Friday November 13th
Post #6
I walked up the school steps with my black skirt blowing in the wind, preparing myself for the worst day ever. I had assumed Kristen told everyone about me calling her a skanky bitch, and mentally readied myself for the hate I was sure to get. So when I stepped foot inside of Suncrest High, you could imagine my face when Lizzie Miller along with the rest of the school's cheerleading squad started playing with my hair and complimenting my strapped heels. It's not like they were ever mean to me but I was pretty sure Lizzie was a friend of Kristen's.
In Mr. Summeton's class Eric was sitting in my seat next to Alison, who can I just say looked utterly annoyed.
"You look gorgeous." Eric said getting out of my chair.
"That color does bring out your eyes." Kristen said agreeing with Eric. She was wearing a crop top that she paired with black leggings and had her hair pulled back into a ponytail. Not knowing how I should have responsed to her compliment, I thanked her and sat down.
"My day was great." I said sliding into the back seat of my mom's car next to Jessie after school ended. We were taking this Friday to go gift shopping for Christmas because the sales in November were always too good to pass up.
"Hey Mrs. DeMarte." Alison said joining us in the car. She greeted Jessie and Angelina once she realized we weren't the only ones in the car.
While my mom and her sister talked amongst themselves in Italian, Jessie, Alison, and I struck up a conversation of our own.
"Just say the word and I'll beat her ass for you." Jesse said when I told her about Harper.
"She's not really worth it." I assured her.
We split up when we arrived to the plaza downtown. My mom and Angelina went to a home decor store, while Jessie, Alison and I headed over to one of the clothing boutiques.
"Is this too scandalous?" Alison said stepping out of the changing booth in a creme colored dress.
"It's perfect," said Jessie.
We tried on half of the clothes in the boutique and bought forty percent of that. Feeling good about the new clothes I couldn't wait to wear, I walked out with sixty new pictures on my phone-mostly of Jesse, and a ton of things to wrap.
We were walking out of the store when my phone rang. "Hey Sarah, you should swing by my job later if you have time." Melanie said.
Forgive me for not believing Melanie even has a job, seeing as she never mentions where she works. I told her that I'd let her know if I could and hung up.
The smell of wood spray and tools filled my nose as we walked into a new store. We were standing near the entrance as Jessie skimmed the isles of the hardware store.
"Hey hollywood!" a tanned boy said coming up to me. "Do you remember me?"
He smiled, flashing his white teeth at me. "Hey Steven." I said hoping I guessed his name right.
"I never got your name."
I introduced myself, Alison, and Jesse to Steven. "Do you have a girlfriend?" Jessie asked.
"Nah," he replied. "I'm single."
I couldn't get over the way Steven's olive colored eyes gleamed under the store's lights. They weren't the mucky dark eyes that had "mysterious" written all over them, but they were definitely intriguing.
"Good," Alison said interrupting my thoughts. "So is Sarah."
"Yeah." Jessie added. "Sarah's really interested in you. She talks about you all the time."
He laughed. "Oh really?"
I told him that it wasn't true.
"Ah, that sucks because I was actually wondering if you were free to hang out this weekend."
Are you freaking out? Because I was FREAKING OUT on the inside. I didn't want him to think his charm was working so I tried to play it off like I'd been asked out before.
"Really?" It sounded more like a statement when I heard the word slip off my tongue.
"Really." He confirmed. "You're beautiful and you seem like an amazing person to be around. I'd really like to get to know you."
My cheeks were rose red and burning-in a good way. Believe it or not, but this was going to be my first real date. I'd hung out with guy friends before but they were more like family friends. Most guys at my school try way too hard to impress me that its impossible to hang out with them. "So Sunday at seven?" He asked
I blushed. "Sunday at seven."
He pressed his soft lips against my hot cheek and I swear on all things holy I died for three seconds. Who knew that the day I finally get a gorgeous looking guy to take interest in me would take place in a hardware store.
"Sarah?" I heard my name being called, but I didn't see who the voice belonged too. "Sarah!"
Following the voice, our eyes met Melanie's as she stood a few feet from us in an orange vest.
"You said you'd call me and tell me if you could stop by." She accused, as if I'd known she was working here.
"You never told me you work here-you just said you had a job." There was an intense layer of tension around us as we stood looking at one another. "Oh, I see you've met Steven."
"They're dating," said Jessie.
As good as it felt hearing Jessie refer to me and Steven as a couple, I had an odd feeling that there was something going on. "We're not dating," I said. "We're just hanging out, right now." As much as Melanie had been irritating me I didn't feel like it was right to put false information in her head.
For the rest of the time at the store things were AWKWARD. Steven stuck with us, while we shopped helping us find things we needed. And Melanie just had the same blank expression on her face.
"Do you want to talk?" I asked
She looked at me as if she had seen a ghost. "What?"
"Nothing, I'm just surprised Steven isn't with you."
I rolled my eyes, and fixed my stance. "If you want to have an attitude, we can drop this conversation Melanie. Now, what's biting you?"
"Steven is the guy I told you about-the one who I thought had a crush on me." Well clearly you were wrong. I had no sympathy for her for pouting over something so stupid. I mean I understand that Steven looks like he was just sent down from heaven, but it's not like I stole her boyfriend or anything.
"You have a problem with me dating him, don't you?"
She stood behind the counter looking puzzled. "You said you guys aren't dating." She stammered as she fiddled with the strands of hair that escaped her ponytail. It was true, Steven and I weren't dating-but I think she knew what I meant.
"You know what I mean, Melanie."
"Look," she said straightening up. "I'm not going to argue with you about a boy."
"Then don't." I told her walking out of the store.
Who said anything about arguing? Because there was nothing to argue about. If she liked this "mystery guy" she would have approached him. I know that friends don't date each other's crushes and shit, but that doesn't apply here. Melanie and I had started drifiting apart weeks before she started working with Steven-I didn't even think she thought of me as a friend anymore.
"Did I do something?" Steven said sliding next to me on the warm bench.
"Melanie was convinced that you like her. She's not exactly happy about the kiss you planted on me."
He didn't say anything, so I kept talking. "If you like her, then tell me. Tell me now, so that I don't do something stupid."
I know some of you are reading this thinking "why would she ruin her chance with a perfect handsome guy"? And I can completely understand what you mean. But I'm very protective of myself. If I feel hurt, or attacked in any way I'll tell you and I'll remove myself away from you as quickly as possible.
"There's nothing going on between Melanie and I. She just started working here on Monday-I hardly know anything about her."
He hadn't given me a reason not to, so I believed him. I could understand why any girl would get the impression that he was into her as he's quite the charmer.
When Jessie and Alison found us outside and Steven went back to work, we headed to Bath and Bodyworks. My mom and I had developed an addiction to their scents a few years ago and I decided to get her some of their new lotions for Christmas.
The pink walls looked especially bright today against the slightly dimmed room. What I assumed was their most recent scent filled my nose as we stepped inside embracing the warm atmosphere.
"This smells like shit." Jessie said after inhaling one of their less popular scents. I was browsing around the store looking for the lotions and body washes on my mental checklist. Their scents are always magnificent and worth the wait, but you'd never catch me spending anywhere near a hundred dollars on scented lotion. Trust me, I know, I'm cheap-blame my father. As wealthy as he is, he has to be the most cheapest person in the world. Of course, when it comes to our primary needs he'll understand, but he's never sentimental about what he calls the "little things". I purchased a few things for myself, along with the products I'd be setting aside for Christmas when my phone started ringing.
I expected it to be my mom telling us to meet her and my aunt somewhere but I unlocked my iPhone screen to see Eric Anderson's name flashing in white letters. We had exchanged numbers the night he came over my house after my dad spent dinner "analyzing" him.
I was in no mood to talk Eric. "What do you want."
"Hey to you too," He snapped. "Anyways, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out tomorrow or sometime this weekend."
Was he seriously asking me to spend time with him? "No."
I know, you guys and Eric probably think I'm a cold hearted bitch but I don't care. My sensitivity towards Eric ran out the day he stood by and watched his mother call me a whore. Even though I know I'm not a whore, I still can't believe he started a fight with my brother, then victimized himself in front of his parents.
When I said that today was going to be a shopping day, I completely meant it. We walked down to Victoria's Secret after hearing Jessie complain about her strapless bra being to tight. I was sure I needed new bras anyway, and they had some of the best body sprays a girl could ask for. Jessie was in the bra section holding bras up to her chest and examining her appearance every five minutes while Alison browsed
the yoga pants section. I picked out a few shirts and a sweater or two reminding myself not to go overboard like I usually do.
"Sarah you should get this bra." Jesse said holding a zebra and polka dot print bra.
I had already selected the sprays and bras I wanted to buy and was ready to get out of there. Victoria's Secret is a fantastic store but I've never liked how the moment I walk in there, the sales people immediately ask me if I need help. I just got into this store, what could I possibly need help with?
"I already picked out my bras, and that looks kind of small don't you think?" My boobs are a few cup sizes bigger than Jessie's, there's no way in hell that bra was going to fit me.
"No it's perfect, and you can wear it strapless!" She argued.
You'll probably think I'm stupid, but I took the bra anyway and paid for it along with my other stuff. Our cashier handed us each a huge pink and white striped bag with the words Victoria's Secret pasted on it for our overwhelming purchase.
Feeling my arms getting ready to reach their carrying capacity, I was relieved to hear my aunt's voice on the other end of Jessue's conversation. They had called to tell us to meet them near a café called Splendid, which thankfully was near us.
The smell of roasted coffee beans, bread, and muffins began moving me towards the door of the café as I watched my mom and aunt load their bags into the trunk. We slid into the back seat trying to make space for the millions of bags we had altogether.
"Are we going home yet? I'm starving." Jessie asked.
"We're going out to dinner." My aunt said.
The plan was to drop Angelina and Jessie off at their house so they could get changed and we'd meet them at Margie's Steakhouse.
Jesse groaned. "What about Alison? Are we taking her home to get changed?"
I explained to her that Alison would just find something in my closet to wear as I handed her a pack of skittles to chew on. It's no secret that 60% of my closet is skirts, dresses, and heels so it's never a hassle to find something to wear.
We pulled up to our suburban pale dark green house to see my dad's Lamborghini parked in the driveway. I hardly payed attention to the time and hadn't realized my dad had left work.
"Jesus Sarah," My dad said examining my bags. "Why didn't you just buy the whole store?"
I laughed. "It wasn't for sale."
"Honey relax, most of these are Christmas gifts." My mom said hanging up her coat.
"For who, all of California?" I told you he's cheap.
"Not all of us are willing to wrap a mug and call it a gift, Uncle Tony." Jessie said.
"Everyone just get go get ready for dinner." My dad mumbled going up the stairs.
With that, Jessue and Angie left and I slipped into a steamy hot shower. For someone who owned half a million dresses, I had no idea what to wear. I wasn't in the mood for anything fitted or bright but I wanted something that popped. After what felt like a century of debating, I snagged a maroon flowy dress and my black platform pumps. Feeling like I looked incredibly boring, I straightened my hair, lined my lips with a soft-but bold-pink lip stick and smeared on some eye shadow. I threw a basic necklace and golden earrings on to match my ring and grabbed my black clutch.
Alison paired a bold green dress with white platform pumps that did nothing but bring out her eyes. She curled her hair, smeared on white eye shadow, and soft pink lipstick giving her an angelic look.
"You girls look beautiful." My mom said when we came downstairs. She was wearing a black fitted dress with a slit coming up the side showing off her toned legs. Her wavy hair complimented her bold red lipstick and gold draping earings. Standing there adjusting a few strands of hair, I admired my mother's cascading beauty. She looked no older than 20 as she stood before us.
"Go tell Adam it's time to go-he's in the basement."
Afraid we were going to fall down the stairs leading to the basement, I grabbed onto Alison for extra support. If I had known my brother was coming to dinner with us and that I'd have to come down here, I wouldn't have put my heels on.
"Holy shit." Exclaimed a boy standing beside the pool table. It was Tyler Nixon, one of my brother's good friends from the soccer team.
"Adam, why aren't you dressed? We're about to leave." He was standing in front of the tv downstairs watching Dwayne Wade crush the Lakers. "Relax, I just have to put a shirt on."
"Or you could just leave it off." Alison blushed realizing that we heard her.
"You guys look nice." Adam said buttoning up his dress shirt. I offered to fix the sleeves as he tucked in his shirt.
"So who's coming to dinner with us?" Adam's friends had left and we were upstairs waiting for my dad to come down.
"Your aunt, Jessie and Lena."
My dad appeared at the top of the stairs dressed in one of his best Dolce and Gabbana suits, with a freshly shaved face. His polished black shoes and diagonal black and white tie brought out a sophisticated look in him.
"Looking good, dad."
"I know," he smirked looking in the mirror adjusting his hair.
We had originally planned for a dinner at the steakhouse, but my dad called up Aunt Angie telling her to meet her at this five star restaurant uptown.
"We're too dressed up for a steakhouse." He said.
My mom laughed. "And by we, you mean you, right?"
We hardly ever went out uptown because of the crazy paparazzi who will stop at nothing to get a picture of my mom. That's really why we live in such a suburban town instead of near the city. We arrived at a fancy white restaurant and parked near my Aunt's Lamborghini. My dad doesn't trust the valet system and always parks his car himself.
"Valets are for the rich and stuck up." My parents say.
Jessie stepped out of the car in a fiery red pencil skirt, a white top and black blazer. Her black polished pumps glistened under the moonlight as she clutched her purse.
"Guess what I realized today?" She fiddled with her hair. "I'm sexy as hell."
Next to her stood my older cousin Lena who I've admired my entire life. She had her golden brown hair in a spiral of slightly tight curls reminding me of how perfect I've always thought it was. Standing in her midnight blue fitted dress and golden heels, I admired her elegance and sense of style. I hardly ever see her, now that she's in college but whenever I do we spend all day together.
We were standing around the car admiring each other's outfits when they first came out.
"Isabella, over here!" A man shouted holding up his camera.
"Mr. DeMarte how do you feel being the head of one of nation's top markets?" Another paparazzi said.
My dad flipped him off, not caring about the possibility of that being on the cover of Teen Weekly. They screamed my Aunt's name, then mine and Jessje's.
"Adam is that your girlfriend?" a man shouted getting a picture of Adam and Alison. I immediately thought of Emily and what she would think about the picture. The flashing lights from the cameras and the amount of people coming out of the pictures was so frustrating for me. I didn't understand how my mom dealt with it when she was modeling.
"Sarah, what's going on in your private life?" A man said coming closer than the rest.
"No disrespect intended, but can you fuck off?" I didn't mean to tell him to fuck off, but I wanted him to. When I opened my mouth to say something, I was expecting something a lot nicer to come out.
"Next time, skip the disrespect part and just tell him to fuck off." mom said.
The ceiling inside of the resturant was stringed with bright yellow lights that gave the room a cozy warm effect. The room consisted of wealthy conceited people who stared at us as we were escorted to a table for eight.
"We don't belong here." Jessie established.
No one argued with her as we all knew she was right. We weren't like the rest of the wealthy that lived in northern California. We weren't about the riches and yachts and blowing up our money to prove we had it. My parents raised Adam and I to be more about family and to value everything we have. Everyone in the suburbs sees a rich kid and immediately classifies them as spoiled. But everything my parents have, they've worked for. And everything Adam and I have, we've earned.
"How was everyone's day?" My dad said cutting his steak.
"Sarah has a boyfriend." Jessie blurted.
I was expecting my dad to blow up into a million pieces and demand to know everything about him. He'd start off by turning red and vigorously slicing his food until there was nothing left of the plate. Then start swearing and muttering under his breath. But he didn't do any of the above. He kept slicing and eating his steak, as did my mother and overprotective brother.
"He's not my boyfriend." I assured. "He just asked me to hang out."
"I want to know his name and where you guys are hanging out."
"His name is Steven, and I don't know where we're hanging out-it's a surprise."
My dad nodded. "I don't like surprises."
"Antonio." I turned towards my mom thanking her.
"So what's he like?" Aunt Angelina asked.
"He's hot." Alison said.
"He's home schooled and he works part-time down at the hardware store." My dad nodded in approval. He's always wanted me to go for a guy who took care of himself instead of living off his parents.
"Give them a couple of months." Jessie said.
"Maybe a year." Alison added.
They were betting how long they thought Steven and I would last because that's obviously what you do at a family dinner.
"Don't make any bets." My mom said. "If he breaks my little girls heart, I'll deal with him."