirror near me. It was a bit of a weird shape since I was wearing a thin sweater under this one, but I knew it would fit. I smiled and saw Gemma and Tara walk up to me and look at me in the sweater. Gemma chuckled, “baby girl, I think you are the only one who can wear that and make it look good.”

            I smiled, blushing a little before taking it off and placing it over my arm as I picked out another sweater, this one a darker shade of green with a fox face on it. I looked over at Gemma and asked her, “what’s my limit for money.”

            Gemma shook her head, “no limit. Especially if you are getting stuff in here.” She was glad to see that Sidney was in her element of clothing and if it was used things, it would be cheap. Gemma knew that she wouldn’t complain about that. It would leave even more money to get things.

            I nodded excitedly and kept going through the sweaters, picking up some knitted cardigans as well before my grandmother told me, “you know, we are in California. Aren’t you going to get hot in those?”

            I shook my head, moving through the things still, “nah. I like heat.” Morely though, she liked covering herself up.

            Gemma nodded and said, “well, get some t-shirts at least so that not everything in your closet will give you a heatstroke.”

            I nodded and picked up a light blue tanktop that had the words ‘Pink’ on it. I smiled, “no worries.”

            Tara chuckled before looking over the clothing as well.