My Life as the Ugly Stepsister (12 page)

He thought that was hilarious.

Getting teased by this guy was something I was so getting used to.

I hadn’t told him about my ugly stepsister thing, but I had talked to him about Diane. He totally sided with me on the whole righteous anger thing.

“I still can’t believe they had an affair when your dad was married to your mom.”

“Yeah.” I’d lived it. I believed it all right.

“I don’t know what I’d do if my dad did that.”

“Your dad won’t do that.”

“God, I hope not,” was all he said.

Now he knew some of my dark secrets, and I knew that his mother had miscarried twice before having Ben. Apparently, Jonathan had some familiarity with the whole depressed mother situation. He said he understood why I wasn’t mad at my mom for going to Seattle, but he still thought it sucked.

I agreed totally. It did suck.

As I lay there listening to the frogs, I realized that Jonathan knew more about me than even Madison and MC. I’m sure he hadn’t talked to his friends much about his mother’s depression either. It was nice, I thought, pulling up my covers, to have someone to talk to.

Our morning routine went pretty smoothly on Monday. I headed straight for the shower again and gave Caroline her time in the bathroom. Diane made oatmeal with raisins and honey. It wasn’t bad.

When we climbed into the Range Rover, Diane had a cup of coffee, and Caroline and I each had a can of Diet Coke. None of us were morning people, so it was a quiet, peaceful ride.

I dragged my bag of soccer gear into the school and with some serious pounding, fit it into my locker. My nerves were already on edge over the idea of playing on a team. Mostly, I just felt out of sorts. Nothing seemed real today. I had a big secret that I hadn’t shared with anyone, and after my nighttime talks with Jonathan, the real world seemed dull, like one big long commercial when I was waiting for my favorite show to come back on.

I was in way over my head. I ran down the field dribbling the soccer ball in front of me, too far away according to the coach. A couple of the girls were amazing. MC looked pretty good too. Madison fit in just fine. Katelyn, from French class, could dribble around any of us.

No one had told me the coach had been in the Marines, but the way she was pushing us, I knew she’d been in some branch of the armed forces. She was relentless.

Finally, we scrimmaged. I was tense and miserable because I hadn’t kept a ball from going out. And then it happened. This nerdy sophomore Monique who I recognized from grade school came up and kicked the crap out of my shin. She didn’t come anywhere near the ball. She was a total spaz. And just like that, I relaxed. I mean, how hard could it be to do better than Monique. After that, I started to have fun, despite the sweat and the pain in my side.

Worn out from practice, I fell asleep waiting for the house to quiet down. I woke up at one and realized I’d ditched Jonathan and Mojo. When I got over there, Jonathan was asleep on the swing with the dogs. Jonathan kept snoring softly and the dogs just raised their heads to acknowledge me soundlessly. The cot was set up next to the swing. I petted Mojo and Buddy, climbed on the cot, and fell back asleep.

When I woke, it was light, and Jonathan was gently shaking me. “Ally, it’s morning.”

God, my whole body was tired. “Ugh.”

“No really, Ally. You have to wake up.”

I opened my eyes and sat up, propping my head in my hands. “I’m up.”

“I didn’t think you were coming last night,” Jonathan said.

He actually sounded like he’d missed me. “Sorry. Soccer wore me out, and I fell asleep.”

“You’d better get going. I’ll stash the blankets.”

I stood and stretched. “I’ll be on time tonight.”

“Congratulations on soccer,” he said.

“Thanks, Jonathan. I have practice again tonight. I’ll come check on Mojo after dinner.”

“I’ll be here.”

In French class on Tuesday, the principal came and got Mrs. Day. She whispered something to her and she ran out of the room.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Mrs. Moyers said. “You may talk quietly. Mrs. Day has a family emergency.”

Then she walked out and left us alone. As if we weren’t going to cause trouble.

Everyone started talking at once.

I was just grateful that I had someone to talk to.

Katelyn said from the seat behind me, “I hope it’s not anything too bad.”

I turned around. She had the most beautiful skin. Like mocha or something. “Me too. I like Mrs. Day.” Oops. I broke that never like a teacher rule. “So far.”

Katelyn just nodded like I hadn’t committed a huge faux pas. “Me too.”

“You went to St. Luke?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“I went to St. Catherine’s.”

“I like high school much better.”

“Me too.”

“Do you live over by St. Catherine’s?”

“Yes,” I said without thinking. “Usually. Right now I’m living with my dad on the other side of town. Middleton Heights.”

“That’s down the street from my subdivision.”

Five minutes later, the principal came back. By then, Katelyn and I had exchanged cell numbers and agreed to ask our parents about carpooling. She said her mother was dying to find someone to share the driving, and I figured Diane wouldn’t mind getting rid of me half the time.

I’d thought playing soccer with MC and Madison would give us some time together. So far, we were too busy running our guts out to do any talking.

Coach Borkman made us all take a turn in goal. I jogged over to her, trying to catch my breath enough to talk. “Listen, Coach.” Wheeze, wheeze. “I really have to tell you that I can’t catch. Anything. Ever.”

She just looked at me.

“No. Really. Like if someone throws me something, it hits the ground every time.”

“Thanks for the heads up, Ally. You can still give it a try.”

After watching me clap my hands like a seal while the ball bounced off my chest, she pulled me out of goal. “You weren’t kidding,” she said with amazement. “It’s a good thing you’re pretty good on defense.”

I couldn’t believe it. I was pretty good. Me? On defense? I thought back over the practice. There were fifteen of us now, and I was better than at least six of them. Oh my God! I was actually going to be playing in the games. No way.

MC didn’t seem surprised when I shared this later on the phone. “Duh. Of course you will.”

“I guess I just thought I’d be warming the bench.”

“You’ve got way too much competition for the bench. Monique kicked the hell out of my shin today. I’ve already got a giant blue knot. The girl’s a menace.”

“Yeah, she really is.”

“Nice job in goal by the way.”

“Shut up! You know I can’t catch. I warned Coach Borkman.”

MC giggled. “It’s hard to believe until you really see it.”

“Are we really going to go there?” I threatened. I knew all her secrets, but she got cranky when I mentioned them so I gave her one last warning.

She stopped laughing. “No. Sorry. Ma’am.”

The peeing in a cracked bucket incident of seventh grade would stay buried. For now. “I’m glad we could come to an understanding,” I said. “Now tell me what happened in Spanish today.”

I’d really missed out by taking French. MC had some of the school hotties in her Spanish class. Plus a lot of the troublemakers, so she never knew what was going to happen next. Most of them were juniors who’d put off taking a language as long as possible. “What is it,” MC asked, “about bad boys that is so attractive?”

“Beats me.” I didn’t find bad boys appealing at all. Jonathan was way more my speed. A nice guy, who happened to be really cute. Not that I actually had a chance with him, but if I were going to have a crush, it would be on him.

I talked to my mother next. She sounded pretty good.

“The law firm is great, Ally. They had a hard time filling this position, and they are so grateful to have me. Anything I do pleases them. It’s a nice change from Haynes and Hester.”

“Good, Mom. Soccer’s kind of like that for me. Some of the others are so bad, it doesn’t matter that I’m not great. They make me look good.”

“Oh, Ally, I’m so proud of you for trying out.”

She was getting too gushy. “It wasn’t really a try out. We all made it.”

“You know what I mean. I’m proud of you for taking the chance, especially with all the changes you’re having to deal with. Speaking of which, how’s Mojo?”

“He’s okay.” I wasn’t going to tell her I’d been sleeping with him. “He seems to like Buddy and Jonathan.”

“And is Mojo the only one who likes Jonathan?”

“Mo-om,” I said.

“No really, Ally. He seemed like a nice boy. He’d make a good boyfriend for you.”

“Mom, I know you’re wrapped up in your own life and all, but you have met Caroline, right?”

“Sure. Why?”

I probably wouldn’t have said this to her face, but it was easier over the phone. Didn’t she get it? “No boy is going to think twice about me with Caroline around.”

Mom gasped. Actually gasped. “That’s not true, Ally.”

“You’re my mother, you have to say these things. But the truth is that Caroline is beautiful. Jonathan would be crazy to like me with her around.”

Mom didn’t answer for a minute. “I didn’t realize you felt that way. You should have told me. I thought Caroline was nice to you.”

“She is, but that doesn’t change the facts.”

“Ally,” Mom said, “I want you to listen and listen good. You are a pretty girl and any guy would be lucky to go out with you. You may think Caroline is prettier, but that doesn’t mean other people think so.”

“She modeled, Mom!”

“Okay, fine. Are there boys at your school who are cuter than Jonathan?”

“Yeah.” I guess based on looks alone.

“Picture Jonathan standing with a group of these guys. Now be honest with yourself, Ally. Wouldn’t you still be interested in Jonathan?”

I thought for a minute. One of the varsity soccer players looked like a young Brad Pitt. And that Liam guy Caroline liked was almost pretty, he was so handsome. She was actually right. I wouldn’t have believed it. “I would still be more interested in Jonathan than the others,” I admitted. Could it possibly be true? Could he notice me despite Caroline?

“I’ve got to get back to work, Ally,” Mom said. It was after dinner in Charlotte, but she was still at work. This whole time difference thing was messing with me. “I’ll call you later.”

“Okay, Mom. Thanks.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Diane loved the idea of carpooling. “And I think it’s great you’ve got an African-American friend now. That was one thing I told Ted about the Catholic schools. They don’t have enough diversity.” She tried so hard to be politically correct that she missed the boat entirely.

I was so sure that Diane didn’t have any ulterior motives for me going to public school. Like a lot more money for art classes on drawing vaginas with charcoal.

She did call Katelyn’s mom, and they arranged to start on Monday.

I thought Katelyn was pretty cool. Avoiding an hour every day in the car with Diane, even cooler.

I went to my room and checked in with Katelyn. She was psyched too. “Now when you meet Diane,” I said, “remember that she’s only my stepmother. She’s not a blood relation or anything.” I hoped she wouldn’t start babbling about diversity again. How embarrassing.

My French homework took some time. I had to listen to the CD and do a computer exercise. Finally, I got everything done. The house was quiet, so I slipped out.

I had just settled in with Mojo and Buddy when my cell rang. Mom. I answered quickly in a whisper.

“Ally, are you still up? I was just going to leave you a message. I’ll be in court tomorrow, and I may not be able to talk.”

Mom runs the power point presentation while the lawyer argues the case. “It’s okay, Mom.”

“How’s everything going?”

“Fine,” I said with a glance at Jonathan. Please don’t let the dogs bark.

“The connection sounds funny,” she said.

Yeah. Because I was outside in frog world. “Sounds fine to me, Mom.”

“Well, it’s late, so I won’t keep you.”

“Love you, Mom.”

“Love you too, Ally.”

After I ended the call, Jonathan raised a brow. “That was close.”

“Oh, she’d be totally cool with this.” I started laughing before I could finish. She so would not be okay with it.

“How’s she doing?”

“Okay, I guess.”

“And Diane?”

“I guess things aren’t so bad.” I told him about Katelyn and carpooling.

“Maybe you should have just transferred to Plum.”

“No way. I don’t want to change schools. And I wouldn’t want to go to the same school as Caroline.”

“Why not?” he asked.

Because she’s beautiful and I am not. “It would just be weird,” I said.

“I guess it would be crazy to transfer now, when you may have to change schools again in January.”

I didn’t say anything.

“Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to bring that up.”

“Let’s just pretend my mother isn’t going to yank me out of North Carolina in a few months.”

“Maybe she isn’t.”

“Good.”

“No,” he said. “Maybe she really won’t.”

“So how’s b-ball,” I said firmly.

He got the message. “Great. How’s soccer?”

“Better. I’m glad I did it.”

“Do I get to come to a game?”

I had no idea what to say. “Sure. If you want.” I doubted I could even focus on the game with him there. “But nobody can come to the first one. I have enough to worry about.”

“Cool,” he said. “I’ll plan on the second one.”

He wouldn’t really come. Would he? He had better things to do.

Three teachers busted me for daydreaming on Wednesday. I felt like a total idiot. After each class, I went up and apologized. I know, total suck-up move, but I couldn’t have my teachers mad at me the first week of school. When I carefully explained that I’d run out of my prescription antihistamine and had taken one of my Dad’s, they all nodded in sympathy. Allergies were the universal language in the Southeast.