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I didn’t need nor did I want new clothes, but I saw an opportunity to piss off my mom by wearing something she wouldn’t approve of. I knew exactly what she liked. She wanted to dress me up like a doll. Like she did with Madison when she was still here, although as far as I knew my sister, she was still dressing and acting like my mother trained her.
I used the nameless, at least to me, personal assistant to get me what I knew my mother never would.
It was New Year’s Eve and we had to go to the twins’ house. Chase and Amy’s parents threw a party every year. That night I had two tasks to accomplish with my appearance.
First, I had to rebel against my mother in a public way, so that she feels not just challenged but also embarrassed. A few years back, I found out she loathed when I humiliated her in front other people. After the divorce, she started to care even more about other people’s opinion. I didn’t know that was possible, but apparently it was.
Second goal for the evening was to make Lucas Cole kiss me. For real this time.
So I picked a pair of ripped denim shorts and loose baby pink t-shirt that revealed the better part of my belly, thinking that outfit would help me with both my tasks.
Everyone attending that party would be dressed as if they were going to a wedding, so no doubt my outfit would embarrass mom in front of her fellow snobs.
And I really hoped it would appeal to my neighbor that made my mind go blank every time he tried to talk to me.
I put on some makeup. It made me look older and my mom hated it, but I wanted Lucas to see me in another light. Not just as the girl he knew his whole life and embarrassed herself in front of him by every possible way a child could. I wanted to make him forget I ever showed him my snots when we were sick or that I accidently wet my bed when we had a sleepover at the mortifying age of seven.
I went downstairs. My mom looked at me with narrowed eyes.
“Go change your clothes, Clementine.”
“But dad’s girlfriend said I looked great in these,” I pretended I didn’t understand what her problem was. Also I wasn’t sure that PA was his girlfriend, but I wanted to irritate my mother. I blamed her for the divorce. I didn’t care my dad was the one cheating. I would cheat too if I was married to someone like mom. She was the coldest person on earth.
“You look like a slut. But I guess your dad’s girlfriend is one too, so no wonder she told you that.”
“Oh, thank you, Sylvia. That was the look I was aiming for.”
Her face twisted, and her eye twitched.
“What did you just call me?”
It just slipped out of my mouth, but seeing the look on her face was priceless. I was going to use that again.
“Isn’t that your name,Sylvia?”
She asked me that question every time I reminded her not to call me Clementine.
“You ungrateful little…,” she exhaled and closed her eyes. “I don’t have time for this. This is my first social visit without your father. I’m not going to let you ruin it.”
Like I was the one ruining anything.
We went to the party on foot, it was just a few houses away from us. I had invited Hannah to come with us. Amy’s parents didn’t mind us kids inviting friends over, because it meant we were entertained and less prone to wreck their home.
My mother left me and Hannah alone the moment we entered the house.
“I can’t believe your mother let you come dressed like that,” Hannah laughed.
“She has more pressing issues than that, but she didn’t miss the opportunity to tell me I looked like a slut.”
“What issues?”
“Impressing the neighbors? Pretending she’s fine? I don’t really care,” I paused. “Do you see him?”
“No. I don’t see his parents either, so maybe he’s not here yet,” Hannah looked at me head to toe. “I wish I was as brave as you and just go to the party the seniors are having and kiss your brother.”
“Ugh, gross,” I pretended I was gagging. “He’s turning eighteen in a few hours and you’re fourteen.”
“I know”, Hannah sighed.
