Page 12 of Unsupervised
“Woo! You tell’em, girl!” My head whips around to see an elderly lady in a wheelchair, cheering me on. Vera is her name, if I remember correctly. This whole scene would be funny if it weren’t so humiliating.
Serena returns, and Zara steps around to the open trunk with her again while I watch Stanley stalk off toward my parents’ car. It’s then I see my mother climb out of the passenger seat. Wow, they really brought the whole family for this mess. Maybe I should’ve invited Trey.
It’s harder to face my mother’s pleading face than my father’s furious one but as soon as she speaks, my resolve strengthens.
“Oh, Kelly, look at your hair! Haven’t you been treating it? And your nails desperately need a manicure. Please. You don’t want to live like this. Look what you’re doing to yourself.”
By the way she’s reacting, you’d think I’d just rolled out of a dumpster and shook the garbage off me. My expression must show what I think of her judgement because she changes her tactic.
She talks to me in the voice you’d use when a dog has something in its mouth, and you don’t want it to run. “You don’t have to marry Stanley. I understand if he’s not the right one for you. Come home and we’ll find someone more suitable.”
“No.”
She still doesn’t get it, and I’m not going to try to explain for the umpteenth time while my neighbors watch. I’m not defending my choices or trying to get her to accept them. I’ve already said what I needed to say, and this timenois a complete sentence. “While you’re in town, Mom, why don’t you visit Trey and Rowan? Don’t you want to see your only grandchild?”
She winces and glances at my father, who tosses the car keys to Stanley. “You drive this one back,” he orders. Pointing his glare at me, he adds, “Your phone will be disconnected tonight.”
I saw ahead on this one and I can’t help the small smile that grows when I inform him. “No, it won’t. I transferred off of your plan onto my own service. Unless you have something else you want to threaten me with, just go.”
His cheeks redden and he glances around at the small crowd hanging on our every word. Indecision is written in every line of his face, but finally, he snaps at Mom. “Get in the car. We’re going.”
Serena and Zara wander over to join Remee and a few others on the sidewalk. When I start toward the apartment, wanting to put this whole ugly scene behind me, Serena grabs my arm.
“Wait,” she says softly.
My father backs out first and when he pulls away, I see a sign taped to the back of his car.Driver loves cock.Honk if you want a threesome.
“Oh my god,” I snort, and laughter fills the air around me.
Though he’s had every chance to notice it, Stanley doesn’t glance that way, and Dad has made it far enough away now that he can’t see it. His eyes are on me as he backs the car up and pulls out of the spot, probably still in shock he didn’t get what he wanted.
When he pulls away, cheers are added to the laughter, and I cover my mouth at the sight of the sign affixed to the back of what is no longer my car.
Fist me like a Muppet. I love it.
“That one was my idea,” Serena says through her laughter.
I’m screwed without that car. I have a job and school to get to and no idea now how to manage it, but at the moment, I can’t even bring myself to care. When things are all falling apart around you, sometimes all you can do is laugh, then scoop up the pieces and try to fix it.
I can do this.
Chapter Four
Kelly
A downside of living in a small or moderate sized town is the lack of public transportation. There are no buses, only taxis and Rideshare, which will get expensive real fast. My new job isn’t far, only a couple of miles down the road in a small shopping plaza. School is farther. It would be a long walk, but not a bad bike ride.
As much as I hate dipping into my limited savings, I don’t see another option, so Remee gives me a ride to the Supercenter to shop for a bicycle. I find one that isn’t too expensive and grab a few other items I assume I’ll be needing now, like a lunch box and a backpack. I won’t be able to stop by my car between classes to grab a book anymore.
The lack of a car will make me spend more time on the campus, since I have some time gaps between classes that won’t be worth riding all the way back home for. Hopefully, I’ll have time to make it home and dump my books before going to work.
While I’m chaining my new bike to the back of our apartment, Serena sticks her head out of the back door. “Change of plans. Party is moving to the guys’ apartment. We’re going to Rideshare over so we can still get wasted. Go get ready.”
I glance down at the jeans and t-shirt I’m wearing. Yeah, I guess I should change. What are you supposed to wear to a college party held in an apartment? Is it like you see on TV with beer pong, half naked girls, couples making out everywhere and guys sucking beers through a funnel and hose?
A pair of dark shorts and tight tank top are what I settle on. I may not have huge boobs to display, but my stomach is nice and flat. Might as well show it off. My long red hair is up in a high ponytail, leaving a few strands to hang around my face. Mom acted like she was meeting a swamp monster or something, but I’m satisfied with what I see when I take a final look in the mirror.
My skin is perpetually pale, but the sun has covered my nose and cheeks in the tiniest of pink freckles, giving my face a rosier hue. The bright blue eyes that have stared back at me since childhood haven’t changed or dimmed, and I’ve put on a few pounds that fill out my ass and thighs since I don’t have anyone judging me over what I eat.